Here's a nice new addition to my collection courtesy of the generous Victor Clark. Maximinus, a cowherder turned soldier, became Caesar in 305 after the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian. He had risen through the ranks to become a tribune. He was adopted by Galerius and given control of Syria and Egypt. In 311 with the gathering storm of war facing the empire, he declared himself Augustus and ultimately marched an army of 70,000 men across Asia Minor in winter in order to surprise Licinius. While Byzantium surrendered without a siege, he faced Licinius on the field of battle on April 30, 313 and was utterly defeated even though Licinius' forces numbered only 30,000 men. He fled to Tarsus where he died ignominiously. AE Follis Obverse: Bust of Maximinus facing right GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG Reverse: Genius Facing Left, holding Patera GENIO IMPERATORIS Mintmark: MKV (Cyzicus) Reference: RIC VI 70,G Please feel free to share your coins of Maximinus Daia!
Nice example! Maximinus Daia as Caesar Follis, struck AD 308 - 310 at Nicomedia mint. Obv: GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAES, laureate head right. Rev: GENIO CAESARIS CMH (in ligation) / SMNB, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae RIC 55
Nice, mine: Snot nose Maximinus II Maximinus II Daia (309 - 313 A.D.) Silvered follis O: GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAESAR; Laureate head right. R:GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right hand holding patera from which liquord flows; left a cornucopia., A in right field, •SM•SD• in exergue. Serdica mint 28mm 10.7g RIC VI 13b RCV 3754v (obverse inscription)
Nice capture @ancient coin hunter ! RI Maximinus II Daia 305-308 CE Folles AE30 Trier mint Genius-Serapis stndg RI Maximinus II Daia 305-308 CE AE20 Genius stndg bust of Sol cornu star H RIC IV 164b
MAXIMINUS II DAIA AE Follis OBVERSE: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: GENI-O-AVGVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding head of Serapis and cornucopiae. X-A across fields; ALE in ex. Struck at Alexandria 312 AD 4.83g, 21mm RIC VI 149b Ex Spink MAXIMINUS II DAIA Quarter-Nummus OBVERSE: IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter seated left holding globe & sceptre REVERSE: VICTORIA AVGG, Victory advancing left with wreath & palm, officina letter to right, ANT in ex. Struck at Antioch, 310-313 AD 1.2g, 15mm Vagi 2955 MAXIMINUS II DAIA Quarter-Nummus OBVERSE: GENIO ANTIOCHENI, Tyche of Antioch seated facing on rocks, turreted and veiled, stalks of grain in right, river-god Orontes swimming below REVERSE: APOLLONI SANCTO, Apollo standing left, patera in right, lyre in left. S in right field, mintmark SMA Struck at Antioch, 312 AD 1.2g, 13mm Van Heesch 3, A MAXIMINUS II DAIA AE Follis OBVERSE: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: GENIO IMPERATORIS, Genius tanding left, pouring libation from patera & holding cornucopiae, HTG in ex. Struck at Heraclea 305-306AD 6.4g, 27mm RIC VI 62
Compare mine. I have very little wear but a horrid strike that left much of the body of Genius and hair of Maximinus without detail. I wonder if it was the last pour from a ladle and not evenly spread before it cooled. Metal sloshed out of the round mould leaving a little handle. There is a texture in the low part of the reverse (where the draped arm is not) that was the original surface untouched by the die. The rest of the reverse was smoothed by the pressure of the die and has really good detail with crisp letters and face of Genius only millimeters from the abysmal body. Opposite the body, the head of the portrait fared a little better but lacked the metal to take on the die design. This detail was not worn away, it never was transferred from die to coin. Your coin is dramatically two toned with a dark patina completely worn away from every high point on both sides of the coin. The flan is round and even so every bit of die detail was transferred to the coin by a good strike. Genius has a body and carries a cornucopia that my coin never had beyond a little texture change from the flat field. Your coin lost some of this great detail to wear which exposed the light parts beneath the dark. I would suggest much of this was done in the cleaning process. These are the same coin but so different one from the other that they are hardly recognizable. They are what I consider a perfect example of why many of us do not like to 'grade' coins. My coin has little wear and really sharp detail where it has any detail at all. How would you grade it? If you were to apply the separate rating for strike (one to five) my coin should have no complaint if it got a 1/5 (2/5 if we are being super generous). I see nothing about your strike I would improve so it gets a 5/5 (or 4/5 if we are being super crabby). You have some laurel wreath detail but it is not crisp due to the wear. You coin depends on the color contrast to see letters (compare the gammas in the reverse left fields). The details are flat topped from wear. I'm not grading these coins. Anyone who wishes to can. Do you count wear, strike and surface separately or combine them and a good dose of gut reaction we like to call 'eye appeal'. The point is that the story of these two coins started before striking and has been developing ever since. I can't describe these coins in a reasonable size essay so I know I'm not going to say anything meaningful by saying 'Fine+'. Opinions?
