Diocletian AR or AE? Jupiter reverse.

I don't know what to call this one. The flip says AR,
Sear 3515 Except has an A officina and the reverse doesn't match. Looking at B, I come up with an AE,
Ric 41. 22mm, 4.87g
Diocletian AE Antoninianus. Lugdunum, AD 285.
IMP CC VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG, radiate draped bust right / IOVI CONSERVAT AVG, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, B to left. Cohen 215.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

it's a bronze coin with a thin surface wash of "silver". All bronzes of this period, except some fractionals, were given this silvering.

https://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/metallurgy/

 

I have one of those! It’s a bronze coin with silvering.

Edit: while posting Victor beat me to it.

 

Interesting, some of these obviously got a thicker coating. Thanks for the read.

 

Here is a Probus with very thick silver.

 

Yep it's bronze. Diocletian did strike the first good silver circulation coins in several decades with his argentei but those are generally pretty pricey.

Here's my AE antoninianus similar to the OP's:

DIOCLETIAN, AD 284-305
AE Antoninianus (23.53mm, 4.15g, 6h)
Struck AD 285. Ticinum mint
Obverse: IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust of Diocletian right
Reverse: IOVI CONSERVAT, Jupiter standing left holding thunderbolt and scepter; P XXI T in exergue
References: RIC V 222, RCV 12660
Darkly toned silvering. A superb specimen, virtually as struck and well-centered on a large flan.​

 

Lugdunum was producing the same reverse type across multiple officinae at this time. As has been mentioned, all these coins were bronze with silver wash aka silvering.

Here are two examples of the type from my collection illustrating the two officinae.

Obv:– IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Radiate draped and cuirassed bust right (seen from rear).
Rev:– IOVI CONSERVAT AVG, Jupiter standing left with thunderbolt & scepter
Minted in Lugdunum (A in left field). Emission 1 Second Series, Officina A. Mid A.D. 286 – April A.D. 286.
References:– Cohen 215. Bastien 18. RIC V pt. 2 Lugdunum 41 Bust type C.


Obv:– IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Radiate draped and cuirassed bust right (seen from rear).
Rev:– IOVI CONSERVAT AVG, Jupiter standing left with thunderbolt & scepter
Minted in Lugdunum (B in left field). Emission 1 Second Series, Officina A. Mid A.D. 286 – April A.D. 286.
References:– Cohen 215. RIC V pt. 2 Lugdunum 41 Bust type C. Bastien 21 (20 examples cited)