An interesting 'Genius standing' follis??

Yesterday, the postman brought me my most recent coin purchase, a follis of Licinius with a 'Genius standing' reverse. While the 'Genius standing' type is so plentiful that it's indisputably the Cockroach Coin of the Tetrarchy, this example was a little unusual in that Genius doesn't hold a patera, as he usually does in his right hand. Nor does he hold the head of Sol, or Serapis (but yeah, those head-on-a-platter coins are still cool).

Instead, on this coin he holds up... a Victoriola! Errm... okay, so this in itself might not sound particularly exciting, but hey, consider that you're likely to come across a thousand of the other 'Genius standing' coins before you see one of these. This particular issue, struck in the name of Licinius, is rated scarce in RIC, but as a type, they're altogether quite rare (they were issued only at the Antioch mint, for a short period between 311 and 312).

The seller of my coin had misattributed it as a common 'Genius holding head of Sol', so I managed to buy it for a common-type price. And while I don't reckon that a Victoriola is worth paying a premium for, I think by definition it can still be considered a little Victory .

If anyone has one of these to share, I'd be really happy to see it. In any case, please feel free to share your favorite 'Genius standing'!


LICINIUS
AE Follis. 5.8g, 20.6mm. Antioch mint, AD 311-312. RIC VI Antioch 162 corr. (no eagle). O: IMP C LIC LICINNIVS P F AVG, laureate head right. R: GENIO AV-GVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding Victoriola and cornucopiae; star in left field, H in right field, ANT in exergue.

 

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WOW!!

Way cool!!! I believe that's one of the few I have noticed of a "holding Victoriola' example.....but I haven't investigated that era in quite a while.

 

Seen a few before, but never paid much attention to it. As you mentioned, kinda like a roach.

This one would be like a roach having 3 antennae instead of 2. Cool to see but than "meh".

A nice coin as a whole though, nice details. I'd take the roach.

 

Small victories can be the best kind.

The standard variety from Maximinus:


Ususally we see the Victory used on the Jupiter type. Was the Genius intentional or an accident?

 

NICE CAPTURE! Love those scarce / unusual finds! Hold a little Victory in his had is pretty cool! This one ain't a Roach!


I got this one in a @John Anthony sale from the Douglas (that is what his MOM called him when she was angry) Smith Collection ... I think there is a little Victory guy in Jupiter's hand... or maybe just a waving banshee...?


Licinius I, Jupiter with Captive and Eagle. From the Doug Smith Collection, #2521

 

Very nice! I don't have a genius, but one of the Jupiter Coins Doug alluded to. This came from my large uncleaned lot, and it turned out well (primarily because it wasn't dirty to begin with...). A full 15¢ for this sucker!

Imperial Rome
Licinius I, r. 308-324 A.D.
Rome Mint, AE Follis, 22.1mm x 3.2 grams
Obv.: IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG, laureate head right
Rev.: IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG NN, Jupiter standing facing head left, chlamys shoulder, holding Victory on globe and leaning on scepter, eagle with wreath l, A in right field, SIS in ex.
Ref.: SRCV 15249

 

I believe intentional. These came between Genius holding a patera and holding the head of Sol; before further weight reduction of the follis and the introduction of the Jupiter type.

 

Oh dear, now I NEED one like Doug's, holding a head - I hadn't paid much attention to that before. "Victoriola" (CT term?) is cool because rare, but holding heads is appealingly bizarre.

My two favourite Genios:
Maximinus II Daia, Alexandria mint


Constantine I, Rome mint

 

Nice find Z.

A common Licinius Genius type from London

LICINIUS I
AE2 Follis
OBVERSE: IMP LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: GENIO POP ROM S-F, Genius standing left, modius on head, loins draped, holding patera & cornucopia, PLN in ex.
Struck at London 313-4 AD
3.2g, 22mm
RIC VII 3

And a Maximinus holding the head of Serapis

MAXIMINUS II DAIA
AE Follis
OBVERSE: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG, laureate head right
REVERSE: GENI-O-AVGVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding head of Serapis and cornucopiae. X-A across fields; ALE in ex.
Struck at Alexandria 312 AD
4.83g, 21mm
RIC VI 149b Ex Spink

 

That is a very interesting reverse. I like the styling.

