After searching through all my Diocletian Reform era folli earlier this year I was surprised to see no examples from the Serdica Mint . Finally I spotted a nice looking example at a bargain price from the last Roma auction pictured below, photo courtesy of Roma Numismatics Limited. The coin has a lot of toned silvering with some beautiful peripheral iridescence rarely seen on folli of this era. I sunk my claws into this one . If any CT members have folli from the Serdica Mint lets see them . Galerius as Caesar under Diocletian, March 1, AD 293 - May 1, 305. Serdica Mint (struck AD 303-305). Silvered AE follis: 9.95 gm, 27 mm, 7 h. Sear 14369, RIC 4b.
Very nice. Not to often you see silvered coins actually have toned, especially like that. One of my favorite coins is this Galerius. 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
GALERIUS AE Follis OBVERSE: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: GENIO AVGVSTI CMH, Genius standing left, modius on head, chlamys over shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae, SMNA in ex Struck at Nicomedia 295 AD 7.6g, 26mm RIC VI 54a, A GALERIUS AE Follis OBVERSE: MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES, laureate head right REVERSE: SACRA MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOSTR, Moneta standing left, scales in right hand, cornucopiae in left, ST. in ex. Struck at Ticinum 300-3 AD 8.5g, 25mm RIC 46b GALERIUS AE Follis OBVERSE: MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES, laureate head right REVERSE: SACRA MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOSTR, Moneta standing left, scales in right hand, cornucopiae in left, TT. in ex. Struck at Ticinum 300-3 AD 12.3g, 27mm RIC 46b
That's a nice example Mat, from the famous city in Croatia . Good strike, perfectly centered & nice patina. My old boss Zvonko Matana, was born & raised in Croatia & shared interesting info about Sisca (Sisak).
Those are three nice looking coins James . The 1st coin was struck AD 308-311, not 295. The coin is a perfect strike, well centered & appears to be in mint state. The ligatured CMH mark on the reverse has always intrigued me. I've only seen it on coins of Galerius & Maximinus II Daia & no one seem to know what it means , do you ? A fellow collector once speculated that CMH could mean "48 coins per Roman pound", but I've never seen this in writing anywhere. The 3rd coin from Ticinum is quite hefty (12.3 gm) & has a wonderful verdigris patina. I wonder if the incrustation could have boosted the weight ?
Wow, no Serdica mint for me! Congrats on that REALLY cool toned Follis, @Al Kowsky ! Wow, I do not collect Empire coins, but that one is nice! SERDICA MINT: Zilch. GALERIUS: RI Galerius 293-308 AE30mm Folles Ticinum mint Moneta 12g
@Al Kowsky....Very nice coin and I love that little flash of blue...Really sets the coin off....Alas no Serdica mint coins but I do have a different portrait style Antioch coin to share.... Galerius Maximianus as Caesar AE Follis minted 297 AD....11,46 g. 25 mm. Obv: GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES. Laureate Head right Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI/ (crescent)/ D// ANT. Genius standing left, holding cornucopiae and patera. RIC VI 49b Antioch From an old collection formed in the 1920s. Ex Münzhandlung Kallai, Vienna.
Alegandron, That's a great strike on an over-sized planchet with a beautiful portrait . The Ticinum Mint produced coins on a high quality level from what I've seen .
Thanks, Al. I do not focus after 1 CE. But, sometimes I luck into a cool one. Most times, I just fill the holes of the Rulers.
Spaniard, that's a great looking coin . Nice milk chocolate patina & a statuesque portrait. The crescent above the officina letter is interesting too. I'm still waiting to score a high grade follis from the Antioch Mint.
Thanks for your remarks and the correction on the date. And, no, I haven't a clue as to what "CMH" might represent. The first coin is a total beauty in-hand. Much, much better than the images show. Other than the brown patina, it looks like it was struck yesterday. The third coin is the least attractive to me, but I have been hesitant to clean off the encrustation because of the patina. I just weighed it again to be certain I didn't record the wrong weight. This time it weighed in at 12.42g.
... Thanks AL...Took me a while to find this one as there are no stars in the left field...I've often wondered if the crescent had some link with a particular lunar month?
I just took another image of the first coin. I think perhaps it shows it somewhat better (cell phone image this time)
James, this photo is a vast improvement . The coin is a real stunner ! It would take a lot of looking to improve on that one. The 3rd coin should be left as is. Why risk losing that patina...
Those are all real beauties. Love the color of the one shared by @Ocaterinetabellachitchix I have none struck in Siscia, but I have this one from Trier: Æ Follis, 28 x 29 mm, 9.97 g Trier, 298 - 299 AD, Mint Mark: */TR, Officina B RIC VI Treveri 358b; Ob.: MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES Bust of Galerius, laureate, cuirassed, to right Rev.: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI Genius, wearing modius, nude, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, holding patera in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand; MintMark:B/*/TR and Æ Follis, Ticinum, 296 - 297 AD, */-//PT Officina Mark P 25 x 27 mm, 8.87 g RIC VI Ticinum 32b; Ob.: MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES Head of Galerius, laureate, to right Rev.: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI Genius, wearing modius, nude, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, holding patera in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand; MintMark: */PT
