Nomos 17

Gordian I, 238. Denarius (Silver, 22.5 mm, 2.54 g, 12 h), Rome, 1-22 April, 238. IMP M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian I to right. Rev. P M TR P COS P P Emperor, togate, standing left, holding branch in his right hand and parazonium with his left. BMC 1. Cohen 2. RIC 1. A spectacular example, perfectly struck on a broad flan, lightly toned and with a splendid portrait of the elderly emperor. Superb extremely fine.

Ex Goldberg 60, 19 September 2010, 2369 and from the Lynn Collection, Triton V, 15 January 2002, 2048.

As is well-known, severe dissatisfaction with Maximinus I, on the part of the Senate and upper classes in Rome, led to an elaborate plot to make one of their own, the aristocratic and elderly Gordian I, then proconsular governor of Africa Proconsularis, the new emperor. All went well for a short while, Gordian associating his son Gordian II with him as military commander, but the governor of neighboring Numidia defeated and killed Gordian II in battle, and Gordian I committed suicide. The actual reign lasted for three weeks, and both emperors were in Africa, so how did the mint in Rome manage to produce a quite considerable coinage (though one that is very rare today)? The only explanation is that the revolt had been long in planning, and the conspirators ordered coins to be struck in secret so that donatives could be made as soon as the new emperors had been proclaimed.