Maximinus II AE2. 311 AD. Obverse: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F INV AVG, laureate head right / Reverse: IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left holding globe and sceptre and eagle, HTΓ in ex. 20 mm. Heraclea Mint
RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group II, Period I: until the death of Constantius on 25 July 306 -- Period II: after the death of Constantius until the Introduction of mint marked (PLN) reduced size folles in the summer of 307 , folles, No. 40-81. Mostly laureate busts, cuirassed and sometimes draped. Maximinus * All coins with GAL VAL MAXIMINVS or SEVERVS ET MAXIMINVS in the titulature were minted during Period I. * Most coins with other Caesar titulature were likely minted during Period I, although some were probably minted during Period II. No. 59b - Maximinus as Caesar: MAXIMINVS NOBILISSIMVS NOB C R: GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI No. 63b - Maximinus as Caesar: MAXIMINVS NOBILIS C R: GEN POPV -- LI ROMANI No 65 Maximinus as Caesar: MAXIMINVS NOBILI CAES . R: GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI RIC (Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume VI, Londinium) Augustus and Caesar name forms and common usage: For Headers in RIC ..... In RIC Text ...... By Collectors & Dealers.. MAXIMINUS ................ Maximinus .......... Maximinus II
I haven't seen many early M II D from London. Those are lovely. His redcuced sized output is more common. Maximinus II Daia, Follis Obv:– IMP MAXIMINVS P F AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– GENIO POP ROM, 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 (_ | * / PLN). From mid A.D. 310, to Late A.D. 312 Reference:– RIC VI Lugdunum 209b His Lugdunum output seems quite hard to find. Maximinus Daia, Follis Obv:– GAL VAL MAXIMINVS N C, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:– GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys at waist, left hand holding cornucopiae and right hand holding patera over altar Minted in Lugdunum (_ | N / PLC). Spring A.D. 307 Reference:– RIC VI Lugdunum 215 (rated R). Bastien XI 396 (18 examples cited)
Literally just read the final part of your grading guide (Preservation), very helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge Doug - much appreciated. I have a soft spot for those coins with dark patina and worn high points, find the contrasting surfaces appealing.
Nice OP coin and some wonderful displays all along this thread Maximinus II, Follis Antioch mint, 2nd officina, AD 310-311 IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG, Laureate head of Maximinus II right GENIO EXERCITVS, Genius standing left holding patera and cornucopia, cressent and S in field, ANT at exergue 7.28 gr Ref : RCV # 14845 (55), Cohen #47 Q
Nice one Q. It's nice to see a flaming altar with the libations pouring out from the patera. My Nicomedia with a similar depiction is nowhere enar as nice. Maximinus II Daia - Follis Obv:– IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG, Laureate head right Rev:– GENIO AVGVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys at waist, left hand holding cornucopiae and right hand holding patera, from which liquid is flowing, sacrificing over lighted altar Minted in Nicomedia (_ | E // SMN). Reference(s) – RIC VI Nicomedia 71b (Rated C) I like the head holding coins too. Maximinus II Daia - Follis Obv:– IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG, Laureate head right Rev:– GENIO AVGVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys at waist, left hand holding cornucopiae and right hand holding head of Sol Minted in Antioch (* | E/D / ANT). A.D. 312 Reference(s) – RIC VI Antioch 164b Flan flaw on eye of bust on pbverse otherwise a pleasing example Maximinus II Daia - Follis Obv:– IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG, Laureate head right Rev:– SOLI IN-VICTO, Sol standing left in long robe, right hand raised, left hand holding head of Serapis Minted in Antioch (A | * // ANT). Reference(s) – RIC VI Antioch 167b I have a set of Alexandrian MIIDs too but am saving them for another thread.
I agree. Grading coins appears to be more of an art than a science, since there are so many variables to consider. Ultimately I guess it comes down to what appeals to the collector - is a nice patina on a slightly worn coin better than a perfect strike?
