Hercules on a Galerius, not Maximian

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Valentinian, Mar 20, 2020.

  1. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    This coin arrived today from Europe, which confirms shipments are still coming. It is interesting to me because I have been studying the tetrarchies and this is a second- tetrarchy issue.

    Galerius1HERCVLIVICTORI2035.jpg
    Galerius. 27-26 mm. 9.82 grams.
    Struck 305-6.
    IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
    HERCVLI VICTORI
    Hercules standing front, head left, resting right hand on club and holding apples in the his left hand, with his left forearm draped with his lion skin.
    VI
    SISA
    RIC VI Siscia 165b.

    The very experienced seller attributed it to Maximian. After all, it says "MAXIMIANVS", doesn't it? Nevertheless, it is a Second-Tetrarchy coin of Galerius, not Maximian. This issue with this field mark includes three rulers--this person, Constantius as Augustus, and Maximinus II as Caesar--which confirms it is a Second-Tetrarchy issue of Galerius.

    I added it to my page on coins of the Second Tetrarchy here:
    http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/Second.html
    If you want to know how to distinguish Galerius from Maximian, I have a page on that here:
    http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/distinguishing.html

    Show us another type with Hercules, or something else relevant!
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..yup, it's kinda confusin' sometimes...i've got a couple o those, but for brevitys sake, i'l show one..:) Galenius Maxinimus follis Hercules reverse 001.JPG Galenius Maxinimus follis Hercules reverse 002.JPG
     
    Justin Lee, zumbly, Shea19 and 4 others like this.
  4. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    Very nice one. I know this is a Gordian III, but the reverse shows Hercules, a club and the apples...

    DD74AD78-AA03-48F5-85B2-A9EEA3DACF34.jpeg
     
    Justin Lee, ominus1, zumbly and 6 others like this.
  5. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    I had a Maximin Daia sold to me as a Galerius. The legend was GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG. Now if it had said Maximianus it would have been Galerius. It sometimes gets a bit confusing between the tetrarchs.
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2020
  6. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

  7. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    This Galerius was sold to me by an experienced dealer who thought it was Maximian.

    Galerius Follis

    Obv:– IMP MAXIMIANVS P F IN AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust right
    Rev:– GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, left hand holding cornucopiae and right hand holding patera
    Minted in London (_). Group II - i. May A.D. 305 - Late A.D. 306 or into Early A.D. 307
    Reference(s) – Cohen ?. RIC VI London 50 (R, citing Voetter with a footnote stating that confirmation is needed). LMCC (page 126) 4.03.012

    Same die pair as LMCC plate coin and BM example (BM B.54, 9.98g, 6h. ex De Salis 1860)

    9.77 gms. 29.01 mm diameter. 180 degree die orientation

    [​IMG]
     
    Justin Lee, ominus1, zumbly and 6 others like this.
  8. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    I guess I'll show the coin in question. Alexandria mint, with a fitting Serapis bust sitting on Genius' outstretched hand.

    maximinus3.jpg

    maximinus4.jpg
     
    Justin Lee, ominus1, Shea19 and 5 others like this.
  9. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    @Valentinian ....Good looking coin with a nice sand patina and really like the depiction of Hercules....Cool.
    I have one Gal.....I just checked your really helpful webpage just to make doubly sure.....
    normal_galnew_together.jpg
    Galerius Maximianus as Caesar AE Follis minted 297 AD.11,46 g. 25 mm.
    Obv: GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES. Laureate Head right
    Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI/ (crescent)/ D// ANT. Genius standing left, holding cornucopiae and patera.
    RIC VI 49b Antioch

    From an old collection formed in the 1920s. Ex Münzhandlung Kallai, Vienna.
     
    Justin Lee, ominus1, zumbly and 6 others like this.
  10. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Hercules - Empire

    Gallienus Silvered Æ Ant CE 263-264 AVG rad cuiras R  Hercules R lion skin club star RIC 673.jpg
    Gallienus Silvered Æ Ant CE 263-264 AVG rad cuiras R Hercules R lion skin club star RIC 673


    RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C.jpg
    RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C


    RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius laureate hd and Hercules and Africa.jpg
    RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius laureate hd and Hercules and Africa
     
  11. Shea19

    Shea19 Well-Known Member

    That is such a helpful site you have @Valentinian , thanks! I recently added this Maximinus II and was thrown off by the “GAL VAL” in the legend, but now I know it was correctly identified as Maximinus II and not Galerius.

    7E7E2332-B934-422C-BCD3-0633DE69CA05.jpeg
    Maximinus II, as Caesar, Follis (25 mm, 7.20 g), Nicomedia, 308-309. GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAES Laureate head of Maximinus II to right. Rev. GENIO CA-ESARIS CMH / SMNB Genius, nude but for chlamys, standing front, head to left, wearing kalathos and holding patera from which liquor flows in his right hand and cornucopiae in his left. RIC 55.
     
  12. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    Hercules a few tetrarchies later:

    HERCVLI.JPG


    HERCULI.JPG

    max herc vict ant.JPG
     
  13. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Some very nice examples in this thread.
    TI QUINCTIUS.jpg
    TI QUINCTIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
    AR Denarius
    OBVERSE: Bust of Hercules left, wearing lion's skin headdress, club over shoulder
    REVERSE: two horses left, rider on the nearer horse, dot X; TI Q and rat below, DOS.S in incuse on tablet in ex.
    Struck at Rome 112-111 BC
    3.92g, 18mm
    Cr297/1;Quinctia 6
     
  14. Herodotus

    Herodotus Well-Known Member

    Bear with me, as I'm fairly new to this. Please(OP or others) let me know if I have this correct.

    This is:

    Galerius Maximianus

    [​IMG]
    Alexandria Mint
    Obverse: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, laureate head right.
    Reverse: GENIO IMP-ERATORIS, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae. K in left field, D over P in right field


    And this is:

    Maximinus II

    [​IMG]
    Serdica Mint
    Obverse: GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB C, laureate head right
    Reverse: GENIO CA-ESARIS; The Genius of Caesar standing left, holding cornucopia and pouring libation from patera; star in left field, Δ in right field •SM•SD• in exergue
     
    Spaniard, Justin Lee, Bing and 3 others like this.
  15. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Do you see the "A" in MAXIMIANVS on your first coin? I think I see "MAXIMINVS".
     
  16. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    There are a few coins that are easily confused unless you can look them up in RIC but the vast majority of the errors we see come from ignoring the basic rules like READ every letter (especially A). Valentinian's page is great. My page was posted in 1998 but still works.
    http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/max.html
    Neither page will help in the least if you don't read all the letters present without adding in ones that are not there.
     
    DonnaML likes this.
  17. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Same reverse type as the OP, but in this case, for the original Maximianus.

    Maximianus - Hercvli Victori.jpg MAXIMIANUS
    AE Follis. 10.5g, 26.7mm. Alexandria mint, 1st officina, AD 304-305. RIC VI 38. O: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right. R: HERCVLI VICTORI, Hercules standing slightly right, head left, holding club and apples, with lion skin draped over arm; S in left field, P over A in right field, ALE in exergue.
     
  18. Herodotus

    Herodotus Well-Known Member

    I believe so, considering the spacing of the lettering after the X.

    The (first) 'I' and the 'M' are kind of blotchy, but then I see a distinct 'I', and then what appears to be the shape of an 'A' before 'NVS'.
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2020
  19. Herodotus

    Herodotus Well-Known Member

  20. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ...mine(this one anyway) was marked Hercules...but after looking here, i realize it's Genius...i love the education here :D
     
    Bing likes this.
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page