Hello all, This is the October sale with special coins, like a very nice Maiorina of Valentinian II, an irregular Licinius II BEATA, a scarce pre-reform Antoninian of Aurelian, a half-follis of Constantine as Caesar or a Poemenius double-maiorina. As usual, if you're interested please PM early, this is a first-come, first-served basis sale For posting, please add 5$ for Registered Mail, tracked and traced, also insurance is optional - let me know if you require it and I'll add it to the total. Enjoy: 1. LICINIUS II AE3 18mm 2.6g Follis (F+, patina) (estim.50$) AV: LICINIVS - IVN NOB C; laureate cuirassed bust r. REV: BEATA TRAN *** QVLITAS; globe on altar inscribed with VO/TIS/XX, C - R in fields EXE: PLG, Lugdunum mint. REF: unlisted in RIC, there is one other similar coin from Licinius II from Lugdunum, but with different bust type and obverse/reverse legends, recorded by NOT IN RIC. Possibly irregular or unofficial, pairing an obverse portrait of Constantine I with a Licinius II legend. If official should be after RIC VII Lugdunum 205, 323AD, a highly unlikely coin considering that by that time Constantine and Licinius were already at war with each other and for a Constantine held mint, minting coins for Licinius II at this point would make no sense. Ex. Lanz. PRICE: 35$ 2. CONSTANTIN I AE22mm 5g Half-Follis/Nummus (aVF, some pitting) (estim.50$) AV: FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NC; cuirassed laureate bust r. REV: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS; Emperor standing facing, head left, in military dress holding standard in each hand. S - A in fields l. and d. EXE: PTR Trier mint. REF: RIC VI Trier 743, rated R2, summer 307AD. Scarce denomination for Constantine as Caesar, minted only for a short period in the summer of 307AD. PRICE: 25$ 3. CONSTANTINE II AE18mm 2.5g Follis/Nummus (excellent glossy patina, VF+) (estim.35$) AV: FL CL CONSTANTINVS IVN N C; bare headed draped cuirassed bust r. REV: CLARITAS REIPVBLICAE; Sol standing left, holding globe in l. hand r. raised; F in left field T in right field. EXE: BTR, Trier mint. REF: RIC VII Trier 180, rated R3, 317-318AD. This issue was minted to celebrate the rising of Constantine II to the rank of Caesar in 317AD. PRICE: 15$ (RESERVED) 4. POEMENIUS in the name of CONSTANTIUS II AE1/2 22mm 5.14g Maiorina/Double Maiorina (?) (F+, patina) (estim.80$) AV: DN CONSTAN - TIVS PF AVG; pearl-diademed draped cuirassed bust r. REV: SALVS AVG NOSTRI; large chi-rho flanked by A left and W right. EXE: TRP* (* in exergue, not at exergual line) Trier mint. REF: RIC VIII Trier 332, rated S, rare issue, minted only at Trier for a brief period in the summer of 353AD. "One unanswered question remains: for what reason was a reverse type so closely associated with the usurpers used in combination with a legitimate obverse of Constantius? The political use of Christian symbolism became much more visible during the latter stages of Magnentius' revolt. His use of the Chi-Rho reflects a similar one of Vetranio: the emperor (either Vetranio himself, or Constantius II) holding a labarum, and the legend IN HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS, a statement associated with the vision of Constantine I on the night before has battle with his rival, Maxentius. In the present case, it is quite possible that the forces of Constantius II in Trier briefly co-opted the symbology of the usurpers, adding the legend of the legitimate emperor to parallel the ultimate victory of Constantius II with that of his father. (cf. CNG)" SOLD. 5. VALENTINIAN II AE2 20mm 5.5g Maiorina (VF, sand patina) (estim.40$) AV: DN VALENTINI - ANVS PF AVG; pearl-diademed draped cuirassed bust r. REV: VIRTVS E - EXRCITI; Emperor standing r. holding labarum and globe, foot on captive; monogrammed P-cross in l. field. EXE: CONSB, Constantinople mint. REF: RIC IX Constantinople 83a, rated - S, scarce in this condition, 383-388AD. Ex. Dionysos Numismatik, Munich, DE. PRICE: 25$ 6. GRATIAN AE3 18mm 3g (VF+)(estim. 30$) AV : DN GRATIANVS AVGG AVG, pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right REV : GLORIA NO - VI SAECVLI, emperor standing facing, head left, holding labarum in right hand and resting left hand on shield. EXE: TCON Arles mint REF: RIC IX Arles 15 xiv(c) rated - C (but actually pretty scarce in VF condition) 367-375AD. Scarce type, minted in Arles for Gratian only. "Arelate is alone in giving him the reverse legend... which presented him to the Gauls as the boy of the Messianic prophecy who was to bring back the Golden Age of peace and plenty." Pearce, NC 1948, p. 72. SOLD 7. AURELIAN AE21mm 3.68g billon Antoninian pre-reform (aVF, flat strike areas, light-brown chocolaty patina) (estim.45$) AV: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG; radiate cuirassed bust r. REV: FIDES MILITVM; Emperor in military dress stg. r., holding short sceptre in l. hand, receiving a globe from Jupiter stg. l., holding long sceptre in l. hand. EXE: C * P, Cyzicus mint. REF: RIC V-1 344, 272AD. RIC considers this issue C (common). The adnotated RIC V Online records 11 specimens in the following distribution: 4 in La Venera Hoard (which would make it a scarce issue), 2 in Vienna, and 1 in each London, Budapest, Munich, Oxford and Paris, so it seems that it is a quite scarce issue - a pre-reform antoninian 1st phase of the 6th issue of Cyzicus 1st officina minted in summer-autumn 272AD, cf RIC Online #2953 Ex. G & N Numismatik, Munich, DE. PRICE: 25$ (RESERVED)
