Diocletian and Maximian were the last rulers to strike billon tetradrachms of Alexandria. So in a sad way, the monetary reforms they enacted ended a remarkable tradition of Roman rulers issuing these coins for the folks of Alexandria and presumably circulating throughout Roman Egypt. What could one purchase with such a coin? Who knows. But it is true that the size, weight, and metal quality diminished over time particularly in the third century when the antoninianus was debased beyond recognition. So here is an example of one of the last tets issued during the Imperial period. This one comes from @John Anthony 's auction of last week where I was the fortunate winner. Type: Potin Tetradrachm Obverse: A K ΓOYA L DIOKLHTIANOC CEB Laureate bust of Diocletian right Reverse: Eusebia left, sacrificing, dropping incense onto altar LE Year 5, 288 A.D. Reference: Milne 4896 Feel free to post your Diocletian tets or any Alexandrian coins you please! Thanks for looking.
I liked that one but got an older one from JA prior. Diocletian, (284 - 305 A.D.) Potin Tetradrachm O.: A K Γ OYA Λ ΔIOKΛHTIANOC CEB; Laureate, cuirassed bust right. R.: Alexandria standing left holding head of Serapis and scepter, star to right, L-Є across fields (Year 5). Alexandria mint, 288/289 A.D. 20mm 6.6g Milne 4915, Curtis 1956
Cool! Here's a tet of Diocletian from my collection: Diocletian, AD 284-305 Roman billon tetradrachm, 19.2 mm, 7.24 g, 12:00 Egypt, Alexandria, AD 285-6 Obv: Α Κ Γ ΟVΑΛ ΔΙΟΚΛΗΤΙΑΝΟC CЄΒ, laureate and cuirassed bust, right Rev: Athena seated left, holding Nike and resting on scepter, shield at side; L B (= regnal year 2) in field Refs: Dattari 5638; BMCG 2485; Milne 4765; Cologne 3211; RCV 12856.
Great OP coin. I dont have an Alexandrian tet for him, but Ill share my favorite Alexandriam Tet, of Emperor Probus.
I'm not certain how I feel about these Tets. Some I like okay, and some, well... DIOCLETIAN Tetradrachm OBVERSE: A K Γ OYAΛ ΔIOKΛHTIANOC CEB, laureate draped bust right REVERSE: LA, Elpis standing left, holding flower, a long sash (?) hanging from her arm, & clutching hem of robe. Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 284/285 AD 6.6g, 20mm Milne 4750 DIOCLETIAN Potin Tetradrachm OBVERSE: AV G OVA DIOKLHTIANOC CEB, laureate, cuirassed bust right REVERSE: Athena standing left, holding Nike in right hand,shield in left hand, year LD in left field Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 286-287 AD 8.3g, 19mm Milne 4750
Perhaps we should mention that when the series ended in 296 (L IB for Diocletian) there were also coins for Constantius I and Galerius Caesares and the usurper Domitius Domitianus. The latest I have are these two year nines with date spelled out L ENATOV to avoid use of the unlucky theta (first letter in the word for death). Who has a 296 coin?
Oh! Oh! Me! Me! <<waving hand to the annoyance of the rest of the class>> Maximianus, year 11 (295/6) (ex Emmett collection; this is Emmett 4114) I went on a quest for one of these final-year tets a while ago. (They do seem to command a premium.) The 295/6 tets are as follows: Diocletian year 12 (IB) Maximianus year 11 (IA) Constantius year 4 (Δ) Galerius year 4 (Δ) Domitius Domitianus year 2 (B) (Source: Coins of Roman Egypt)
Technically as Doug said other tetrarchs issued tetradrachms up to the point when their issue was discontinued and the striking of folles started, plus the usurper Domitius Domitianus. So while Diocletian and Maximian were "last" so were the other guys...
