Odessos, Gordian III., bronze coin — Emperor wearing helmet (CN type 16072)
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
AD 238–244
Issuing entity
ThraceCoin in bronze struck at Odessos in Thrace under Gordian III., dated AD 238–244. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 16072 (issuing authority type: city).
Obverse: Confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate, draped and cuirassed, right, and of Serapis, draped and wearing kalathos with cornucopia, left. Legend: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑVΓ. Reverse: Emperor (Gordian III) wearing helmet, cuirass, and boots, facing left; right foot on prow; holding globe in his right hand, Nike with wreath and palm branch on the globe; left hand resting on spear. Legend: ΟΔΗϹϹΕΙΤΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 12.51 g (from 1 recorded specimen) and a diameter of 26 mm (from 1 recorded specimen).
Published references cited by the corpus: Mairat and Spoerri Butcher, RPC VII 2: Roman provincial coinage. Vol. VII 2: From Gordian I to Gordian III (AD 238–244): all provinces except Asia. print and online, London 2022, nr. 1523; Pick and Regling, Die antiken Münzen Nord-Griechenlands. 1. 2. Halbbd., Abt. 1: Die antiken Münzen von Dacien und Moesien. Die Münzen von Odessos und Tomis; mit einer Ergänzungstafel, Berlin 1910, nr. 2364; Linked type corpus, RPC VII.2, 1523.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 4
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 3
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Gordian III (Marcus Antonius Gordianus) served as Roman emperor between AD 238 and 244, becoming at the age of 13 the second-youngest sole ruler of the united empire. He was the son of Maecia Faustina and Junius Balbus, as well as the grandson of Emperor Gordian I and nephew of Emperor Gordian II. During his reign, civic bronze coinages were produced across provincial centres, including this issue struck at Odessos in Thrace.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- bronze
- Recorded diameter
- 26 mm (from 1 recorded specimens)
- Recorded mean weight
- 12.51 g (mean of 1 recorded specimens)
Technical characteristics
- Mint
- Odessos
- Region
- Thrace
- Authority type
- City
- Issuing authority
- Gordian III.
Design
- Obverse type
- Confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate, draped and cuirassed, right, and of Serapis, draped and wearing kalathos with cornucopia, left.
- Reverse type
- Emperor (Gordian III) wearing helmet, cuirass, and boots, facing left; right foot on prow; holding globe in his right hand, Nike with wreath and palm branch on the globe; left hand resting on spear.
- Obverse legend
- ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑVΓ
- Reverse legend
- ΟΔΗϹϹΕΙΤΩΝ
Identification
- How to identify
- Check the mint name or ethnic, the reverse type and the legend together, then compare weight and module; types from the same mint often differ only in legend arrangement, magistrate names or control marks.
- Type corpus record
- https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/16072
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 16072
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Recorded
- Mint or printer
- Recorded
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Recorded
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 1523
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 2364
- external concordanceRPC VII.2, 1523
Research required
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution