I am sure that no one in their right mind is collecting Constantine/Licinius coins by mintmark like I am so I am not sure why I am even posting this. But you guys will read anything I have been told, so why not? The old daddy-o of the Tetrarchy, Diocletian finds himself trapped in billion...a billion Tetradrachm of Alexandria, Egypt that is. A tetrarch on a tetradrachm. Ha. @Mat has got me hooked on looking at these. Once in a while, you find a neat little coin for $5. Diocletian, Tetradrachm, NO LEGEND, Dikaiosyne BI Tetradrachm Roman Provincial Alexandria, Egypt Diocletian Augustus: 284 - 305AD Issued: 285 - 286AD 19.0mm 6.30gr 0h O: A K Γ OYA ΔΙΟΚΛΗΤΙΑΝΟC CεΒ; Laureate, cuirassed bust, right. R: NO LEGEND; Dikaiosyne (Aequitas) standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. Exergue: L, left field; B, right field. (Year 2) Alexandria Mint Milne 4769 sculptor17/Glenn Terry 292455048273 2/25/18 3/14/18 Then a group of Constantine coins. I know that these are not earth shattering, but if I try to show my wife and explain the mint mark system again, I am pretty sure I am going to be living on lower Wacker Drive. Constantine I, Follis, DN CONSTANTINI MAX AVG AE3 Constantine I Caesar: 306 - 307AD Augustus: 307 - 337AD Issued: 324AD 18.0mm 2.70gr 1h O: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG; Laureate head, right. R: DN CONSTANTINI MAX AVG; Wreath, VOT/(Dot)/XX, within. Exergue: Star, within wreath; SMHA, below wreath. RIC VII Heraclea 60; Sear (200) 16224. Aorta: 1347: B59, O4, R46, T300, M7. And a sister coin: Constantine I, AE3, DN CONSTANTINI MAX AVG AE3 Constantine I Caesar: 306 - 307AD Augustus: 307 - 337AD Issued: 325 - 326AD 19.0mm 3.34gr 6h O: CONSTANTINVS AVG; Laureate head, right. R: DN CONSTANTINI MAX AVG; Wreath, badge at top, VOT/(dot)/XXX, within. Exergue: SMHB Heraclea Mint RIC VII Heraclea 82, B. Aorta: 1426: B59, O4, R46, T301, M7. Sometimes, when you can buy a coin for $4, you do it. A couple of soldiers: Constantine I, AE3, GLORIA EXERCITVS AE3 Constantine I Caesar: 306 - 307AD Augustus: 307 - 337AD Issued: 330 - 333AD 18.0mm 1.45gr 0h O: CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG; Diademed (rosettes), draped and cuirassed bust, right. R: GLORI-A EXER-CITVS; Soldiers (2) standing on either side of 2 standards, spear in one hand, shield in other; dot on banner; 3-7 badges. Exergue: SMTSA Thessalonica Mint RIC VII Thessalonica 198 Aorta: 783: B18, O9, R87, T220, M17. The next coin is very interesting even for a reduced follis. There are some details on these coins that make it fun to compare one coin to another. On this issue, there are stars in the fields of the helmet and three dots on the vertical band from crown to temple. On the reverse, there is a diamond pattern on the alter with a dot in the center as well as in each of the four corners. Little details like this keep me occupied for hours. And that is kind of what this is all about, I think. Constantine I, Follis, VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP AE Follis Constantine I Caesar: 306 - 307AD Augustus: 307 - 337AD Issued: 319AD 19.0 x 18.5mm 2.50gr 0h O: IMP CONSTAN-TINVS AVG; High crested-helmeted, cuirassed bust left, holding spear over shoulder. Two stars in helmet fields; three dots from helmet crown to temple. R: VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; Two Victories standing facing each other, together holding shield reading VOT/PR on altar with diamond and five dots pattern. Exergue: TARL, below line. Arles Mint RIC VII Arles 195; Sear (200) 16299. Aorta: 855: B24, O53, R221, T235, M4. Finally, a very nice Licinius from our friend @John Anthony. Quite the nice coin, with a scarcer mintmark combination on the reverse of K, left, Wreath over X over B, right, ALE in the exergue. A happy little purchase when the Severans are scarce. Licinius I, Follis, IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG AE Follis Licinius I Augustus: 308 - 324AD Issued: 316 - 317AD 21.0mm 2.60gr 0h O: IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS PF AVG; Laureate head, right. R: IOVI CONSE-RVATORI AVGG; Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand, scepter in left, eagle with wreath in beak at feet to left. Exergue: K, left field; (Wreath) over X over B, right field; ALE, below line. Alexandria Mint RIC VII Alexandria 18; Sear (2000) 15248. Aorta: 418: B8, O8, R30, T36, M1. Post any coins with details only a father (or a tetrarch) could love!
This Maxentius came to me via a group lot, but I've grown quite fond of it. I wonder how it survived quality control at the Ostia mint, and I'm curious if it raised the eyebrows of the merchants it was tendered to and if it was then accepted or rejected. Perhaps most of all I marvel at (and am glad for) the fact that whoever dug it up a thousand years or so later didn't just toss it into the trash bin. I'm very much in the camp of those who believe that every coin deserves an owner. MAXENTIUS AE Follis. 2.76g, 29mm. Ostia mint, AD 309-312. RIC VI Ostia 54. O: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG, laureate head right. R: VICTORIAE AE-TERNA AVG N, Victory advancing left with wreath & palm; MOSTT in exergue.
Here's one of my favorite Constantine mint marks: Lugdunum (Lyons) mint, A.D. 320 RIC 79 (var.) Obv: CON-STANTINVS AVG Rev: VICTORIAE LAET PRINC PERP - Two Victories holding shield inscribed VOT/PR above altar P[2 captives]L in exergue 19 mm, 3.2 g.
Great finds @nicholasz219 ! Parthia Mithradates 1 177-138BCE AR Drachm - RR Q Titius AR Quinarius 90 BCE G PEGASUS Sear 240 RImp Octavian AR Quinarius 29-28 BCAsia Recepta Victory Cista Snakes S 1568 RI Magnus Maximus 383-388 CE AE Follis
@zumbly Lol, you can say that again. That coin looks like it lost a bar fight. But I agree, everything has value even if it isn't a pile of money. A fancy collector might throw that in the garbage, but to a kid or one of us it is a worthwhile piece deserving of love. Well, you know what I mean. @Daniel_R6 Nope, it's a free-for-all. I just check my Forvm page to see if I already have the mintmark/bust/legend combo and if I do not and it is reasonable enough, I buy it. Occasionally my ADD allows me to drill down and really look for a few coins if I am close to completing a series like all mintmarks of a certain combination for Arles, for example, I will hunker down and look for PARL, TARL, SARL, etc. @gsimonel That is a pretty sweet and scarce mintmark on a great looking coin. I do not have one yet. Can't wait to get one. @Alegandron I would happily take the Titius quinarius if I had the chance. I own no pegasii and sometimes you just have to pull the trigger when the price is right. @Mat Coming from you, that's a very nice compliment. @ancient coin hunter That's pretty sweet. I was the underbidder on a three dots yesterday. I did just get a GENIO IMPERATORS though, so it looks like I will have to struggle on while I look for a three dots.
Love the coins, but now I have the Sex Pistols playing on continuous loop in my head thanks to your title. ...DESTROY!!!!
