My Second Aureus

[Rupert]

It's two days now that my second aureus found its way into my collection. Aurei are rare, affordable aurei even much more so. And an aureus that won't blast my budget for a whole year will probably be a coin with problems (wear, damages, holes, scratches, filed edges etc.), plus it will be a coin from one of the very common emperors (Nero, Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian, maybe Antoninus Pius). So I'm happy I could get this coin, worn, holed and slightly bent, yes, probably by some barbarian chieftain who had his vest embroidered with it, but certainly not common.

Herennius Etruscus Caesar
Aureus, Rome, 250-251 AD
Obv. Q HER ETR MES DECIUS NOB C
Draped bust with bare head right
Rev. PRINCIPI IUVEN(TU)TIS
Caesar in military clothing, standing left with wand and transverse spear
Condition: Fine, with one big and one small hole
Diameter between 18 and 19.5 mm, weight 3.64 g, die axis 12 o'clock
RIC 147a, Cohen 25

Herennius Etruscus was the elder son of Trajan Decius who fell along with his father in the battle of Abrittus against the Goths - the first two Roman emperors to die fighting against enemies from outside. While his silver coins with the title of Caesar are just slightly scarce, his gold coins are quite rare. Cohen values a specimen in fine quality at 750 gold Francs while a common Hadrian aureus starts at 40.

Rupert

[Mark Z]

Rupert,

A nice pull in any condition, for sure.

But this one has a solid portrait, full legends and nice reverse.

I love the thought that this one could be "worn, holed and slightly bent, yes, probably by some barbarian chieftain who had his vest embroidered with it"

Excellent!

mz