|
Rome, 20.6.2021
Dear,
below I report the significant elements regarding the
coin shown in the figure:
Follis1,
Siscia mint2,
313-315 A.D., RIC VII
8 var. (page 423), rarity
index "r2"
Summary description:
D. IMP LIC LICINIVS
P F AVG3. Licinius I,
laureate head right.
R. IOVI
CONS-ERVATORI4. Mint mark  5.
Jupiter stg. l., chlamys across l. shoulder, leaning
on sceptre, Victory on globe in r. hand; eagle with
wreath to l.
The search on the web of coins of the figure type
gave rise to the following results:
- https://www.deamoneta.com/auctions/view/421/368
Lot # 368. Licinius I (308-324). Æ Follis (21mm,
3.36g, 1h). Siscia, 313-315. Laureate head r. R/
Jupiter standing l., holding globe surmounted by
Victory, leaning on sceptre; eagle with wreath
standing to l.; E//SIS. RIC VII 8. Green patina,
VF. Starting price: £ 15. Number of bids: -. Lot
closed. Unsold.
- http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=672529
Source Gitbud & Naumann Auction 6 (04.08.2013)
Lot 617 Estimate 50 EUR Description
LICINIUS I (308-324). Follis. Siscia. Obv: IMP LIC
LICINIVS P F AVG. Laureate head right. Rev: IOVI
CONSERVATORI / A / SIS. Jupiter advancing left,
holding Victory and sceptre; at his feet, eagle.
RIC 8. Condition: Extremely fine. Weight: 3.4g.
Diameter: 16mm.
- http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=582369
Source Numismatik Lanz München Auction 154
(11.06.2012) Lot 507 Estimate 100€
Price 120€ (~150 USD) Description RÖMISCHE
MÜNZEN KAISERZEIT LICINIUS (308 - 324) Follis,
313-315, Siscia. IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG, Büste
mit Lorbeerkranz nach rechts. Rs: IOVI
CON-SERVATORI, Jupiter mit um die linke Schulter
gelegtem Mantel und Zepter nach links stehend, in
der Rechten kleine Victoria auf Globus haltend.
Diese hält einen Kranz nach oben. Rechts ein Adler
nach links stehend, Kopf nach rechts, im Schnabel
einen Kranz haltend, rechts im Feld B, im
Abschnitt SIS. RIC 8 (R); Cohen 65. 3,79g. Selten.
Vorzüglich.
- http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=415818
Source Auktionshaus H. D. Rauch GmbH Summer
Auction 2010 (13.09.2010) Lot 1404 Estimate
30 EUR Price Unsold or unknown price Description
RÖMISCHE KAISERZEIT Licinius I. 308-324 (D) Follis
(3,52g), Siscia (Sisak), 4. Offizin, 313-315
n.Chr. Av.: IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG, Kopf mit
Lorbeerkranz n.r. Rv.: IOVI CON-SERVATORI / D (im
r. Feld) / SIS (im Abschnitt), Iuppiter mit
Victorienglobus und Szepter v.v., Kopf n.l., davor
Adler. -- Minimale Reinigungsspuren im Rv. RIC 8,
C 66. vzgl.
- http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=154233
Source Auktionshaus H. D. Rauch GmbH Summer
Auction 2007 (11.09.2007) Lot 1141
Price 46 EUR (~64 USD) Description Römisches
Kaiserreich: Diocletianus bis Licinius II.
Licinius I. 308-324 Follis (3,57g), Siscia, 5.
Offizin 313-315 AD. Av.: IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG,
Portrait n.r. Rv.: IOVI CONSERVATORI / E (im r.
Feld) / SIS (in ex.), Iuppiter mit Victoria und
Szepter n.l., davor Adler mit Kranz. RIC 8.
vzgl.+/f.vzgl. Estimate: EUR 30.
- ebay
33,00€ [#891071] Monnaie, Licinius I, Follis,
313-315, Siscia, TTB, Bronze, RIC:8
CARACTÉRISTIQUES DE L'ARTICLE QUALITÉ DE LA
MONNAIE TTB MÉTAL Bronze. DIAMÈTRE 21mm ATELIER
Siscia. ANNÉE 313-315. POIDS 3.57g.
- vcoins
64.00US$ 53.79€ Rates for: 06/20/21 Licinius I AE
Follis. Siscia Mint 313-315 AD. Obverse: IMP LIC
LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate head right. Reverse:
IOVI CONSERVATORI AVG, Jupiter standing left
holding Victory on globe in right and scepter in
left, eagle with wreath in beak at feet left,
Gamma to right, SIS in exergue. References: RIC 8.
Size: 23mm, 3.56g. Professional Numismatic Notes:
Good VF with a lovely glossy-brown patina!
- https://www.ma-shops.com/cdma/item.php?id=895386
Follis 313-315 Siscia Coin, Licinius I, Siscia,
Bronze, RIC:8 EF(40-45) Price 31,00 EUR
Conservazione: EF(40-45) Materiale: bronzo. Peso:
3.85g Diametro: 23.00mm.
895386-coin-licinius-i-follis-313-315-siscia-ef-40-45-bronze-ric-8,Coin,
Licinius I, Follis, 313-315, Siscia, EF(40-45),
Bronze, RIC:8,laureate head right, Jupiter
standing left, chlamys across shoulder, holding
sceptre and Victory on globe; eagle with wreath to
left.
