Silver Denarius of Maximinus Thrax RIC 23

Silver Denarius (18mm 3.14g) Struck A.D. 236-237 Rome

Obv: MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM Laureate draped bust right

Rev: VICTORIA GERM Victory standing left holding wreath and palm,German captive at her feet

RIC 23 ex York Coins,  Baldwins Auction (42) 9/26/2005 lot 543, ex William Boyd Collection ex Spink 7/1895

The Front (Obverse) – Who is this guy?

• The Image: You see a profile portrait of Maximinus Thrax wearing a laurel wreath, draped in armor or robes, looking off to the right. Take a close look at his jawline—Maximinus was famous in history for having an enormous, distinctively prominent chin and forehead.
• The Latin Text: MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM
• What it means:
  • MAXIMINVS: His name.
  • PIVS: "Pious" or dutiful (showing he respects the gods and Roman traditions).
  • AVG: Short for Augustus, the official title for the Emperor.
  • GERM: Short for Germanicus. This is a special honorary title he gave himself after winning big military victories against Germanic tribes across the Rhine.

The Back (Reverse) – Look what I just did!

• The Image: This side features Victory, the Roman goddess of winning. She is standing and holding a wreath (to crown a champion) and a palm branch (a classic symbol of triumph). Crucially, if you look down by her feet, there is a tiny, sad figure sitting on the ground—a defeated German captive.
• The Latin Text: VICTORIA GERM
• What it means: "Victory over the Germans."

The Big Picture Meaning

This coin was minted for one main reason: to brag and keep the army happy.

Maximinus Thrax was a "soldier-emperor" who never actually set foot in the city of Rome during his reign; he spent his entire time living in military camps on the borders. Because he took power by overthrowing the previous emperor, his rule wasn't completely secure. He needed to prove to everyone back home—and to the soldiers who kept him in power—that he was a strong, successful leader who could protect Rome's borders.

By stamping "VICTORIA GERM" and a literal image of a defeated enemy onto silver coins (the very coins used to pay his army), he was sending a loud and clear message across the empire: "I am winning the war. I am keeping Rome safe. Keep supporting me!"