Large Follis coins from 3rd -4th centuries

I almost never see anyone post up any of the large Follis coins.
I had only seen pictures of them in books when I first started in ancients but never realized how large they really were until I found one metal detecting when I lived in Spain.
Ever since then I have always liked them and find them kind of like cartoon art in a way on some of the bust types. Anyway here are a few of mine please post yours up for everyone to see.


Roman Imperial
Galerius as Caesar under Diocletian during the Tetrarchy Era
Silvered AE Follis (weight: 10.40g, max diameter: 28mm, axis: 6h)
Heraclea mint, 5th officina, circa 296-297 AD

Obverse: GAL VAL MAXMIMIANVS NOB CAES, Head of Galerius facing right, wearing laurel wreath

Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing facing, head left, modius on head, nude except for chlamys on left shoulder (falls low); holding cornucopia in left hand and pouring libation from patera in right; HTepsilon in exergue

Reference: RIC VI Heraclea 18b


Maximianus 286-305
Ae Follis 30mm 8.9 grams
Rome mint
Obv: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG , Luarate head right
Rev: SACRA MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS N N ,
Moneta standing left holding scales and cornucopiae.
Mintmark S club
Ric 100b
Ex Sallent collection, JAZ Numismatics auction 163


Maximianus
297-298 AD.
Obv:IMP CMA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head
right (large head type)
Rev: GENIO POPV-L-I ROMANI, Genius standing
left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys
over left shoulder (falls low), holding patera
from which liquid flows and cornucopiae.
AE Follis. Heraclea.
Mintmark HTB. 9.8 grams
RIC VI Heraclea 19b.


Diocletian 284-305 AD
Obv: IMP CC VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius HTΓ
Silvered Follis Hereclea
12.01 grams 27mm
RIC VI 17a


Maximianus 286-310 AD
Obv: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius HTB Silvered Follis
Heraclea 9.8 GRAMS 29mm
RIC VI 19b



Maximianus
286-310 AD
Obv: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Rev: GENIO POPV-L-I ROMANI
Genius HTB Silvered Follis
Hereclea 10.95 grams 29mm
RIC VI 19b


Constnatius I
293-306 AD
Obv: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS
NOB CAES
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius HTB
Silvered Follis Hereclea
9.59 grams 28mm
RIC VI 20a


Constnatius I
293-306 AD
Obv: IMP FL VAL CONSTANTIVS
PF AUG
Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI
Genius HTB
Silvered Follis Hereclea
11.54 grams 28mm
RIC VI 24a

 

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Ah, yes. My favorite collecting theme.

Maximian
AE Follis

295 A.D., Treveri Mint, 2nd Officina
10.55g, 27.0mm, 12H

Obverse: IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG,
Laureate head of Maximianus to right

Reverse: GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI,
The Genius of the Roman people, nude but for chlamys

Exergue: B/-//TR

Provenance: Ex. Leu Numismatik Web Auction 10, Lot 1515, Ex. Tetrarchy Collection

Reference: RIC VI Treveri 154b

Constantius I Chlorus
AE Follis

296 - 297 A.D., Heraclea Mint, 1st Officina
8.39g, 29.0mm, 12H

Obverse: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES,
Head of Constantius Chlorus, laureate, right

Reverse: GENIO POPV-L-I ROMANI,
Genius, wearing modius, nude, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, pouring liquid from patera in right hand and holding cornucopiae in left hand

Exergue: -/-//HTA

Provenance: Ex. Budges-Beak eBay 2019

Reference: RIC VI Heraclea 18a

Maximian
AE Follis

296 - 303 A.D., London Mint, null Officina
9.72g, 28.0mm, 6H

Obverse: IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG,
Laureate and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: GENIO POPV–LI ROMANI,
Genius standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left arm

Exergue: -/-//-

Provenance: Ex. Ancient & Medieval Coins Canada Auction 1, Lot 132, Ex. James Pickering Romano-Britannic Collection, Ex. York Coins

Reference: RIC VI Londinium 6b, Cloke & Toone 2.01.007

 

Yes, they are impressive coins. Images of the coins often have nothing in them to realize the scale. I see them as coins with the diameter of a sestertius and the weight of an as. Here are some of my larger folles with a sestertius of Severus Alexander, diameter of 29 mm and weight of 19 grams, and a US one cent piece for scale. Top center follis of constantius, at 8.8 grams, FIDEWS MILITUM rev, of Galerius at 11.6 grams, SACRA MONET, rev. at bottom left of Diocletian at 8.4 grams, GENIO POPULI, rev. and Maximinus II at 5.5 grams, IOVI CONSERVATORI rev. and probably double struck.

 

I love tetrarchic folles! I recently picked up this not-so-little lady from @Valentinian

 

They are wonderful coins in hand.. and reasonably priced in most cases - which is an added bonus.

