Lot 1588

Description

Galba, (A.D. 68-69), gold aureus, issued August - October 68, Rome mint, (7.21 grams), obv. laureate and draped bust to right of Galba, around IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG, rev. SALVS GEN HVMANI, Fortuna standing left cradling anchor and with patera sacrificing over an altar, (S.2092, BMC -, RIC 213, Calico 503, Hunter 8). Very fine, minor knock under bust and rare.

Salus Gen Humani was a legend introduced in the Civil War coinage associated with the revolt of Vindex, combined with a Victory type. This reverse is often interpreted to mean that the Victory of the revolt would be 'the World's Salvation.' Mattingly, in BMCRE (p. cxcvi), notes that Suetonius (Galba, 9) provides a comment related to this type: 'an appeal comes from Vindex to Galba at Carthago Nova 'to lend his services as champion and leader of the human race.'' With the present issue, presumably struck near the time of his success over Nero, Galba pays homage to this war-cry of Vindex. The Victory type gives way to one of the 'Fortune of the Human Race', who is sacrificing in gratitude for the deliverance of the Romans from the emperor Nero.