Mint of Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne)

442, Lot: 300. Estimate $400. Sold for $750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Valerian I. AD 253-260. Antoninianus (22mm, 3.58 g, 12h). Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint. Struck AD 257-260. IMP VALERIANVS PIVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / GALLIENVS CVM EXER SVO, Jupiter standing facing, holding Victory and sceptre, on cippus inscribed IOVI / VIC / TORI. MIR 36, 867a; RIC V 7; Cunetio –; Stevenage –. Good VF, lightly toned, small deposit. Extremely rare, only one noted in MIR (in the ANS).

Ex Triton I (2 December 1997), lot 1623.

Although ostensibly a coin of Valerian I, this was clearly intended to emphasise the role of Gallienus as commander-in-chief of troops on the western frontier.

The mint at Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne), on the Rhine frontier in Germany, was established by transferring equipment and personnel from Viminacium, this being dated in MIR to AD 257. Its main purpose was to supply coinage for paying the troops stationed on the frontier, and this is reflected in the military nature of many of its reverse types. Most of the antoninianus types are common today, and must have been issued in enormous numbers, but there are some scarce or rare varieties. Quinarii and gold issues, by contrast, are all excessively rare. The mint was taken over by Postumus at the conclusion of the siege in AD 260 and subsequently struck coins in his name.