Serdica was a Roman [EDIT: Roman imperial] mint opened under Aurelian c. 271. Serdica is the name for the Roman city on the site of modern city of Sophia, capital of Bulgaria (see the google map). It continued to mint for Tacitus, Florian, and Probus (276-282), but apparently closed before Carus (282-284). It reopened c. 304 shortly before Diocletian (284-305) retired May 1, 305. RIC says the mint of Thessalonica (also on the map) closed c. 303 which prompted the opening of Serdica, closer to the action and probably where an emperor was located at the time (There are arguments that "SM" [Sacra Moneta = sacred mint] was used in mintmarks when an emperor was present.) The GENIO POPVLI ROMANI type initiated in the coin reform of c. 294 is very common, but less so from Serdica which had not been open very long. I was happy to get this nice example for Diocletian: IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG Laureate head right GENIO POPVLI ROMANI •SM•SD• RIC Serdica 3a "c.303/4-5." The most distinctive feature of GENIO POPVLI ROMANI coins from Serdica is the long legs and short torso of Genius leaning back. Thessalonica has about half the much exaggeration of the pose, and it is likely the engraver from Serdica had been at Thessalonica. If you would like to see some GENIO POPVLI ROMANI coins from other emperors and mints, see here: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/bymint.html Or here: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/Diocletianfolles.html There are other interesting coins from Serdica. Show us some!
I have two of the earlier examples from this mint: Emperor Aurelian - Antoninianus - RESTITVT ORBIS - Serdica mint Emperor Probus - Antoninianus - SOLI INVICTO - Serdica mint
Warren, My only example from the Serdica Mint is pictured below, & you're right Genius looks rather freakish . My follis does have attractive toning on the obverse from the remaining silvering . Oddly, your officina mark is in Latin & mine is in Greek. The portraits of Diocletian & Galerius are indistinguishable except for the inscriptions . Galerius as Caesar, AD 293-305. Serdica Mint (struck AD 305) Officina 4. AE Nummus: 9.95 gm, 27 mm, 7 h. RIC 4b.
I only have a few from this mint. This Probus quadriga is a favorite. Probus, AD 276-282. Roman billon antoninianus, 4.15 g, 22.05 mm, 6 h. Serdica, 4th officina, 4th emission, AD 277. Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, radiate bust, left, in imperial mantle, holding eagle-tipped scepter. Rev: SOLI INVICTO, Sol, in spread quadriga, raising right hand and holding whip in left hand; -/-//KAΔ. Refs: RIC 861 H; RCV 12040 var. (bust).
And here's Severina wearing a hairstyle unique to the Serdica mint. Severina, AD 270-275. Roman billon antoninianus, 4.01 g, 24.2 mm. Serdica, issue 8, AD 274-275. Obv: SEVERINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent. Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG, emperor and empress clasping hands, * in field between them; KA Δ in exergue. Refs: RIC 16; MER/RIC temp no 2827; RCV 11703; Cohen 2.
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) Florian (276 A.D.) Æ(S) Antoninianus O: IMP C M ANN FLORIANVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right. R: PROVIDEN DEOR, Providentia standing right, holding two ensigns, facing Sol standing left, raising right hand and holding globe; star in lower centre, mintmark –/–//KA(•)Γ(•). Serdica Mint 22.6mm 3.56g RIC 111, BNC p.408 http://www.ric.mom.fr/en/coin/4480?idType=4480 Published on Wildwinds!
My only two coins from the Serdica mint are both from the earlier period, under Probus. Note the citation to the Philippe Gysen article devoted to the Serdica mint during the reign of Probus: Probus, silvered billon Antoninianus, Serdica [Sofia, Bulgaria] Mint, 3rd Officina, 4th emission, 280-281 AD [Gysen]. 277 AD (Sear). Obv. Cuirassed bust left wearing radiate helmet, holding spear and shield, transverse leather strap across chest, IMP C M AVR PROBVS PF AVG / Rev. Probus on horseback, shield in left hand, galloping right, about to slay an enemy with a lance held in right hand; the enemy is on his knees under the horse's front hooves with his hands thrust upwards, his shield on the ground under the horse, VIRTVS PROBI AVG; in exergue, KA•Γ• (Serdica Mint, Officina 3) (KA= XXI =[20/1 copper/silver ratio of alloy]. RIC V-2 Probus 877G( Γ) (p. 113); Cohen 917; Probuscoins.fr 2667 (https://probuscoins.fr/coin?id=2667); Pink [Karl Pink 1949], 277, 4th emission; P. Gysen type: VIR-1 [Philippe Gysen, New data concerning the Serdica workshop during the reign of Probus, in Revue belge de numismatique , CXLVI, Brussels, 2000] (re-dating Serdica Emission 4 at 280-281 AD). 24.31 mm., 3.26 g. Probus, silvered billion Antoninianus, Serdica [Sofia, Bulgaria] Mint, 1st Officina, 4th emission, 280-281 AD (Gysen), 277 AD (Sear). Obv. Cuirassed bust left wearing radiate helmet, seen from ¾ in front, holding spear over right shoulder with right hand, and shield covering left shoulder with left hand, IMP CM AVR PROBVS AVG / Rev. Probus on horseback pacing left, with right hand raised and holding long scepter with left hand, captive is seated left under raised right hoof of horse, leaning forward to left with his arms bound behind his back, VIRTVS PROBI AVG; in exergue, KA•A• (Serdica Mint, Officina 1) [KA= XXI = 20/1 copper/silver ratio of alloy]. RIC V.2 Probus 887 (p. 114); Cohen 925/926; Probuscoins.fr 2201 (https://probuscoins.fr/coin?id=2201) (BustType E); P. Gysen Type: VIR-adv [adventus scene] [Philippe Gysen, New data concerning the Serdica workshop during the reign of Probus, in Revue belge de numismatique , CXLVI, Brussels, 2000] (redating Serdica Emission 4 at 280-281 AD); Pink, Emission 4 [Karl Pink, Numismatische Zeitschrift, Der Aufbau der Romischen Munzpragung in der Kaiserzeit, VI / 1 Probus (Wien, 1949)]; cf. Sear RCV III 12075 (ill.) (same except obv. legend has “PF” before AVG; see RIC V-2 886). 23 mm., 4.26 g. Purchased from Kirk Davis, Feb. 2021; ex. York Coins, UK, 2010.
I purchased this Aurelian from you, Warren, with its cool SERD mintmark. Abbreviating the city name was an innovation at the time.
B (beta) is also Greek as is E (epsilon) on my coin of Galerius Augustus. Someone here needs to show a Gamma to complete our set.
The earliest provincial coins seem to be from the time of Marcus Aurelius. MARCUS AURELIUS Very rare. AE19. 3.58g, 19.2mm. THRACE, Serdica, circa AD 161-180. Varbanov 1869 (R6) var. (obv legend); Moushmov 4752 var. (same); Corpus Nummorum 8791 var. (same); RPC Online -. O: AY KAI M AYPH ANTΩNEIN, bareheaded, draped bust right. R: CEPΔΩN, Bust of Isis right, wearing lotus crown. My only Tetrarchic coin from Serdica is a Constantius I argenteus. CONSTANTIUS I CHLORUS AR Argenteus. 3.35g, 19.6mm. Serdica mint, circa AD 305-306. RIC 11a (R4), unlisted officina Γ=3. O: CONSTANTIVS AVG, laureate head right. R: VIRTVS MILITVM, three-turreted campgate with seven layers and no doors; •SM•SDΓ• in exergue.
The OP coin is fantastic. I didn't know that the mint of Serdica had closed for a couple of decades before reopening in 304. Here is an Aurelian Antoninian from Serdica. I think Aurelian's post-reform coinage is kind of boring and uniform. However, there are some rare bust types, like the one on this coin. Obv: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG Rev: RESTITVT ORBIS Exergue: KA.A RIC TEMP: 2733 (16 ex. cited)
Serdica also produced some very nice and distinctive coins for Probus. Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS P AVG Rev: VIRTVS PROBI AVG (VIR-1) Field / Exergue: --//KA•Γ• RIC 880 VAR. Note the small shield (Parma shield) is much rarer than the normal shield. It usually commands a premium over types with normal shield.
Here is a coin with an obverse legend used only at Serdica: IMP C AVRELIANVS INVICTVS AVG on an otherwise common type RESTITVT ORBIS (restorer of the world) ✳ KA•Γ RIC 301 (Serdica). RIC on-line 2787 Serdica, "Nov. 274-Sept.275" Sear III 11592 variety with INVICTVS. Aurelian had more claim to be "restorer of the world" than other emperors. He reclaimed the east after the rebellion of Zenobia and Vabalathus and reconquered the Gallo-Roman empire. He restored the Roman world! As the coin says, he was "invincible". (For a while, at least.)
I can contribute with one provincial and two imperial from that mint : Caracalla, Aurelian and Maximianus Serdica, Thrace, AD 216 ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC AVTK M AVP CEV, laureate heroic bust left, seen from behind, with sword belt and Aegis on left shoulder OVΛΠIAC CEPΔIKHC, Hermes, naked, standing left, holding purse and caduceus 17,14 gr - 30/28 mm Ref : Moushmov 4804 (obv), Varbanov 2372 (rev) See Agora auction #62/102, same dies Serdica, AD 274-275 IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Aurelianus right RESTITUT OR BIS, Pax with laurel wreath she gives to Aurelian. In field *, at ex. KA.A. 4.15 gr Ref : RCV #11592, Cohen #192 Serdica mint, 1st officina, AD 305-306 DN MAXIMIANO FELICISSIMO SEN AVG, laureate bust right, wearing imperial mantle, holding mappa and olive branch PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QUIES AVGG, Quies and Providentia, facing each other, S | F in field, .SM.SD. at exergue, officina A 10,70 gr Ref : Cohen #489, RCV # 13408 (220), RIC VI # 15b Q
Oooh! I recognize the odd bust on that one. The patchy silvering on mine obscures the details a bit… but it’s still pretty nice in hand.
Argenteus of Maximianus Hercules minted at Serdica 304-305 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Campgate RIC 1b 3.35 grms 20 mm Phot by W. Hansen Among the first coins minted at this mint when it re opened was this one. The reverse features a campgate and the legend VIRTVS MILITVM. When I bought this coin back in 2011 it had been remaindered. At the time no one wanted it.
