Victorinus, Romano-Gallic Emperor, 269-271. Antoninianus (Bronze, 19 mm, 2.51 g, 12 h), reverse brockage mint error. Cologne, early-mid 271. IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG Radiate and cuirassed bust of Victorinus to right. Rev. PROVIDENTIA AVG Providentia standing front, head to left, holding wand over globe in her right hand and cornucopiae in her left. AGK (corr.) 19. Cunetio 2577. Elmer 743. RIC V.4 634. Struck from slightly worn dies, otherwise, good very fine.


This piece is a true enigma. On the obverse, both the correctly struck legend and the emperor’s cuirass are visible, yet across his portrait one can make out a partial, incuse and mirror-image impression of Providentia. What at first sight appears to be a classic reverse brockage error is in fact extraordinary: Providentia abruptly disappears into the field, without any trace of Victorinus’ portrait appearing beside her. The only conceivable explanation seems to be that not an entire coin, but a fragment of a broken antoninianus, became trapped in the obverse die, leaving a partial impression on the next coin struck.