Picked this up from JA auction a few weeks ago since it was priced within my price range. I am not a fan of Potins but JA assured me it was Bronze Disease free and since I have had it, it's so far so good. I really liked this one for some reason so I decided to break my potin ban but admit I am in no rush to add more. 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 From the JBGood Collection
Most Potin Tets were struck in Alexandria. I would kindly like to know the proportion of silver that is generally melted in Potins?
Mat, great pick up. I looked hard at yours as I was really attracted to it. Ultimately, I have a Diocletian portrait, and I do not focus on Empire. Besides YOU got me hooked on snaring Empresses to fill out the Roman Ruler pottrait slots! Yours looks great. Tets are always a winner!
Wow Mat, I'm amazed that you've gambled on a coin that might have a chance of catchin' bronze disease!! (good for you) Potin-ish Alexandrian Tets ... is that what you're lookin' for? Carinus & Eagle between standards 283-284 AD Probus & Eagle with Wreath 280-281 AD Tacitus & Elpis holding flower 275-276 AD Saloninus & Eagle 258-260 AD
According to the website CoinsOfRomanEgypt, by Diocletian's reign there was less than 1% silver in these tetradrachms.
Nice coins, Steve. I went after a nice Saloninus but bidding jumped higher than my max bid, by a lot, so no go.
So you got that one @Mat I was eyeing that as well. Had to much invested in FAC & others at the time. Great portrait! I personally like the Alexandrian Tets. I have one I got from JA's auction several weeks ago, but seems I've yet to take pics of. Here's a Potin I got a while back & it's been a while since he's been posted. Tacitus 275/6AD, 8.9g, 20.5mm Rev: Eagle head left
i got a match to mat's new coin! this was my first alexandrian tet, i was surprised how thick it was when i got it.
Nice new Alexandrea Diocletian. Here is a Potin Tet I picked up earlier this year or was it last year. Aurelian, Billon tetradrachm of Alexandria, Dated Year 4, AD 272-273. A K Λ ΔOM AVΡHΛIANOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right / Eagle standing left, head right, wreath in beak, between 2 vexilla, star at upper left, date LΔ above. Milne 4393; Sear SGI 11681.
I am not keen on these tets either. I do like this one however, Numerian Region, City: Eygypt, Alexandria Coin: Potin Tetradrachm A K M A NOVMEPIANOC CEB - Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right L-B (year 2) - Athena seated left, holding Nike and sceptre; shield beneath chair. Mint: (AD 283-284) Wt./Size/Axis: 8.60g / 20mm / - References: Emmett 4013 Milne 4698-4699 Dattari 5607
AURELIAN Tetradrahm OBVERSE: AUT K L D AURHLIANOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wreath in beak, D/L (year 4) left, star right Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 29 Aug 272 - 28 Aug 273 A.D. 7.73g, 21mm Dattari (Savio) 5470-1; Milne 4381-2; Emmett 3922 PROBUS Tetradrachm OBVERSE: A K M AVP PPO-BOC CEB, laureate cuirassed bust right REVERSE: L to left, Γ to right, eagle standing left, head right with wreath in its beak Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 277-278 AD 6.78g, 19mm Milne 4566, Emmett 3985 NUMERIAN Tetradrahm OBVERSE: A K M A NOVMEPIANOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: Athena seated left, holding Nike and sceptre; shield below chair, L-B (date) across field (Year 2) Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 283/4 AD 19mm; 6.74g Köln 3192-3193; Dattari 5607, Emmett 4013; Sear 12272 NUMERIAN AE Tetradrachm OBVERSE: A K M AN NOVMEPIANOC K C, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right REVERSE: LA (year 1) above eagle standing facing between two vexilla, head right with wreath in its beak Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 283 AD 9.3g, 20mm Milne 4674 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
MAXIMIANUS Tetradrachm OBVERSE: A K M OVA MAXIMIANOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: L-Xi, Nike advancing right holding wreath and palm branch Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 292-293 AD 7.4g, 18mm Emmett 4147 MAXIMIANUS Tetradrachm OBVERSE: MAΞIMIANOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: Homonoia standing left, probably not holding anything in right hand & cornucopiae in left hand, L-G across fields Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 286-305 AD 7.28g, 18mm Milne 5072
"Potin" seems to be a vague term meaning "pot metal": base metal with little to no silver. As Mat has pointed out many times, these "mutt" metals seem prone to accelerated corrosion. That hasn't stopped me from snarfing them up , although I do inspect them carefully, preemptively treat if there is any question, and store them carefully. Most of my later Roman Egypt tetradrachms (in other words, those made from these extremely debased metals) came from a few large group lots. I've since become more selective in purchasing. Note that "selective" doesn't always equal "smart", as evidenced by my recent ex-Dattari purchases. I'm a sucker for an old pedigree and plate coins . The first and second century tetradrachms of Roman Egypt were made from an alloy called billon-- a word I misread for three years before Warren Esty pointed out that it wasn't "billion" . Billon tetradrachms had varying degrees of silver, declining to ~10% by Gallienus and then down to little or none in following years. Even the high silver content tetradrachms often look pretty bad when compared to silver Imperial coins. My first Alexandrian tetradrachm was of Antoninus Pius, part of a small group lot, and I thought it was the ugliest coin I'd ever seen. I almost gave it away. Now I love them. It makes me reluctant to sell or give away any coins which I currently view as unappealing. Who knows how I might feel about them next year? Here are two of my favorite potin tetradrachms. EGYPT, Alexandria. Claudius II Gothicus year 1, CE 268 tetradrachm Obv: AVTKKΛAΔIOCCEB; laureate draped bust right Rev: eagle standing right, head left, wreath in beak; L- A in right field Ref: Emmett 3878(1), R1 purchased from a mostly non-ancient coin dealer at WFOM, Chicago, Aug. 2014. A common coin with an unexciting reverse but of exceptional artistry. EGYPT, Alexandria. Diocletian year 11, CE 294/5 tetradrachm, 19 mm, 7.6 gm Obv: ΔIOKΛHTIANOCCEB; laureate head right Rev: Draped bust of Selene right, crescent before; L IA behind Ref: Emmett 4080.11, R5 An unusually well-struck and well-preserved late Roman Egypt tetradrachm with an interesting reverse.
Sometimes we need to take special photos to really show the coin accurately. I've not been fully satisfied with this but it is a work in progress. Probus:
A minority among us consider artistry ahead of grade. Modern US coins almost always have the same artistry as all their brethren. The exception that comes to mind is the $20 high relief gold. Ancients with the same catalog number can have VERY different die cutting skills. TIF's Claudius is really exceptional. I buy good and bad but I prefer good ones and may pay a bit more for a face with personality than I would for a generic one. Perhaps it is easier to get a personable image from an emperor with an ugly face but I'm still looking for pretty ones, too. Severus Alexander Maximinus I (not all that great but I like the reverse) Philip I Gallienus Where does billon stop and potin start?
Great additions everyone. Love the Maximinus I and Gallienus, Doug. I would say Valerian I. First tetradrachm I ever got was of him and it was also the first one to get BD. It had the same look/feel as this new Diocletian. While coins before Valerian tend to look a bit different, as if they do have some silver left. Like your Philip I.