 

Cool reverse, with outstanding Genius and Victoriola !
I have the Jupiter/Victoriola versionfor Licinius father and son :


Licinius I, reduced follis Alexandria mint, 7th officina
IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate head right
IOVI CONSER - VATORI AVGG, Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and sceptre in left hand. An eagle holding wreath in his beak at his feet in left field, In right field a wreath above a Z above an N, at exergue ALE
4.23 gr, 20/21mm
Ref : RIC # 10, RCV # 15246, C # 108



Licinius II, AE3 Nicomedia mint, 4th officina, AD 317-318
D N VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C, draped and diademed bust right
PROVIDENTIA CAESS, Jupiter standing left, holding victory and sceptre, palm at his feet, dot and Δ in right field. SMN at exergue
3.19 gr
Ref : RCV # 115419 (75) Cohen # 39, RIC VII # 33-34

Q

 

Very attractive OP coin. I find lrbs have their own cool feeling to them that I learned to appreciate. They certainly have a lot of historical context to them.

 

and a great patina, blue highlights are nice!




i have the vanilla genius reverse on this coin of gallerius...

 

A very neat addition!

 

Very beautiful coins of all members. My one genius, and two Jupiter Coins (Constantine, Licinius and Maximinus):

 

Thanks for sharing your coins, guys. Nice to see so many superb examples of the 'Genius standing' here.

@Severus Alexander : those two are really excellent. I especially like the Constantine. "Victoriola" is the less commonly used term for the little cult statue of Victory holding a wreath. And yes, you have to get one of those with the head of Serapis or Sol. For those types we do actually a CT term - the 'head-on-a-platter' . See these previous threads:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancient-head-on-a-platter-look.242346/
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancinets-a-genius-and-his-head.243063/#post-1870183
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/bring-me-the-head-of-serapis.269065/#post-2243692

 

Freaky-lookin' Genius with elf shoes and prominent nipples. No Victoriola, though.


This an abdication issue struck in Maximian's 2nd reign.
Æ Follis; 8.40 g
London, AD 307
Obv: IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right
Rev: GENIO POP ROM, Genius stg and facing, holding patera and cornucopia; PLN in exergue
Refs: RIC 86; RCV 13444 var (different obverse legend).

 

@zumbly: "Head-on-a-platter", I love it! Only a matter of time before that becomes a standard VCoins search term.

I'll post mine as soon as I get one.

 

Sure thing!

But I can't narrow it down to one...

First up is Genius holding the head of Sol. Love the holding head types. I have yet to add a Tyche type. Other than the reverse I like the styling and rust color as well as the crisp details.


Maximinus II, Rome, Tetrarchy, AD 309-313
AE, follis, 4.96g, 21mm;12h; Antioch
Obv.: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG; laureate head right
Rev.: GENO AVGVSTI; Genius standing left, holding head of Sol and cornucopiae; star left, A right
In Ex.: ANT

The second one was an early coin purchase that I have a soft spot for.


Maximian, AD 286-305
AE, Follis, 8.8g, 31mm; 6h; Heraclea
Obv.: IMP CMA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG; laureate head right
Rev.: GENIO POPV-L-I ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over shoulder (falls low), holding paera from which liquid flows and cornucopiae
In Ex.: HTΓ

 

Z-Bro => congrats on nailin' that gorgeous OP-winner (winna)

Ummm, I have a humble, yet sweet example of this cat as well ...




... but my example merely has stupid ol' Jupiter (what a rip-off!!)



Just jokes => I love this coin



Hey, Z-Bro => congrats again on snagging that cool OP-coin


Oh, but you must be pissed that you don't have that sweet eagle, eh?