This remarkable hoard of 13 coins of Gordian III is sold as found with the original find patina on the coins and inside the small vessel that contained them. As coins of this size are usually considered to have represented the tetrassarion denomination, this group may have had a value of roughly three silver denarii if there were 16 assaria to the denarius, as is often posited. The very low level of wear and the fact that no coins of Philip I are present shows that the hoard must have been assembled in the period between AD 240/1—the year that the coins were struck—and AD 244, the year that Gordian died while campaigning against the Sasanian Persians. The hoard may have been hidden in AD 244, since Gordian’s defeat and death during or following the Battle of Misiche, combined with the assumption of power by Philip I is likely to have inspired fear in Syria of a potential Sasanian invasion or the return of civil war within the legions. Such fears ultimately turned out to be baseless since Philip negotiated a humiliating peace settlement with the Persians in order to lead the army home and his authority was not challenged by a rival military emperor until AD 248.

 

 

9 x Nysa-Scythopolis under Gordian III (AD 238-244). Struck in civic year 304 (AD 240/1). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus r. / Dionysus advancing r., brandishing thyrsus and small figure with upraised hands by hair; to lower left, panther seated left, raising paw; Δ-T (date) across fields. Barkay 79-84; Spijkerman 58.

 

3 x Nysa-Scythopolis under Gordian III (AD 238-244). Struck in civic year 304 (AD 240/1). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus r. / Fortuna-Nysa seated r., cradling the infant Dionysus. Δ-T (date) across fields. Barkay 85-91; Spijkerman 59.

 

1 x Nysa-Scythopolis under Gordian III (AD 238-244). Struck in civic year 304 (AD 240/1). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus r. / Tyche standing r., holding scepter and infant Dionysos; to r., Zeus standing l. on rock, raising arm and holding scepter; in exergue, ΔT (date). Barkay 95; Spijkerman 56.

 

vase: 9.5 x 6.5 cm

24mm . 12.25gm . 23mm . 14.02gm - dimensions of a couple of coins