Magnentius portraits

The other coin that arrived today is another in my series of the common two victories coins of Magnentius and Decentius. These were very out of the ordinary emperors or usurpers as you choose to see them striking coins at only a few mints officially but there are many barbarous looking ones that I usually avoid for reasons I'm not sure I understand. Each mint has a style that seems distinctive in some way (but trouble with eyebrows is common to many?) so a set of them looks good together. The new one is first:

Rome:

Amiens (love those eyebrows)

Lyon

Arles (Decentius)

Trier (Decentius)


Who has others to add?

 

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I will post one tomorrow after I reshoot it. Those are some nice coins.

 

MAGNENTIUS
AE3
OBVERSE: DN MAGNENTIVS P F AVG - Bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right; "A" behind bust
REVERSE: VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE, two Victories standing facing each other, holding wreath between them inscribed VOT V MVLT X in four lines. Epsilon over IS in lower centre. Mintmark PAR in exergue
Struck at Arelate 350-3 AD
3.8g, 20mm
Arles RIC VIII 177


DECENTIUS
AE Centenionalis
OBVERSE: D N DECENTIVS NOB CAES, cuirassed bust right, G behind
REVERSE: VICT DD NN AVG ET CAES, two Victories standing facing each other holding shield inscribed VOT/V/MVLT/X, RS in ex.
Struck at Rome, 350-3 AD
3.6 g, 21mm
RIC 215,G

 

That's one emperor I need is Decentius.

 

very nice coins both of you guys,

 

Great new addition, Doug ... sweet eye-appeal on the Magnentius struck in Rome.

I only have my infamous "Nancy" example ...

Magnentius AE Centenionalis
(Lyons mint)
Date: 350-353 AD
Diameter: 22.4 mm
Weight: 5.9 grams
Obverse: D N MAGNENTIVS P F AVG - Draped and cuirassed bust of Magnentius
Reverse: SALVS DD NN AVG ET CAES - Large Chi-Rho; A - W at sides, PPLG[dot] in exergue
References: RIC 158
Characteristics: very cool



... but sadly, no eye-brows remain (ummm, or it's one big uni-brow?)

 

I have a couple of Magnentius from that Stacks Bowers mixed lot purchased in 2013. The chi-rho's reverse scratches are very unfortunate. I wonder who did it and why? It sure looks purposeful, not just a mishap from clumsy cleaning.


Magnentius
AE centenionalis
Trier mint
350-353 AD.
22 mm, 5.9 gm
Obv: IM CAE MAGN ENTIVS AVG, draped & cuirassed bust right
Rev: FELICITAS REIPVBLICAE, Magnentius standing left, holding Victory on globe & labarum. A in right field. TRP in exergue.
Ref: RIC VIII 264, Trier

 

You probably have already seen them many times, but what's the heck, I'm generous at showing them...


Magnentius, AE 1 Amiens mint, AD 353,
D N MAGNEN TIVS P F AVG, Draped bust of Magnentius right
SALVS DD NN AVG ET CAES, Large christogram between alpha and omega. AMB at exergue
9.20 gr
Ref : Cohen #30, LRBC #19, Bastien # 135 (15 ex), RIC # 34 (C)



Magnentius, Maiorina Treveri mint, 1st officina,
DN MAGNENTIVS PF AVG, bare bust draped right, A behind
VICTORIA DD NN AVG ET CAE, two victories holding a wreath where is inscribed : VOT/V/MVLT/X. TRP at exergue
4.73 gr
Ref : Cohen # 68, Roman coins # 4024, LRBC # 56,

And yes, olive green is the actual colour of the coin...



Decentius, Maiorina Lyon mint
DN DECENTIVS CAES, bare bust, cuirassed right
VICTORIA DD NN AVG ET CAE, two victories holding a wreath where is inscribed : VOT/V/MVLT/X. Dot and SV in field
4.46 gr
Ref : Cohen # 33, Roman coins # 4035, LRBC # 224

Q

 

He does rather remind me of a Romulan

 

I never quite fully grasped the wide-eyed and eye-brow issue until now!!

Magnentius and Decentius:

 

i have this one..

 

Very nice coins, everyone, from an important chapter of Constantinian Dynasty history. I wonder if anyone has any folles struck by Vetranio, an equally important player in this drama? Does anyone have the coins with his name on them? - not just the coins of Constantius II struck under his very temporary rule, but the coins that read DN VETRANIO PF AVG.

 

Vetranio
Coin: Bronze Centionalis
D N VETRANIO P F AVG - Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
CONCORDIA MILITVM - EMPEROR BETWEEN TWO LABARA, IN FIELD A TO LEFT, B TO R.
Mint: Thessalonica (350 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.11g / 22mm / -
References:

• RIC 132 or similar

 

I own two which I just showed on another thread, but I will gladly show again:

VETRANIO
AE3
OBVERSE: DN VETRA-NIO PF AVG Laureate bust right
REVERSE: VIRTVS AV-G-VSTORVM Emperor bare head and in military dress standing right, holding spear and globe and kicking a seated captive, mintmark officina letter and SIS
Struck at Siscia 350 AD
2.7g, 17.5mm
RIC 296 (Siscia), LRBC 1182


VETRANIO
AE3
OBVERSE: DN VETRANIO P F AVG - Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: VIRTVS EXERCITVM Exe: TES - Vetranio standing left, holding labarum and resting hand on shield
Struck at Thessalonica 350 AD
4.0g, 24mm
RIC 138, LRBC 1652

 

Very nice. I'm still looking for the right coin at the right price. As they say, hindsight is 20/20 - Vetranio was clearly the smart one in the bunch, resigning his emperor-ship to Constantius II and living out his days as a private citizen. If Mag and Dec had taken over, our opinion of Vet would be exactly the opposite.

 

I'm your man JA, but with an example a bit under my usual standards (anyway, Vetranio isn't the easy one to find)


Vetranio, AE2 Siscia mint, 3rd officina
DN VETRANIO PF AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right, A - * in field
HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS, Vetranio standing left, holding labarum and sceptre, recieving wreath from victory behind him. Gamma SIS at exergue
4.46 gr
Ref : Cohen # 4, Roman coins # 4042, LRBC # 1174

Q

 

I also have one I posted earlier on one of the other threads--- I sold my better type (of the Constantius, not Vetranio legend)--- but the post is a bit low grade and not the best foto on this cloudy afternoon light.(AE-2)

I'm surprised at the variety of reverses!!!

 

I recently upgraded mine and traded off the old one for less than I though it was worth.

 

Magnentius AE2 Lugdunum, 4.7g, 23mm

OBV: D N MAGNEN-TIVS P F AVG, bare-headed, draped & cuirassed bust right. "A" behind head.

REV: VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE, Two Victories supporting wreath inscribed VOT/V/MVLT/X. SV in lower centre, RPLG in exergue.

REF: RIC VII 128, LRBC 223

 

Here is my 24 mm whatchamacallit. What would you folks grade it?

DECENTIUS Caesar
351-363 AD
AE1 (24 mm diameter)
Obv: DN DECENTIVS FORT CAES Bare headed simple draped bust facing right.
Rev: VICT DD NN HVG ET CAES Two victories standing facing each other holding between them a shield
(VOT - V - MVL - X) in the shield, FSAR in exergue.
Grade:
Other: Similar to Sear #4036