Added a couple of Argenteii to my collection, a short-lived denomination created by Diocletian, issued between 294 to 310 AD. Obv: DIOCLETIANVS AVG, laureate head of Diocletian facing right. Rev: VIRTVS MILITVM, the four Tetrarchs sacrificing over a tripod, before a Roman camp gate, E mint mark below. 2.18g, 286-305 AD. Kampmann 119.78. Ex Christoph Gärtner auction 45, lot 4098, Oct 2019. Initially, I was only interested in the Diocletian argenteus at an eBay auction, but I also had a look at a Maximian argenteus that had been available from another seller for a long time. After winning the Diocletian coin, I checked the site the next day for updates and, to my surprise, the other seller had sent me a discounted offer for the Maximian to just 85 AUD. How could I resist? At first glance, the coin appears to have a crack, but it is actually a die break causing a cud along his neck. Additionally, on the reverse, there is a die break running from 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock. Despite the wear, it's a solid coin. Obv: MAXIMIANVS AVG, laureate head of Maximian facing right. Rev: VIRTVS MILITVM, the four Tetrarchs sacrificing over a tripod, before a Roman camp gate. 3.15g, extensive die cuds on both sides. 286-305 AD Although they are the same size and shape as a denarius, I wonder if they had similar purchasing power!
Diocletian A.D. 294 AR Argenteus 18mm 3,3g DIOCLETIANVS AVG; laureate head right. VIRTVS MILITVM; four tetrarchs sacrificing over tripod before gate in six turreted enclosure. RIC VI Rome 27a and an unofficial version Diocletian A.D. 295 AR Argenteus 19mm 3.3g DIOCLETIANVS AVG; laureate head right. VICTORIAE SARMATICAE; four turreted camp-gate, open, with doors thrown back; each turret surmounted by facing eagle. In ex. SMNΓ RIC VI Nicomedia 22a Constantius I AD 296- 298 AR Argenteus 18mm 2.7g CONSTANTIVS CAES; Laureate head right F ADVENT AVGG N N; Africa standing facing, head left, holding standard and tusk; at her feet, lion standing left, head right, with bucranium to left. In ex. T RIC VI Carthage 14a Ex-Charles Oman collection
@JayAg47 Wow! 10-in-2 may be the highest ratio possible in ancient coinage! @Victor_Clark That's a great group you posted! I appeciate your inclusion of the unoffical issue. There's some similarity in its obverse portrait to my example below. Might it be unoffical also? The eyes/eyebrows area look a little off. Thoughts? Galerius portrait (issued under Maximian). AR Argenteus, AD 295-297 Obv.: MAXIMIANVS NOB C; head of Galerius, laureate, right. Rev.: VICTORIA – SARMAT; Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius Chlorus, and Galerius, draped, standing, sacrificing over tripod; behind, gate in turreted enclosure; Exergue mint mark: D Diameter: 20 mm. Weight: 3.6 gr. Attrib.: RIC VI Treveri (Trier) 105b The gouge above his head is quite a distraction. :-( But, that is largely why I was able to acquire it at a reduced price about a dozen years ago. Everytime I see this coin it makes me wonder if he isn't either balancing a large banana on his head, or, carrying a small bowl. ;-)
I wonder if it is actually the 'Al Marco' gouge we often see on Republican denarii, where mint workers scoop out some silver if the flan was excessively heavy, and your coin is already heavier at 3.6g. If this is the case, I wonder why couldn't they have just clipped of the edges without distracting the field.
It's tough to be sure...maybe a little bit of sloppy engraving by the official mint or really good engraving for the unofficial mint. My first example is really nice engraving but my 3rd example from Nicomedia is not so great and not much better than the unofficial example.
@Victor_Clark Thank you for your reply. Greatly appreciated! I just spent some time searching for others of the same type. There aren't many that I could find, but I did find one with a slightly off-normal 'look' around the eye/eyebrow. Not to the degree as mine -- but interesting. @JayAg47 Thank you for your reply re: "al marco". I had never encountered that phrase, and am glad you introduced it into my numismatic vocabulary. For others who also may not be familiar, here's a FORVM link to the topic: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Al Marco Adjustment Also, perhaps it's a lack of sufficient java in my system this early, but it almost looks like the image above also has a possible gouge/scoop over Galerius' head. See emphasized blue oval below: For the entire coin see: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5119117 Anyway, it's cool to see multiple rulers portrayed on a single coin!
Lovely coins, JayAg47 (more to put on my list!). Bing, I am in awe of the scope of your collection. A coin for all seasons.
