Roman Imperial
Postumus (260-269), Double sestertius, Lugdunum mint
Obverse: radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Postumus right
IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMVS P F AVG
Obverse: galley right with four rowers
LAETITIA AVG
Diameter 30 mm, weight 19.41 g
Postumus unsuccessfully tried to restore monetary orthodoxy in Gaul with important ore deposits. He revived the Trajan Decius system by introducing a double sestertius and sestertius with a radial crown. The monetary and political crisis caused this monetary reconstruction to fail. The official Postumus bronze minting quickly ceased and the shortage of the raw material and the fall of antoninians in Gaul resulted in the minting of many imitations in the years 263-266.
