UNCERTAIN GERMANIC TRIBES, Aurum Barbarorum. Late 3rd-early 4th centuries. 'Aureus' (Gold, 18 mm, 2.76 g, 12 h), ‘Provincial Group’. Imitating a pseudo-autonomous issue. IO\/\IOƆIIOIOIIOИOIIIƆIIIO[..] (starting at 12 o'clock) Bare head of Herakles with long beard to right. Rev. IIIIOO[...]OOI Eros standing on the left, nude, winged and legs crossed, and Psyche, on the right, half-draped and with small wings, preparing to embrace. Aurum Barbarorum II, 1930 corr. (this coin, but reverse misdescribed). A very interesting piece. Holed and with a few light marks, otherwise, good very fine.


This reverse scene is derived from Roman Provincial coins showing Eros and Psyche embracing each other, an image that reproduces a famous late Hellenistic group of statues originating from the school of Pasiteles (1st century BC). These coins were issued under the Severans in Serdica, a city in Thrace which likely housed a copy of the group of statues. On any account, the combination of a pseudo-autonomous obverse, Herakles, with the endearing couple of Eros and Psyche on the reverse is exceptional even among the ever-surprising Aurum Barbarorum.