Hi All Thanks to a more than amazing gift from @Victor_Clark I have a pile of beautiful coins to ID. The first one I started with is this one - So far I have determined it is a Licinius I But how do I nail down more info? I found this one online that is very similar but subtle differences (Like on mine on the obverse, to the right of the human form is a triangle, or scale, unlike on the one below) Just trying to figure out how to ID these best!
The triangle is the Greek letter delta signifying the fourth workshop made the coin. The small photo shows an E for fifth workshop. Various mints signified their shops in different ways so you won't find exactly this method on all.
Right. It was stamped in a different workshop. But both coins were products of the same mint. If you look at the very bottom of the reverse, you will see a dot, the letters SIS and then another dot. That's the mint mark, which is the same as the mint mark on the other coin. So most of the information that is provided about the other coin applies to yours as well. The only differences are the specific workshop, or officina, that stamped the coin, and slight differences in the size and weight. As for the subtle differences in the obverse portrait, that is to be expected. All coin dies were hand-engraved back then, so each die is unique. But if you look closely at the eyes on the obverse of both coins, you'll notice that they are very similar. Chances are that both portraits were engraved by the same celator/artist.
If you're curious about what the reverse type means, here's a brief explanation from a thread about a similar coin of Constantine.
