Maximinus II Daia

Another favorite of mine is this very oval, Rome mint AE1 with SAC MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS NN RQ


Probably my most scarce Maximinus II is the billon argentius from Trier. The alloy is really poor and most I have seen were as ugly as mine. Really nice ones get quite expensive.

 

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Great coins everyone! I'm jealous as I do not have a SOLI INVICTO as pictured above yet. I do have a few of Maximinus from Antioch. Here are a few that I have photographed. I have a ton of Alexandrian coins of MII and others of this period for another thread.

Maximinus II - GENIO AVGVSTI - Antioch - RIC VI 164b

Maximinus II - GENIO IMPERATORIS - Antioch - RIC VI 133c

 

Have you ever tried?
That's an interesting bust. I've only ever seen Serapis with a modius on his head. Never radiate like yours.

 

double post sorry

 

I got this from vcoins recently. Paid a lot more than yourself (£50!). I really wanted a Sol holding Serapis and this the only one I could find for sale in Europe where the price seemed reasonable for the quality. The patina is nice and the coin is very thick and heavy. The bust of Serapis is a lot sharper in hand and is raised higher than the rest of the reverse which I find interesting.

Perhaps I overpaid, but I am very happy to own this one.

 

Genius holding head of Serapis. Alexandria mint.

 

Well, it's the SOLE INVICTO variety so you probably did well.

 

Is there a resource where I can learn about the difference between the varieties? I am not knowledgeable about this so it's definitely one of those happy accidents if it has worked out in my favour!

 

I have seen it listed as holding the bust/head of Sol when the radiate crown is present. I am no expert though.

 

I'm not aware of any good resources for the eastern coinage. If we're just talking about Maximinus II's coinage (vs the western SOLI INVICTO COMITI type(s) issued by Constantine), then briefly (or as brief as I can make it!) :

Maximinus as caesar was junior in the east to Galerius augustus, and up until 309-310 followed Galerius' lead and issued the same coin types as him from the mints he (Maximinus) controlled: Antioch and Alexandria. The coin types for the emperors are basically GENIO and VIRTVS.

Somewhere around 309-310 AD, Maximinus, still caesar and fed up with it (due to Constantine, Maxentius and Licinius having leapfrogged him in seniority), started asserting himself on his Antioch coinage and issued a bunch of exceptional new types, including his first Sol type with a facing quadriga reverse and legend of SOLI INVICTAE or SOLI INVICTO. Other reverse types include MAXIMINVS NOBILISSIMVS CAESAR(!), and IOVIO PROPAGAT ORBIS TERRARVM.

Around 310AD, Galerius seems to have succumbed to pressure and elevated Maximinus to augustus, who now reformed his coinage at Antioch (mintmark ANT with crescent in field). In addition to other new types (IOVI, HERCVLI, GENIO AVGVSTI), he continues the Sol quadriga type but now with the quadriga travelling left vs facing and a legend of SOLI INVICTO, and also introduces this "standing Sol holding head of Serapis" type with legend SOLE INVICTO, or rarely SOLI INVICTO.

After the death of Galerius in 311AD, Maximinus now gets control of the territory/mints of Nicomedia and Cyzicus, and these now issue the same types as Antioch (but omitting the Antioch-only quadriga one). Cyzicus goes with the SOLE spelling, but Nicomedia goes with SOLI.

In 311-312 AD Maximinus has a coordinated 2nd issue at these oriental mints with a star in field as part of the mintmark, and all mints now in sync and using the SOLI legend.

In 313AD, with Licinius away in Milan, Maximinus invades Licinius' territory and briefly takes control of the Heraclea mint, and issues all his coin types, including SOLI INVICTO from there.

So, to summarize, at Antioch we have:

SOLI INVICTAE/INVICTO facing quadriga (ANT)
SOLI INVICTO quadriga travelling left (ANT)
SOLE/SOLI INVICTO Sol with head of Serapis (ANT u)
SOLI INVICTO Sol with head of Serapis (ANT *)

The quadriga types are fairly rare (and anyways expensive), the "ANT u" issue scarce, and the last one most common.

At Nicomedia, Cyzicus and (briefly!) Heraclea we have the Sol with head of Serapis type, and at Alexandria nothing since (perhaps in deference to local religion) it didn't issue Maximinus' new IOVI/HERCVLI/SOLI types.

 

@Heliodromus That is a great write up. When you say "ANT u" and "ANT *" are you referring to the field markings?

 

Thanks! Yes - ANT in exergue and either crescent ("u") or star ("*") in field.

The quadriga issues are a bit odd in that they appear to belong to other issues but only have the ANT in exergue, omitting the issue mark in field.

 

Thank you very much for this, it was very helpful. Is the SOLI vs SOLE simply an arbitrary preference of spelling or is there something more to it?

 

I'm not sure exactly. Given how we see different mints using different spellings on the same type, or even the same mint (Antioch) using both spellings on the same issue, it does give the impression of more of a spelling variation than any intended difference in meaning.