Gallienus, 253-268. 'Dupondius' (Billon, 23 mm, 6.98 g, 12 h),

Gallienus, 253-268. 'Dupondius' (Billon, 23 mm, 6.98 g, 12 h), Rome, 262. IMP GALLIENVS P F AVG Radiate head of Gallienus to right. Rev. PAX AVG / S - C Pax standing front, head to left, holding olive branch in her right hand and transverse scepter in her left. Cohen -. MIR 439k (1 specimen, same dies). RIC -. Of the highest rarity, apparently the second known example. Well struck and clear, a very interesting and highly unusual piece. Light deposits and some very minor roughness on the reverse, otherwise, extremely fine.


From the E. Mensch & A. Bauer Collection of coins of Gallienus, ex Leu 2, 11 May 2018, 305, and from the Imagines Imperatorum Collection, Aureo & Calicó, 15 February 2012, 247 (misdescribed as 'Antoninianus').

Göbl knew of only three dupondii with two reverse types from Gallienus' sole reign, MIR 439k, struck from the same pair of dies as ours, and MIR 534x, a celebratory issue with VOTIS DECENNALIBVS on the reverse. He attributed the Pax type to his Rome issue 6 of 260-261, but since all, now four, known examples are linked by an obverse die match, they were, most likely, all issued in 262 on the occasion of Gallienus' decennalia. The fact that our piece was struck in billon rather than orichalcum or bronze indicates either that it was a trial piece, or, rather, that it served as a higher value donativum to important magistrates or officers.