Maximian Alexandrian Tetradrachm ID help needed

Question for folks with Dattari or Milne:

I obtained this Alexandrian tet of Maximianus as part of a group lot and the reignal year is off the flan, unfortunately, as is the exergue. But after looking at examples online, it's pretty clear it's not year Є or I because the letters denoting those years appear just to the right of the L in the upper left field. Year Z typically appears in the lower right field--and I suspect this is what this coin is--such as in Milne 5048.

The question I have is whether Dikaiosyne standing left appears on any other year and what particular year(s) might this be.

Thanks in advance.



The reverse in particular:

 

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Per Emmett, Maximian / Dikaiosyne standing left was struck in regnal years 1 (R4), 5 (R1), 7 (R3), 8 (R5), 10 (R5), and 11 (R4), with a questionable appearance of the reverse in year 3.

I'm not sure which year yours is.

 

I don't know anything about ancients but that is cool.

 

(continuing)

Based on the presence of letters before his name (which your coin clearly has), your coin is going to be from year 1, 3, or 5. However, Emmett's summary of legends for various years are occasionally wrong or incomplete.

Years 1-5: AKMAOVAMAΞIMIANOCCEB
Years 1-4: AKMOVAMAΞIMIANOCCEB
Years 6-11: MAΞIMIANOCCEB

There is a question mark for year 3, which generally means that such a coin was reported by another author but that the images were unreadable or that there was otherwise good cause to doubt the existence.

On your coin, I think the letter representing the year is partly off flan and distorted:



I have not observed consistency in the placement of the dates so I wouldn't put stock in this not being a year 5 based on the placement.

 

Thanks, @TIF ! You don't suppose that L is actually a big L with a tiny A, do you? The obverse inscription is clearly longer, so it's got to be year 1 (Big L merged with little A) or 3 (Gamma); the year 5 ones have a curved epsilon which is uniformly to the right of the L on all online examples).

 

No, I've never seen anything like that.

 

I think that vertical line below the cornucopiae is a ribbon hanging down. I wonder if this is a year A, with the A partially off the flan in the lower right field, reconstructed as:

 

Yes, I think it is year 1. The legend is AKMAOVAMAΞIMIANOCCEB, leaving only year 1 and a dubious year 3 as possibilities.

 

Thanks so much, @TIF for your help and for sending me photos of Dattari's book. After looking at the catalog listing and the plates, I think it is most likely 5850, which has an epsilon in the right field (all the online examples I've seen are 5849, with the epsilon next to the L in the left field). This is statistically more likely than it being 5848 (less rare, per Emmet). That one has a star in the upper left field and the L is below the scales in the lower left field. On my coin, there is an L and no star in the upper left field and the figure of Dikaiosyne seems to be more similar to 5850 in the plate example.





Here's the reverse again for comparison:



And the possible placement of an epsilon on the die based upon plate 5850 in Dattari:

 

I think that's a reasonable guess, although exactly which edge "wrinkle" is part of the year letter is debatable (and probably not particularly elucidative).

Edit: I take that back. That curve is rather believable as an epsilon

 

Dikaiosyne has quite the hourglass figure, no?

 

For grins, here's the BMC listing. This clearly is Dattari 5849:

 

Not sure that was considered beautiful back in the day. I would think good birthin' hips and a heavier figure was considered more attractive. Only my guess.

 

Well, I'm going to tentatively attribute it as:

Maximian, 1st reign, AD 286-305
Roman billon tetradrachm, 16.2 mm, 7.29 g
Egypt, Alexandria, AD 289-290
Obv: A K M A OVA MAΞIMIANOC CЄB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right
Rev: Dikaiosyne standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; L in left field and Є (year 5 = 289/290) in right field
Refs: Dattari 5850; Similar to BMCG 2550 and RCV 13345 (different placement of Є).

Can anyone look up SNG Cologne 3305 or Milne 4922, please?

 

Here are the relevant Milne excerpts (hasty pictures of Maximian tets with mention of Dikaiosyne standing). I haven't read through them and there may be more entries of interest. Milne is awkwardly arranged.

 

Be careful, the Dark Side is addicting.

 

Haha will do has any body ever found an ancient maybe I the ground or possibly in circulation tbh that's the only way I'm getting one.


Thanks,
Jacob

 

There are plenty for sale online that are literally only a few bucks.

 

I can never find any good looking ones that aren't a ton and idk if they are real or not also its pretty hard for me to order things.


Thanks,
Jacob

 

Ah got it. If I had any ancients I didn't need I'd send you one as a gift but unfortunately I just sold my last ones.