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Orbis Collectibles

RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 46

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Issuing entity

Roman Empire

RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 46. Denomination: Sestertius. Authority: Gaius/Caligula. Mint: Rome. The obverse shows head of Caligula, laureate, left, with the legend C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P III P P. The reverse shows legend in four lines in oak-wreath, with the legend S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS.

Related types with the same reverse, struck at other mints or with different marks or bust details, are consolidated here and listed under varieties: RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 37.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
6
Catalogue references
1

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, known as Caligula, was the third Roman emperor. The son of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, he belonged to the first ruling family of the Roman Empire and succeeded Tiberius in AD 37 at the age of 24. Caligula ruled until his assassination in AD 41. During the Roman Empire, the sestertius was a large brass coin worth two and a half asses, struck here under imperial authority at Rome.

Physical characteristics

Material
Bronze
Denomination
Sestertius

Technical characteristics

Mint
Rome
Authority
Gaius/Caligula

Design

Obverse
Head of Caligula, laureate, left
Reverse
Legend in four lines in oak-wreath
Obverse legend
C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P III P P
Reverse legend
S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS

Identification

Type reference
RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 46
Denomination and metal
Sestertius, Bronze
Obverse legend to match
C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P III P P
Reverse legend to match
S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS
Source note
Type description from the American Numismatic Society's Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE); individual specimens differ in die, flan size, weight and wear, and legend breaks may vary.

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Recorded
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Research required
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

Varieties

  • RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 53

    Near-identical catalogue variant (same obverse and reverse legends, type and denomination, differing only in minor marks or bust detail); consolidated into this entry.

  • RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 37

    Same ruler, denomination, reverse type and reverse legend; differs in mint, mint mark, officina or bust detail. Consolidated into this entry.

Research required

  • Editorial verification required.
  • Weight, diameter and mint marks require specimen-level evidence.
  • Museum specimen photographs are linked by the source; local photographs and reuse rights remain unverified.
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