Postumus Ancient Roman Silver Antoninianus — Founder of the Gallic Empire (AD 260–269) — NGC Certified

Name: Postumus Ancient Roman Silver Antoninianus — Founder of the Gallic Empire (AD 260–269) — NGC Certified
Brand: Kinzer Coins
Price: 150.5 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

$150.00 USD

Sale Sold out

Shipping calculated at checkout.

Postumus Antoninianus — The Emperor Who Built a Second Roman Empire

Own a Silver Coin from the Emperor Who Created a Separate Roman Empire in the West—and Chose Not to March on Rome

A real Roman antoninianus of Postumus—the soldier-emperor who founded the independent Gallic Empire, secured the western provinces for nearly a decade, and proved that Rome could exist beyond the city of Rome itself.

From $150.15

✓ NGC Certified
✓ Guaranteed Authentic
✓ 30-Day Returns

📷 Coin shown is a representative example. You will receive one authentic NGC-certified antoninianus of Postumus. Each coin is unique and will vary in grade, strike, centering, preservation, silvering, and individual appearance.

🏛 Issued by the founder of the Gallic Empire, the breakaway western Roman state that governed Gaul, Britain, Hispania, and parts of Germania for nearly a decade
🛡️ Features the military imagery and imperial symbolism of a ruler who maintained Roman traditions while governing independently from Rome
🤲 An NGC-certified antoninianus from one of the most remarkable—and least-known—chapters in Roman history

Own This Piece of History

Why This Coin Matters

During the Crisis of the Third Century, the Roman Empire nearly came apart.

In AD 260, Emperor Valerian was captured alive by the Sasanian Persians, while the western provinces faced constant invasions and political instability. Amid the chaos, the frontier commander Postumus was proclaimed emperor by his troops after a dispute involving the young Caesar Saloninus.

Most usurpers marched immediately on Rome.

Postumus did not.

Instead, he established the Gallic Empire, an independent Roman state encompassing modern France, Britain, much of Hispania, and parts of Germania. Rather than attempting to conquer the entire empire, he concentrated on defending the Rhine frontier and restoring stability to the western provinces.

His government remained unmistakably Roman.

The Gallic Empire maintained its own Senate, consuls, Praetorian Guard, provincial administration, and imperial mints. Its coinage closely followed Roman traditions, proclaiming the same virtues of military strength, prosperity, and divine favor found on the coins of emperors ruling from Rome itself.

For nearly ten years, Postumus successfully defended his territories while repeated attempts by Emperor Gallienus to reunite the empire ended in failure.

His reign came to an unexpected end in AD 269.

After suppressing a rebellion at Mainz, Postumus refused to allow his victorious soldiers to plunder the city. Enraged at being denied the spoils of victory, his own troops murdered him—a tragic end for one of the Crisis of the Third Century's most capable rulers.

This antoninianus circulated throughout that remarkable western empire. Often retaining traces of its original silver wash, it stands as tangible evidence of a forgotten Roman state that governed millions of people while preserving Roman civilization beyond the authority of Rome itself.

More than an ancient coin, this is a tangible connection to the emperor who built a second Roman Empire.

Perfect For

Collectors of Roman antoniniani
Enthusiasts of the Crisis of the Third Century and the Gallic Empire
Students of Roman military and political history
NGC-certified ancient coin collectors
Anyone looking for a historically significant and unusual gift

What You'll Receive

One authentic Roman antoninianus of Postumus
Civilization: Gallic Empire (Breakaway Roman Empire)
Ruler: Postumus (AD 260–269)
Denomination: Antoninianus (billon with original silver wash often partially preserved)
NGC certified for authenticity and preservation
Presented in an NGC holder
Representative example of the type (each coin is unique)

Continue the Story

The Gallic Empire remains one of the most fascinating episodes of Roman history. Under Postumus, the western provinces became an independent Roman state that preserved imperial institutions while defending the frontier during Rome's greatest crisis. His legacy would endure until Aurelian reunited the empire in AD 274.

Explore our other Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Biblical, medieval, and world coin collections to continue your journey through the rulers, civilizations, and events that changed history.