- https://www.artemideaste.com/auction/view/577/424
Lotto 424: Licinius I (308-324). AE Follis, Siscia
mint, 313-315 AD. Obv. IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG.
Laureate head right. Rev. IOVI CONSERVATORI.
Jupiter standing left, leaning on sceptre, holding
Victory on globe; eagle with wreath to left, in
field, to right, Є. In exergue, SIS. RIC 8. AE.
3.44g. 21.00mm. R. Rare. Superb, sharply struck
and almost fully silvered, with reddish
highlights. Good EF. Base d'asta 30€ Prezzo
attuale 46€ Offerte: 2. Lotto non in vendita.
- https://www.ma-shops.co.uk/cdma/item.php?id=865826
Nummus 313 Siscia Coin, Licinius I, Siscia,
Copper, RIC:8 AU(50-53). Price 34.34£. 40,00€.
Grade: AU(50-53) Material: Copper. Weight: 3.35g
Diameter: 22.00mm.
865826-coin-licinius-i-nummus-313-siscia-au-50-53-copper-ric-8,Coin,
Licinius I, Nummus, 313, Siscia, AU(50-53),
Copper, RIC:8, IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG, IOVI
CONSERVATORI / SIS.
I conclude observing that the general and style
characteristics of the coin in the figure are the same
of the coins found on the web. The physical
characteristics of the coin are missing and a
comparative examination with the authentic coins of
the period is not possible. In the present state of
conservation, the coin, if authentic, is worth, in my
opinion, not more than ten euros.
Best regards.
Giulio De Florio
--------------------------
Notes:
(1) Follis. In the
eyes of the common people, the follis, the everyday
coin of the early Tetrarchy (in contrast to the
earlier minted antoninians of constantly changing
type), was associated with the idea of the
uniqueness of being Roman and with the solidity of
the currency (a bit like the dollar today). I report
in the table below the physical characteristics of
the folles found on the web:
| Riferimenti |
Peso (g.) |
Diametro (mm.) |
Asse di conio (h) |
| Link1 |
3,36 |
21 |
1 |
| Link2 |
3,4 |
16 |
- |
| Link3 |
3,79 |
- |
- |
| Link4 |
3,52 |
- |
- |
| Link5 |
3,57 |
- |
- |
| Link6 |
3,57 |
21 |
- |
| Link7 |
3,56 |
23 |
- |
| Link8 |
3,85 |
23,00 |
- |
| Link9 |
3,44 |
21 |
- |
| Link10 |
3,35 |
22,00 |
- |
Since there is no information about the physical
characteristics of the sample under examination
(weight, diameter, coin axis, reaction to the
magnet), it will not be possible to carry out a
comparative examination with the authentic coins
of the period.
(2) Siscia mint (today's Sisak
in Croatia, see map),
in 313 under the control of the Eastern Roman
emperor Licinius, operated on 5 workshops, marked
by the Greek letters A, B, Γ, Δ, ε . As was
customary during the Tetrarchy, Siscia minted
coins both in the name of Licinius and in that of
Constantine, at that time emperor of the West.
That means coins were minted with identical types
of the reverse but with the following obverse
legends:
- IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG (RIC 5, see
example); Constantinus I, son of
Costantius I and Helena, born around 282, Caesar
in 24.7.306, Augustus in 306, married 31.3.307
with Fausta, Maximianus'daughter, died on
22.5.337.
- IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG (RIC 7, see
example); "as above".
- IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG (RIC8 see
example); Licinius I, born around 250,
Augustus in 11.11.308, married in Mediolanum
with Costantia, Costantinus'sister, in the early
spring of 313; deposed by his brother-in-law
after the battle of Nicopolis on 18.9.324,
killed in Thessalonica in 325.
(3) IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG
(IMPerator LICinianus LICINIVS Pius Felix AVGvstvs).
On another page of the site I have traced a
historical profile of the tetrarchy, within which
Licinius is placed:
- click here
for the events concerning him, from the
elevation to Augustus (11.11.308) up to the
Milan conference of January-February 313;
- click here
for the subsequent events up to the peace of
Sardica (1.3.317) and the elevation to the rank
of Caesar of Crispus and Costantinus jr, sons of
Constantine I and Licinius jr, son of Licinius
I;
- click here
for the subsequent events up to the death of
Licinius in 325.
The fact that the coin under exam was minted both in
the name of Constantine and Licinius by a mint, such
as Siscia, at the time under Licinius'control, is
indicative of a state of relations between the two
sovereigns, not yet developed, in 314-5, at such a
level of conflict to justify the rupture of mutual
recognition, at least on a formal level.
(4) IOVI CONS-ERVATORI (to
Jupiter protector). I have classified the coin as a
variant of RIC VII 8 because its reverse legend cuts
out sooner than Ric predicts. The type of IOVI
CONSERVATORI is very common in the coinage of the
period, linked to the myth of the founder of the
tetrarchy, Diocletian, who had declared himself
"Jupiter", that is, son of Jupiter (see in this
regard, by clicking
here, the page of the site where the topic is
treated in full). The literal and figurative sense
of this reverse is clear, the political message is
that there is no conflict between the West and the
East.
(5) The mint mark consists of two parts:
- in exergue, the mint code: SIS = Siscia
- right in the field, the mark of the officina
that struck the coin: Δ (the fourth of five
active in the period).
|
