Florian

Florian. A.D. 276. Æ medallion (39 mm, 40.44 g). Rome, ca. A.D. 276. IMP C M AN FLORIANVS P F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right /. MONETA AVG, the three Monetae standing left, each holding scales and cornucopiae; at feet of each, a heap of coins. RIC pl. 12, 178; Gnecchi p. 115, 3; Toynbee p. 149 note 25, pl. 47, 4 (these dies); Musei Vaticani p. 113, 77; Cohen 43. Extremely rare. An impressive medallion of large module with a pleasant brown patina, about extremely fine / good very fine. Ex NAC 27 (12 May 2004), 484. Unsold, estimate CHF 16,000. Ex J. Hirsch 1909, Weber, 2391 and Glendining 1950, Platt Hall part II, 1958 sales. NAC: The most familiar reverse type of Roman medallions depict the Tres Monetae. It perhaps makes its first appearance on a brass medallion of Commodus, after which it became a staple throughout most of the 3rd Century. This medallion type was occasionally used for circulating coins, most notably sestertii from early in the reign of Septimius Severus. Initially it featured inscriptions such as AEQVITAS PVBLICA(E) or AEQVITAS AVGVSTI, but by the reign of Trajan Decius (A.D. 249-251) it had assumed its most familiar form with the inscription MONETA AVG(G). Each of the three figures holds a cornucopiae and set of scales, and stands beside a heap of coins. Invariably the two outer figures hold scales hung at the end of rods or cords of more or less equal length, whereas the central figure suspends her scale from a much longer rod or cord. Since the figures represent the three principal coining metals - gold, silver and copper - we may presume the central figure represents gold, and that her longer rod or cord represents the more careful standard to which gold was weighed.