This post-abdication follis of Maximian Herculius has a bizarre flan flaw. The metal has been torn out on each side of the coin, leaving a pinhole through it that does not appear to be intentional. I suspect there was an issue when casting the flan before striking but I don't know enough about metallurgy to explain what happened. Does anybody know? I think this bust type is interesting. Feel free to post your coins with flan flaws, Maximian coins, or whatever you feel is relevant. Maximian, post-abdication, AD 305-306 Roman billon follis, 8.26 g, 25 mm, 1 h. Antioch, AD 305-306. Obv: D N MAXIMIANO FELICISSIMO SEN AVG, laureate bust, right, wearing consular robes and holding branch and mappa. Rev: PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia standing right, extending right hand to Quies standing left, holding down-facing branch and resting on scepter; I in field between them, ANT: in exergue. Refs: RIC 77b, Cohen 489, RCV 13414.
Looks like some kind of impurity in the bronze of the flan which has disintegrated since the coin was struck.
