Picked up these really cheap. Much happier with my Licinius II then the other one I owned. The patina was too heavy and obscured the portrait. This one is a deep brown so tough to get a pic but the portrait is all there,I really like it. Licinius I (308 - 324 A.D.) Æ3 O: IMP LICINIVS AVG, Laureate bust left wearing Imperial mantle and holding mappa, sceptre and globe. R: PROVIDENTIAE AVGG, Campgate with 6 rows of bricks, Pellet in right field, SMHA in exe. 3.3g 19mm RIC VII Heraclea 29 (R2) Licinius II (317 - 324 A.D.) Æ3 O: DN VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C, helmeted, cuirassed bust left holding spear and shield. R: IOVI CONS-ERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe and eagle-tipped sceptre, eagle with wreath left, captive right. X over II Mu in right field. Mintmark SMHB. Heraclea Mint 20mm 3.3g RIC VII Heraclea 54
Good job seeing the dot right of the tower which is, in this case, significant to the RIC ID. This mint has quite a few variations based on little things like dots. I'll show a couple others. The first is plain with HTdelta and different style while the second is from the variety with lambda in the right field. RIC lists your coin as also coming from officina delta but I wonder if that is a misread for alpha. I could see how your coin could be seen as delta especially on a less clear specimen. A's are often open top like on my second coin so it is possible that yours would have been read as a delta by some. I don't have a Licinius II Jupiter from Heraclea so I'll show a Nikomedia. Every mint has a bit different style. I'd rather not see the symbol after XII called mu. It is the mark for 'half' making the number 12 and a half or the value of the coin in denarii of account. I believe it derives from s for semis in its distant past. Also below is the Antioch for comparison. For people with just one Licinius II, this would be a good type from any of the mints.
Mine Licinius II Coin: Bronze Follis D N VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C - Laureate consular bust left, holding globe & mappa PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS - Campgate with 3 turrets Mint: Heraclea (317 - 324 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 2.27g / 18mm / - References: RIC VII Heraclea 31. Licinius I Coin: Bronze Follis IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS P F AVG - laureate head right IOVI CONSERVATOR - Jupiter, chlamys over shoulder, leaning on sceptre, holding Victory on globe, eagle with wreath left, XIII in right field Exergue: Mint: Nicomedia (321-324 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 3.95g / 20mm / - References: RIC VII 44 (var)
Decent new coins Mat. LICINIUS I AE3 Follis OBVERSE: IMP LICI-NIVS AVG, laureate bust right, wearing imperial mantle, holding globe, sceptre & mappa REVERSE: PROVIDEN-TIAE AVGG, campgate with three turrets, no door, delta in right field SMHA in ex. Struck at Heraclea 318-320 AD 3.0g, 18mm RIC VII 48 LICINIUS I AE2 Follis OBVERSE: IMP LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust right REVERSE: GENIO POP ROM S-F, Genius standing left, modius on head, loins draped, holding patera & cornucopia, PLN in ex. Struck at London 313-4 AD 3.2g, 22mm RIC VII 3 LICINIUS II AE Follis OBVERSE: DN VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C, helmeted & cuirassed bust left, holding spear & shield REVERSE: IOVI CONS-ERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe & leaning on sceptre, eagle with wreath left, captive right; X over II Mu in right field; SMNB in ex. Struck at Nicomedia 321-324 AD 3.0g, 19mm RIC VII 49 LICINIUS II AE3 OBVERSE: D N VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C, laurate draped bust left, holding globe, sceptre & mappa REVERSE: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, campgate with three turrets & no doors, 6 layers, dot over dot in right field, SMHD in ex. Struck at Heraclea, 317-320 AD 3.3g, 19mm RIC VII 36
Nice examples, Mat. As Doug notes, there are quite a few minor varieties to collect in the folles of Licinius I and II. My most recent addition is this small-bust Licinius II...
Great posts!! I must admit, I'm always surprised by how many variations there are between Ancient issues, despite being individually produced by specific mints (and so many additional ways to collect a 'series'); but I suppose that is a remnant of my modern collecting and the relative scarcity of variations in modern mass produced coinage......except extremely minor or yet undiscovered types.
One of the reason some of us hang around here is the fun of watching some of our new friends discover that there is life beyond modern coins. We might have a bad attitude about some modern things based on our ignorance but when I am impressed by a coin being from a rare mint at least it is more different than just having a little S stamped under the date. I recognize there are some fly-speckers among modern collectors who study minor die varieties but, for the most part, ancients offer many times the variety in more ways than most of us can imagine when compared to collecting 20th century US by date and mintmark. The big difference that bothers me a little is that there is so much to learn that no normal person can be expected to become all knowing, infallible or even half dangerous in every one of the thousands of specialties available. Our little group here has otherwise reasonable people who love Nabateans, lead tokens, falling horsemen or some obscure branch mints that existed for only a few years to support military activities during a civil war. Imagine the varieties of people you might find among a thousand collectors when we have such a range in a dozen or so. MZ and others new here: I hope you will find a happy home here among the strange people and find an interest that will make you seem just as strange as we are by next year's crop of new collectors.
nice new coins mat, i always dig a nice silvered campgate. i have one licinius ii, it's pretty solid and deserves a reshoot...my photography skills have improved a bit since i got this.
hey-hey-hey, wait-up fellas!!! => I have a sweet Licinius-I to add into this slick thread ... Licinius I, Æ Follis A.D. 308-324 Heraclea A.D. 313 Diameter: 20 mm Weight: 3.29 grams Obverse: IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate head of Licinius I right Reverese: IOVI CONSER-VATORI AVGG, Jupiter standing facing, head left, holding Victory on globe, and scepter; at feet to left, eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak; Δ//SMHT Reference: RIC 73 => $44 (delivered to Northern Manitoba!!) ... I know, eh? NICE!! => sweet new additions, Mat (congrats, chick-coin-guru)
Nice additions Mat, and great coins all. I still don't have any coins of jr and on my phone so can't post any pics.
Nice Licinius coins Mat! Cool additions. I have a Licinius I but no Licinius II yet. My Licinius I. This was one of my first Roman Imperials. I purchased it from an overseas seller for a song plus shipping. I started collecting ancients over 2 years ago. At the time I distinctly remember that I couldn't believe how inexpensive this particular coin was, and how affordable the ancient side of the hobby could be. Licinius I; 308-324 AD Bronze Æ Follis; 20mm/4.5g, Trier Mint OBVERSE: IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate head right. REVERSE: GENIO POP ROM, Genius standing left. (RIC VII, 121)
