Big Galerius

I purchased this Galerius from a trusted VCoins dealer last week. When I opened the delivery envelope yesterday I was amazed at the size. It's as big as a fifty cent piece. This makes it my largest ancient coin.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

These types do come fairly big. Nice addition, Ray.


Galerius (305 - 311 A.D.)
Æ(S) Follis
O: MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES, Laureate head right.
R: SACRA MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOSTR, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia, SIS in exergue, star in left field, B in right field.
Siscia 301 A.D.
10.08g
28mm
RIC VI 135b Sisci

 

That's a wonderful example of Galerius...and quite appropriate to your collecting theme.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galerius

The large folli (EDIT: Oops, FOLLES) of the tetrarchy are often irresistible and wonderful to hold in hand!!

But I'll throw in my Argenteus of Diocletian since the reverse represents all four---the two Emperors and their Caesars

AR Argenteus of Diocletian; Heraclea mint, 296 AD
Laureate head right; DIOCLETIANVS AVG.
The four Tetrarchs sacrificing over a tripod before city enclosure with six turrets.
HE in exergue; VICTORIAE SARMATICAE
RIC 10a, RSC 491 b; 2.92 grams, 17 mm

 

They are nice hefty coins. I'd love to get my hands on a hoard of them!

 

They really are quite hefty and pleasing to hold. I think yours is an especially nice example, DR.

I don't have a hoard of them, but I do have a handful .

 

I like big bronze and I cannot lie. No friend of the Christians, this guy.

 

Oh that looks so nice!

Nice coin, Deacon Ray! I am yet to get one of these big bronze coins. Are they thick at all?

 

All nice coins, and I too like the big folli

 

RIC, Volume VI, Londinium, Galerius Maximian as Caesar, No. 33

Group I, (iii), folles, Class III, c. 303 onward, No. 23-39 - Large, spread, laureate bust, cuirassed and sometimes draped.

Genius of the Roman People standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for a chlamys over the left shoulder, holding a patera in the right hand and cradling a cornucopia in the left arm.


MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C .................... GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI

11.89 gm.

 

Pedantic post of the day: The plural of follis is folles. Generally, a Latin nominative ending in -us will have a plural ending in -i. -A goes to -ae for feminine nouns. Neuters are a bit tricky. But the -is ending in the nominative singular pretty reliably goes to -es in the nominative plural.

Sorry. This is why no one ever invites me to parties.

 

Nice coins all! Love those big folles.

 

Another (later) Galerius follis:

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, No. 42 - Galerius Maximian as Augustus:



Obverse: IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG
Reverse: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI

9.7 gm.
Identical obverse inscription (2C) to the primary one of Maximian Herculius.

 

No need to be sorry, Gavin. I enjoy the company of Pedants. I will keep you in mind when I throw my next party.

 

That's a beauty, jamesicus! The detail is very crisp.

 

Thank you Deacon Ray. Yours is very nice too -- and beautifully presented. I think all of the coins displayed in this thread are really nice.

 

Great! I will bring my own dictionary.

 

Another RIC Volume VI, Londinium, No. 33 - Galerius Maximian as Caesar:




Obverse: MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C
Reverse: GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

10.2 gm.

 

I had the same experience when I first started collecting ancient coins - I had bought a handful of Constantinian LRB's, AE3's and such, so I expected a follis of Constantius Chlorus (Constantine's father) to be roughly the same size. I'm embarrassed to say that I did not look at the dimensions of the coin when I bought it! I was very pleased and surprised when it arrived - it was my introduction to large tetrarchical bronzes...

 

Another large Galerius follis from Intermediate Group (Bastien) c. 297 that often feature Lugdunum style laureate heads and London style lettering. Sometimes with laureate busts in fine style with elaborate consular cuirasses (Stewartby).

Example coin: Galerius Maximian as Caesar - Intermediate Group (Bastien: a) - laureate truncated bare bust with long ribbon tie lying on neck, early titulature and London style lettering.



Obverse: C VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C
Reverse: GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

10.1 gm.

 

All great coins, here are my two.
1st is Ticinium Mint RCV 3708 28.07 mm 7.79 gms
2nd is Galerius as Caesar RCV 3710 28.8 mm 9.65 gms