Galba, 68 – 69. Aureus, Spanish mint (Tarraco ?) April–December 68, AV 7.80 g. SER GALBA IMP CAESAR AVG P M TR P Laureate head r. Rev. S P Q R / OB / C S in oak wreath. C –, cf. 288 (denarius). BMC 191. RIC 61. CBN 32. Calicó 510 (this coin). Very rare. An unusually pleasant Spanish portrait well-struck in high relief, unobtrusive restoration at two o’clock on reverse, otherwise extremely fine Ex Rauch 51, 1993, 194; UBS 35, 1994, 137; Triton III, 1999, 1017; NAC 24, 2002, European Nobleman, 39 and NAC 45, 2008, Barry Feirsten part IV, 97 sales. With Galba, the numismatist is presented with a variety of portrait styles because he minted in several locations –Spain, Gaul, Rome and briefly in North Africa after the fall of Clodius Macer – each of which had a distinctive local style. The Spanish mint at which Galba produced his main coinage is thought to be Tarraco, his old capital city. The locals were all too familiar with what Suetonius (Galba 12.1) tells us were Galba’s two prominent characteristics: cruelty and greed. As an example, Suetonius reports that when the people of Tarraco gave him a golden crown from the ancient temple of Jupiter described as weighing 15 pounds, Galba demanded of them three more ounces of gold, for upon melting the crown fell short of its advertised weight by precisely that amount.