All of these are 29mm..

Father and Son:




Diocletian:


Galerius


Galerius/Carthage

 

This is one of my favorite areas of numismatics. Years ago I sold most of my Folles to focus on Roman Republican coins, but I came back a couple of years ago and now I'm building a new collection of these coins. They have history, a style of their own, and affordability even in high grade. RIC VI is also eminently readable and easy to reference. Here are a few:
The ubiquitous Genio Populi Romani

Historical - Maximinus as Filius Augustus

Style and Composition - Hercules Reverse type

 

I recently took some photos of my coins from the period:


Galerius Augustus, 305-11 AD. AE2, Antioch 308 AD

Obverse: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG: Head of Galerius, laureate, right

Reverse: GENIO IMP-ERATORIS: Genius, wearing modius, nude, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, pouring liquid from patera in right hand and holding cornucopiae in left hand

Reference: RIC VI Antioch 82



Maxentius AVG, 306-12 AD. Billon follis, Aqueila 307 AD

Obverse: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG. Head of Maxentius, laureate, right

Reverse: CONSERV - VRB SVAE. Roma, draped, seated left on shield, in tetrastyle temple, giving globe to Maxentius with right hand and holding sceptre in left hand; Maxentius, draped, cuirassed, standing right; between them, seated captive; as acroteria, Victory; in pediment, wolf and twins.

Reference: RIC 113



Severus II AVG 306-307AD

AE Follis Cyzicus 307AD

RCV 14674

 

I like the Carthage folles-- I think I currently have about 2 dozen. This one has almost the perfect amount of corrosion...if there is such a thing. It also has an I for Jove in the reverse field, so a a pertinent quote from Lactantius--

"Where now are the surnames of the Jovii and the Herculii, once so glorious and renowned among the nations; surnames insolently assumed at first by Diocles and Maximian, and afterwards transferred to their successors?" Lactantius LII




Diocletian
A.D. 297- 298
28x30mm 8.3gm
IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right.
FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing left, holding labarum and tusk; at feet, lion with captured bull, in left field I
in ex. PKP
RIC VI Carthage 23a

Victory over Quinquegentiani


http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/Carthage/

 

Very nice coins.

 

Beautiful coin of Galerius.

Gorgeous coin of Galerius. I am drooling on the keyboard.

 

Way to be, @bcuda! Your Galerius reverse is bonkers but so is the portrait.
Some doozies in this thread
Here's a couple:

 

That GE

That GENIO POPULI reverse is stunning.

 

Cool coins all. I'm on my phone so I won't be able to post anything for a bit!

 

SEVERUS II
Quarter Follis
OBVERSE: SEVERVS NOB C, laureate head right
REVERSE: GGENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, with chlamys over l. shoulder, patera & cornucopiae; SIS in ex.
Struck at Siscia 305-6 AD
2.3g, 20mm
RIC VI Siscia 171a

 

I have only four folles of 28 mm. or more -- from Diocletian (an abdication follis), Maximian, Constantius I Chlorus, and Galerius. The Galerius is Ex. Giovanni Dattari Collection, and thus has my oldest provenance. My Galeria Valeria is only 26 mm., and doesn't quite qualify, but I'll post her anyway.

 

She might be a smaller girl, but she's still a folles

 

Really nice @DonnaML - that Abdication follis is one that is on my list for 2021.

 

Coin Talk seems to go in cycles. There have been periods where we see nothing but AE1 folles; then we see nothing but Republicans. We have visited many specialties and I assume most will return in time for those who stick around. I'm sure I have shown these before but I have so few coins from last year that that is no surprise.
Diocletian Trier left

Diocletian Alexandria with XXI

Severus II Cyzicus

Maximinus II Rome

 

sitting on my desk right now awaiting my phographic renderings. The dealers pic is little grey --bleh. I hope to lighten it with some contrast and maybe bring up some hue, I will try when I am not drinking!



Maximinus II, as Caesar, 305-309. Follis (Bronze, 26 mm, 6.44 g, 12 h), Antiochia, circa 309. MAXIMINVS NOB CAES Helmeted and cuirassed bust of Maximinus II to left, holding spear over his right shoulder and shield decorated with two horsmen riding to left, four enemies below them; on cuirass, gorgoneion; on helmet, Sol standing facing in quadriga, raising his right hand in salute and holding globe in his left, around, stars and crescent, crest ending in griffin. Rev. VIRTVS EXERCITVS / B / ANT Virtus standing front, head to left, resting her right hand on decorated shield and holding spear in her left; in field to left, lighted altar. RIC 125

 

I was going to say that face doesn't seem right for this guy BUT looking at my 'normal' one, I'd say this was a very stylized period for Antioch. Scroll back to Svessien's coin and you will see what I mean.