[ancients] Unlisted Galerius antoninianus?

*sigh* I checked it out ... and although it was a nice looking coin, its lack of a stunning animal-reverse made it difficult for me to justify the $300 price tag (but thanks for the coin-lead)

 

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I have a few Constantius as Caesar which rather predictably are from Lugdunum.
I am not aware of a decent online resource for these I am afraid.

 

Do you have any with a thunderbolt in exergue?

 

Obv:– FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:– PROVIDENT DEOR, Providentia, standing left, holding baton and scepter; at foot globe
Minted in Lugdunum (Thunderbolt in exe). Emission 10, Officina 1.
References– RIC V Pt. 2 Lugdunum 635 Bust Type C. Bastien 493

 

Looking at RIC listing 635, I would never expect the thunderbolt to be that large but your matches the one I ordered but is not the same die. Your coin makes me wonder how it got so worn since there was a very short time between the issue and the reform which should have taken the coin out of circulation. Is this just very flatly struck and not really all that worn?

 

It took over a month to arrive but here is my Constantius I Caesar antoninianus mentioned in the above thread. So far this year I have added 9 coins with five from Lugdunum and four from other mints. Compared to the other one I saw offered this was cheap but I do wish the lightning bolt were more bold. I doubt there are enough people who care that pre-reform Caesar antoniniani are not common so I can't justify paying a large premium for them. I will pick them up as they appear as just ordinary coins of these common rulers.

 

I've always had a soft spot for the pre-reform issues of the Tetrarchs. It's an interesting coinage that is so easily overshadowed by the folles struck later in their reigns.

 

I will admit I am one of these who overlook these prereform coins. IDK why, but I just find the reformed coinage higher on the "coolness" factor. These usually do come in pretty good shape, but if I get any in group lots they just go into "the pile".

 

Sometimes when desert patina coins are cleaned they are whizzed until the detail shows, which can flatten out all the raised detail. if they are then subsequently cleaned further with other methods the sand is removed from in between the detail and the coin can look something like this. Just a possible theory?

 

Doug => your new coin rocks!! (congrats) ... I'm glad to hear that it arrived safely

 

It is certainly easy to like the big folles. In this case, the new coin was not cool but recognizing that the Caesar antoninianus issue period had barely started when the reform came along and ended it. Pre-reform coins of Diocletian and Maximianus are common and pretty ordinary, IMHO, except for the Siscia issue which bears the coded mintmarks which I consider cool if nothing else. I have not been able to get the complete set of these in good condition but have space fillers. I continue looking for them and would prefer I were the only one who cares until I get all 18 (I think that is about right).
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/code.html

I consider these a little confusing and believe at least one die cutter had a problem with the concept. As the third officina, this coin should have a mintmark reading gamma XXI lambda iota but the cutter of this die crossed the lambda making it into an A.

This example is the variation moving the gamma to a position following the XXI but at least they got the lambda right.

For the record, I'll tack on the first two officinae coins including one showing the Alpha in the field (third allowable position) and HP as well as a representative B with KOY coin finishing HP KOY LI or the Greek letters to spell the Latin pronunciation of Hercules.


Thinking something like this is cool is such obvious proof that I am not, have never been and will never be anything approaching cool. I consider these coins, the Probus Equiti series and the Constantinian Eros mintmarks to be the highlights of all the late Romans. Who has examples to show? If the pile has any I lack that want to come where they would be appreciated, let me know.

 

Definitely a nice example!

 

I'd love to see "the pile" sometime.

 

Nice find!