Another unidentified ancient roman coin
Daj
Posts: 31 ✭
I believe it's silver and appreciate any information I can get on this ancient roman. 
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The coin is an antoninianus. Based on the portrait (I can't read the lettering) I would guess it is from the reign of Maximinus I ( AD 235-238).
I agree with the attribution as an antoninianus (a modern term applied to silver coins likely valued at two denarii), but am thinking different on the emperor. Production of the antoninianus was suspended c. 219 AD, and not revived until the revolt of Balbinus and Pupienus against Maximinus I in 238 AD. Also, not enough "chin" for Maximinus I (Look at some portraits of him. You'll see what I mean). The portrait looks more like that of Emperor Valerian (r. 253 - 260 AD), and what's left of the obverse inscription seems to match up with that. What little can be made of the reverse most closely matches the inscription APOLINI CONSERVA with Apollo standing left, attributed by David Sear to the Rome mint c. 253 -255 AD. This time frame fits with the relatively high silver content. The inscription is unique enough, that it's unlikely to be any other type, unless someone more knowledgeable can make something else out of it.
You may well be right about Valerian. I may have placed too much emphasis on the shape of the nose. My detailed reference books on Roman Coins were donated to the Detroit Public Library many years ago. I wonder if they still have them or if they just dumped them into a used book sale at some point. My only reference book at present is the "Handbook of Ancient Greek & Roman Coins" by Klawans as edited by Bressett. (Published by Whitman.) This is a good, if basic, guide that is very reasonably priced.
I wish someone had made a donation like that to the library I frequented, when I was first getting into world/ancient coins. Yes, the handbook is a great resource.
First thought I had when looking at it is Trajan Decius. The chin and nose seem to me, to match.
Steve