Odessos, Gordian III., bronze coin — Hermes standing left (CN type 16079)
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 16079 (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 ΑΝΤΩΝΙΟϹ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ. Reverse: Hermes standing left, holding purse in his right hand and caduceus and garment in his left. Legend: ΟΔΗᛈᛈΕΙΤΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 13.48 g (from 1 recorded specimen) and a diameter of 27 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. 1530; 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. 2345; Linked type corpus, RPC VII.2, 1530.
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
Produced by the civic mint of Odessos in Thrace, this bronze coin dates to AD 238–244 during the reign of Gordian III. Gordian III (Marcus Antonius Gordianus) held power as Roman emperor from 238 until c. February 244, ascending at 13 years of age as the second-youngest sole emperor of the united Roman Empire. Odessos, the issuing city, originated as a Thracian seaside settlement before expanding into a significant Black Sea seaport.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- bronze
- Recorded diameter
- 27 mm (from 1 recorded specimens)
- Recorded mean weight
- 13.48 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
- Hermes standing left, holding purse in his right hand and caduceus and garment in his left.
- Obverse legend
- ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΟϹ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ
- Reverse legend
- ΟΔΗᛈᛈΕΙΤΩΝ
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/16079
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 16079
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. 1530
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 2345
- external concordanceRPC VII.2, 1530
Research required
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution