I got this in a lot of 4 large coins of: Diocletian, Augustus, Trajan Decius, and Plautilla. ALL FOR $14.08. Each coin cost an astounding $3.52. Awesome I was mainly interested in this large reformed follis of Diocletian. This is now the second-largest imperial coin I own, second only to a rather oblong As of Claudius I. It's nothing spectacularly special, but the price was right and now I'm the proud owner of a large follis. I like the text on the reverse: Sacred Money of the City (I think that's what it translates to). It then goes on to indicate AVGG ET CAESS, meaning Augustae (2x) and Caesarae (2x) - indicating the whole tetrarchy! Ruler: Diocletian Obv: Laureate head right. IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG. Rev: Moneta standing left holding scales and cornucopia. SAC MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS N N Mint: Rome Mintmark: R crescent P Diam: 27mm Weight: 9.1g Reference: RIC VI 109a
@hotwheelsearl, as you will know, just lately, in the thread about the Constantine folles of Trier, @Al Kowsky mentioned how later Romans are still underserved by the current state of scholarship. You (and Diocletian) just eloquently reemphasized the point.
Can't beat that price - nice pick ups!! Sounds like a very fun lot. It is amazing that you can find some very nice coins of this era for reasonable prices. I have really enjoyed collecting the large folles of the Tetrarchy. I have two folles of Diocletian. The first is an inexpensive $10 pickup - its actually quite nice in hand with a lot of its silvering left. I'd like to blame the silvering for the poor photograph - but its not to blame .. I am. OBV:IMP CCVAL DIOCLETIANVS PFAVG. Laureate bust of Diocletian facing right REV: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI Reverse depicts Genius standing facing left holding patera and cornucopia. HTA in exergue. From Hereclea mint (26.5 mm) My next one was purchased a couple of months ago.. it was in the $50 range.. OBV: IMP CC VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG Bust Laureate, right REV: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae. Cyzicus Mint Struck 295-299AD (quite large at 29mm)
Beautiful Rome mint follis. Here's mine: Constantius I Chlorus AE Follis 303 - 305 A.D., Rome Mint, null Officina 9.287g, 30.3mm, 6H Obverse: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, Head of Constantius Chlorus, laureate, right Reverse: SAC MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS NN, Moneta, draped, standing left, holding scales in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand Exergue: -/-//R(crescent)T Provenance: Ex. Forum Ancient Coins 2019 Reference: RIC VI Rome 112a
What a deal, @hotwheelsearl! Here's a SACRA MON of Diocletian. I wish the reverse legend was completely on the flan, but I like the coin anyway. Diocletian, AD 284-305. Roman billon follis, 10.80 g, 23.6 mm, 7 h. Rome, AD 302-305. Obv: IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Laureate head, right. Rev: SACRA MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS NN, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; star in right field, R P in exergue. Refs: RIC vi, p. 362, 103a; Cohen 434; RCV 12815.
I, too, like big folles. Here is a page on the SACRA MONETA type: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/SACRAMONETA.html In this case "VRB", "the city", is Rome. The citation needs to mention the mint. Any given number appears many times in RIC VI, once for each mint. Say "RIC VI Rome 109a." Here is a similar coin for Constantius: Constantius 27 mm. 9.55 grams. CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES SAC MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS NN R<crescent upward>T RIC Rome 112a "c. 303-5" I repeat the link to the page: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/SACRAMONETA.html
I, too, really like these large, post-reform nummi (or folli). Here's one of my favorites: Bronze Nummus Ticinum mint, A.D. 295-296 Obv: MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI - Genius, modius on head, naked but for chlamys hanging from shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae ST in exergue RIC 30b 28mm, 9.9g.
I'd like to see the Plautilla. I assume it is a Provincial but large ones unless really trashed are worth $3.52 at least.
