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Ancient Roman Silver Coin
Gordian III
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ROMAN EMPIRE
GORDIAN III
29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D.
Silver Antoninianus 20mm. 1.37g.
Rome mint. Struck 239-240 AD.
Obverse: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG.
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian to right.
Reverse: AEQVITAS AVG ~ Unabridged:
Aequitas Augusti. Translation:
Equity of the emperor, Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
Fine Condition--obverse better, reverse struck with die showing wear, flan flaw--crack, attractively toned--light weight frosty metal. The
light weight is due to select corrosion whereby the alloy elements--typically copper--of
the coin are lost over time and the more stable silver remains resulting brittleness/fragility. The
purity of silver coins at this period was less than 50% which accounts
for the light weight. Interestingly, the pretty iridescent toning is more often seen on coins with a higher silver purity--the selective corrosian resulted in the high silver content of the coin.
Ref. RIC 63; RSC 25.
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