Collecting the Coins of Gordian III
Collecting the Coins of Gordian III
AD 238 to 244, the teenage emperor of the Year of Six Emperors.
Gordian III ruled from AD 238 to 244, and his abundant imperial and provincial coinage gives collectors a wide range of historically important types at comparatively accessible prices.
His antoniniani are especially popular because many survive with strong portraits, readable legends, and attractive silver-alloy surfaces.
Gordian III became emperor during the extraordinary Year of Six Emperors in AD 238. His grandfather Gordian I and uncle Gordian II had been proclaimed emperors in Africa during a revolt against Maximinus Thrax, but their rebellion collapsed within weeks. The Senate then elevated Pupienus and Balbinus while the young Gordian was made Caesar. After the Praetorian Guard murdered Pupienus and Balbinus, Gordian III became sole Augustus at about 13 years old.
The Reign of a Teenage Emperor
Because of his youth, senior officials and military commanders played major roles in government. The most important was the praetorian prefect Timesitheus, who became Gordian's father-in-law and helped direct the eastern campaign against the Sasanian Empire. Roman forces initially recovered territory, but Timesitheus died in AD 243. Philip, later known as Philip the Arab, became praetorian prefect.
Gordian died in AD 244 during the Persian campaign, but the circumstances remain disputed. The inscription of the Sasanian king Shapur I claims that Gordian was killed in a Roman defeat at Misiche. Later Greco-Roman traditions instead place his death after that battle and sometimes attribute it to a military plot or murder. The evidence does not allow one version to be stated as certain. What is clear is that Philip became emperor immediately afterward and concluded peace with Shapur.
The Coinage of Gordian III
The antoninianus is the denomination collectors encounter most often. Introduced earlier under Caracalla, it was apparently tariffed at two denarii even though it contained substantially less than twice the silver. Under Gordian III, antoniniani were still silver-alloy coins with visibly silver surfaces, and they should not be described in the same way as the later third-century base-metal radiates that often depended on a thin silver-rich surface treatment.
The obverse normally shows Gordian III wearing a radiate crown, the standard visual marker of the antoninianus, with common legends including forms of IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG. Reverses feature deities, personifications, military themes, and imperial virtues, common subjects include Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Victory, Pax, Providentia, and Virtus.
- Antoninianus, the most common denomination, radiate portrait and silver-alloy surfaces, the natural starting point
- Denarii, less common than his antoniniani and normally showing a laureate rather than radiate portrait
- Sestertii, large bronze coins that can provide impressive portraiture and reverse detail
- Asses and dupondii, scarcer than the most common silver denominations and useful for a denomination set
- Provincial bronzes and eastern tetradrachms, struck by cities across the eastern empire with Greek legends, local deities, and civic imagery, including Antioch and Alexandrian issues
Provincial coinage lets collectors compare the same emperor across many local monetary traditions. A portrait from Antioch can look very different from one produced in Alexandria, Moesia, or Asia Minor. These coins also preserve local history that imperial coinage from Rome often ignores: city gods, temples, athletic festivals, foundation myths, sacred animals, and regional cults.
How to Collect Gordian III
A beginner can build a focused set without trying to acquire every variety. One useful progression is a well-centered antoninianus with a clear portrait, then a different reverse theme, a denarius for comparison, a large bronze sestertius, an eastern tetradrachm, and a provincial bronze from a Greek-speaking city. Because the series is abundant, collectors can be selective: good centering, complete legends, pleasing surfaces, and an interesting reverse are often worth waiting for.
Value depends on denomination, rarity, reverse type, mint, portrait quality, centering, strike, surfaces, patina or toning, and provenance. Common antoniniani can remain affordable even in attractive condition, while rare varieties, exceptional bronzes, scarce provincials, and unusually fine examples can command substantial premiums.
Gordian III's reign ended when Philip the Arab took power and made peace with Persia. The two emperors sit side by side in the mid-third century, and a Philip antoninianus pairs naturally with a Gordian one, the young emperor and the prefect who succeeded him.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Gordian III when he became emperor?
He was about 13 years old when he became sole emperor in AD 238.
Was Gordian III part of the Year of Six Emperors?
Yes. AD 238 saw Maximinus Thrax, Gordian I, Gordian II, Pupienus, Balbinus, and Gordian III recognized or proclaimed as emperors.
Are Gordian III antoniniani silver?
They are silver-alloy coins. Their silver content was already below that of earlier Roman denarii, but they should not be confused with the much more heavily debased radiates of the later third century.
Why are Gordian III coins so common?
His reign produced large quantities of coinage, especially antoniniani, and many examples survived. That abundance is one reason the series is attractive to new collectors.
What is the best Gordian III coin for a beginner?
A well-centered antoninianus with a clear portrait and readable reverse is usually the easiest starting point.
Hold what the greats held.
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