I would like to thank all of you who chose not to outbid me on the eBay coin that the post office delivered today. I really did not expect to win it even at my full bid but only one person who sniped $23.99 two seconds before the sale closed kept me from getting it for $6.50 + $2 post. $26.49 postpaid is still fair IMHO. At $6.50 I might have felt a little guilty stealing it from the seller who probably was hoping for a bit more. That is what happens when you sell coins with defects and are honest enough to mention the defect in the listing. I had been wanting one of these. It is an AE1 follis (oval 23x26mm) of Diocletian with the portrait facing left. RIC says it is common but no left portrait Diocletian folles have forced themselves on me until now so I'll just say they are less common than the right facing models. There is considerable silvering remaining but not enough to make the surfaces look patchy as can be the case. The fault was a pit or rough inclusion (slag???) at the top of the reverse. It shows better on my photo than on the seller's but you can really appreciate its horror in my smaller inset image. No described was the fact that the reverse die shows a clash (curved line at right is the back of the portrait head) but it is not severe enough to add or detract from the value of the coin. The head of Genius is textured from the strike not being full enough to erase the flan surface. This is not rare with these large, thin billon/bronzes. The Trier mintmark and B officina are bold so the only thing wrong with the coin is that flan flaw which I can accept. Diocletian AE1 Follis, Trier mint, RIC 282a page 187 volume VI, Genius reverse It has become standard practice here to invite everyone to post their similar coins so I'll ask for a healthy show of all your left portrait AE1 tetrarcal folles. This is my first Trier mint post reform follis so I'll ask for other Trier mint folles of any of the tetrarchs as well. I do note that Gitbud & Naumann had a fault free Lyon mint left facer in a recent sale and it only went in the $90's so it seems that there is not a demand for these "RIC common" coins. I'm glad.
Very nice pick up Doug. I would post my recently acquired Diocletion, but unfortunately it isn't a folles.
Constantius I Chlorus Obv:- CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, Laureate, bust left Rev:- GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chalmys over left shoulder, right holding patera, left cornucopia Minted in Treveri (A in left , TR in exe). c. A.D. 295 Reference:– RIC VI Treveri 160a (Rated Scarce) It should also be noted that the usual reverse break for these coins is PV-LI and RIC notes that the OP-VL break occurs but very rarely. Weight 11.21 gms which is heavier than expected for this issue with RIC noting a weight range of 8.5gms to 10.5 gms. Size 25.39mm on Obv. X-Axis, 25.46mm in Obv. Y-Axis.
Galerius Obv:– MAXIMIANVS NOB C, Laureat, cuirassed bust left holding spear and decorated shield Rev:– GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, left hand holding cornucopiae and right hand holding patera Minted in Trier (A in left field, Γ in right field, TR in exe.) A.D. 296 - 297 References:– RIC VI Trier 226b (R2)
Here is a Diocletian facing left from Lugdunum: Lugdunum depicts him with a sharp pointy nose and has an altar for Genius.
Marvelous coins everyone! I have no left-facing members of the Tetrarchy, and I think you're right about the scarcity Doug, despite RIC. I do like these large folles, so I'll post only one right-facing Chlorus and bow out to watch...
Neat addition Doug. I don't own a left facing Diocletian, just a right. I've had it for a year and still havent taken a pic of it lol. Not photogenic at all.
Here is another left-facing tetrarchal follis: Galerius, from Trier, with the rare FORTVNAE REDVCI AVGG NN reverse legend.
I have so many of these with bust right that it is actually a little offsetting to see them with the bust facing left. It is sort of unnatural.
The OP coin was an AE1 of the tetrarchy so the Constantius I (second coin) fits but the three AE3's of Constantinian kids are too small and too late. I admit a little surprise that these big coins are not more popular. It seems many of them are written off as just another Genius (boring). This thread has seen some really nice examples with varietal portraits (arms and armor) and non-Genius reverses which are popular,expensive and not at all boring. My OP coin was just a beginner model.
Here is a fairly ordinary right facing Trier Galerius Obv:– MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:– GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae Minted in Trier (S | F / PTR). Circa A.D. 303 to 1st May A.D. 305 Reference:– RIC VI Treveri 595b
I managed to buy 25 very nice large coins of the tetrachy at a coin fair, all with heavy silvering and in excellent hoard found condition. I got them all for £250, absolute steal....sadly I had to clean and sell them all, to buy my wife a new washing machine, but it proves the demand is not great for these.
Have you thought about cleaning the reverse of this coin......it should not be frowned upon as the patina is the brown, the green is hoard deposit. careful cleaning will leave the brown patina entirely intact. its a beauty.
