442, Lot: 321. Estimate $200. Sold for $550. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Gallienus. AD 253-268. Antoninianus (23mm, 3.47 g, 6h). Mediolanum (Milan) mint. Issue 2(1), AD 260-1. IMP GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head left / SALVS ITAL, Salus standing right, offering fruits to emperor, standing left, right hand raised, left holding spear. MIR 36, 951m; RIC V (joint reign) 400; Cunetio –. Good VF, toned, flan flaw on obverse, weak strike on reverse. Extremely rare, only one noted by MIR (in a private collection).

Bought from Lennox Gallery, 1998.

This specific geographical reference to the safety of Italy reflects the prime purpose of the military units stationed in Milan to ensure just that. The identification of the object being held by the figure of Salus as a receptacle containing fruit (RIC) is difficult to confirm. It is by no means clear on either this coin or the one illustrated in MIR what it might be, All that can be discerned is a single curved band held in both hands, and it could equally be interpreted as an unwound wreath or diadem.about to be presented to the emperor, as on MIR 921.