LOT #23148 |
Current Bid: $1,100
Roman Imperial: Gordian I Africanus (March-April AD 238). AR denarius (21mm, 2.81 gm, 7h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5......
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Description
Gordian I Africanus (March-April AD 238). AR denarius (21mm, 2.81 gm, 7h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5. Rome. IMP M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian I right, seen from behind / ROMAE AE-TERNAE, Roma enthroned left on shield, Victory right in outstretched right hand, grounded scepter in left. RIC IV.II 4.An enduring mystery is the excellent quality of the Roman coinage of Gordian I and II, whose reign totaled 21 days, during which neither emperor left North Africa. Despite their brief production run, coins of Gordian I and II are notable for their fine portraiture and careful quality control. Both portraits are distinctive, carefully engraved, and clearly modeled on the actual rulers. There seems to have been no "interim phase" during which the imperial portrait was simply a modified version of the predecessor (as with Trajan and Maximinus I, both of whom were absent from Rome when raised to the purple). Two possibilities suggest themselves: (1) The "spontaneous" revolt of the Gordians in Africa had actually been carefully planned in advance, with coin dies prepared in secret from busts provided to the mint workers by their backers in the Senate; (2) the production of coins for Gordian I and II extended well beyond their brief reign, perhaps running concurrently with the coinage of Balbinus, Pupienus and Gordian III as Caesar, allowing time for proper effigies of the deceased rulers to be provided to the mint.
Auction Info
2026 November 8 Spotlight: Imperial Portraits Ancient Coins Showcase Auction #61667 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
November
8th
Sunday
6:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
November
8th
Sunday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
22 Days
11h 30s
Internet/Mail Bids: 16
Lot Tracking Activity: 38
Page Views: 173
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 1 -
World & Ancient Coins Session
(Lots 23001-23247) - 7:00 PM Central Time, Sunday, November 8, 2026.
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]
Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions - Dallas
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms | Ancient Coins Grading Tutorial
World and Ancient Coin Bibliography
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms | Ancient Coins Grading Tutorial
World and Ancient Coin Bibliography