Roman antoninianus 270-280 n. Chr. Ancient barbarous of Tetricus II (minted ca.270-280 AD), Pax/Salus hybrid type, hoard coin from France

Partial inscriptions, radiate bust right / Partial inscription PAX, Pax/Salus standing left, sacrificing over altar. Light brown patina, nicer than the scan, 12mm, 0.74 grams.

Found in a hoard in Northern France.

Ancient barbarous radiates seem to have been produced between the reigns of Claudius II and ca.274 AD, when Aurelian banned the circulation of these small imitative bronzes throughout the Empire. It is likely that at least some of the barbarous radiates were produced after 274 AD all the way into the early 280's. The value of the barbarous imitations was almost certainly not equal to their official counterparts - they probably saw only local limited circulation, and fulfilled the role of token coinage in times of an acute coin shortage.