Tried to attribute the follis illustrated below and am having trouble. Best guesses are: RIC 650 A 3b (D) Seltz iii, 6058 or RIC 664 a 3b (D) Ox Below, find description and digital images. All ideas welcome. Description-- FOLLIS, SEVERUS II, 305-307 AD. DIAMETER- 29 mm WEIGHT- 9.08 Gr. OBVERSE DIAGNOSTICS: LAUREATE HEAD RIGHT, CUIRASSED. INSCRIPTION: FL VAL SEVERVS NOBIL C REVERSE DIAGNOSTICS: GENIUS STANDING FACING,HEAD TURRETED AND TURNED RIGHT, LOINS DRAPED, HOLDING PATERA IN RIGHT HAND AND CORNUCOPIAE WITH LEFT HAND. S-F IN LEFT AND RIGHT FIELD; PTR IN THE EXERGUE. INSCRIPTION:GENIO POPV LI ROMANI. MINT-TREVERI (TRIER).
Let's catalog this thing, shall we? Here's the relevant listing of inscriptions and bust types in RIC vi, p. 206. This is inscription 3b, bust type D. Let's go to the listings. It can't be any of these two reasons: Type 3b (D) doesn't appear; Genius on your coin is not "naked but for chlamys over l. shoulder." Let's keep going. Does the reverse description match? It sure does: "... head towered, loins draped ..." That's it! Scanning for obverse type 3b (D), we get 650A and 664a. So I'm as puzzled as you. Two catalog listings for the same coin????
A similar specimen is listed on coinproject with the double attribution RIC 650A / 664a and this special comments: " At this time I can't see a difference between these two issues."
SRSNUM, That is a very handsome follis with a sensational reverse !. It's usually the reverse of this coin type that suffers from die wear . Earlier this year I scored a follis of Constantine I, also struck at the Trier Mint about the same time your coin was struck, see photo below. Constantine I as Caesar, AD 306-309 (struck c. summer AD 307), Trier Mint, 1st Officina. AE Follis: 8.73 gm, 29 mm, 6 h. RIC 719b. Ex CNG Inventory 774824, July 2006.
RIC 650a and 664a are identical, so it must be an error in listing. Note that 651 and 667a are also the same, so another error.
Thanks Al, I was fortunate to acquire the coin about 40 years ago. Below find additional images to get a bit more resolution and color fidelity from my poor Rube Goldberg setup. That is a sweet Constantine I! Thanks Victor for your analysis and for finding yet another error. Thanks to all who responded.
Boy does Genius look sharp on that one! His belly looks like he spent decades sculpting it in the gym, and his face like he spent decades learning about the secrets and truth of the universe. That's one hell of a god!
