Mint marks rarity

[COINS FAN]

Hello, a simple question: for an mint (ex treverii), same type, same emperor, is there prize variations for mint marks?
To be clear (this is just a random example for illustrate): CONSTANTIUS R/ CAESARUM NOSTRORUM  PTR
                                                                                         CONSTANTIUS R/ CAESARUM NOSTRORUM  :crescentdot:STR

If we consider those two coins are both on same state, the price can be same from "serious" sellers or no? The price change between two coins from differents mints but for same mint, i didnt saw yet. And you?

[SC]

If I understand correctly you are asking if different mint marks, on otherwise identical coins, can result in a price difference in the coins.

Each different mint mark indicates a different issue or emission of the coinage.

In some cases two different issues of the same coin type, from the same mint, can have very different rarities.  Sometimes one issue (and thus mint mark) is very common and another is very rare.

n theory this means that there could be some difference in price.

However, I personally see little evidence of this actually occurring.

The major factor influencing cost is of course condition.  The second most important seems to be rarity of the type.  But I think it is rare to see a coin advertised as being from a rare mint mark.

The rarity probably does affect auction results somewhat as more focussed collectors might seek out rare issues that they don't have.

SC

[COINS FAN]

Thank you olitchnik. You understood correctly.
We agree.
Looking at internet prices i dnt see difference or a little, between 2 coins from same mint (same type). But on collectors saloons i see some little variations too.
Sorry if bad english. Sometime this is hard for me. I own all ric, but i still ask here, some questions because i not sure i understood correctly, reading ric. Old expressions, numismatic specific words... hard.
I sent you a private message, you probably didnt saw or understood because of my english.

Another question here: two coins from same mint with different type and denomination but with same mark are from same issue? But two coins with same mark and not from same mint, same issue? Example:

Nummus AE3  O/ DN PROCOPIUS PF AVG    R/ REPARATIO FEL TEMP     mint mark:  :dot:PTR
Siliqua            O/ DN PROCOPIUS PF AVG    R/ VOT V mint mark:  :dot:PTR   ( i agree this mark dnt appear for siliqua, this is just for illustrate)

Same issue?

And:
Nummus AE3  O/ DN PROCOPIUS PF AVG    R/ REPARATIO FEL TEMP     mint mark:  :dot:SIS

Still same issue?

Another strange point: siliqua with mark:  :dot:C only appear for siliqua. So, there were struck only siliquae on this issue?

Thank you for your time 

[SC]

Good question.  Probably better to respond here than private so that others can join in and/or benefit.

It might help to define some terms because people use "mint mark" in different ways.

There are many different terms used for the marks on coins.

Some terms refer to the location of marks:

Exergual marks are any letters and symbols in the exergue - the part under the design.

Field marks are any letters or symbols in the field of the coin.

Mint marks is a term that can be used in two ways.  Some people use it to refer to all marks on the coin reverse - exergual marks and field marks.  But others use it more technically to refer only to the letters that indicate the mint and officina (PCONST, SISB, SMKA, etc).  These are usually in the exergue though in some cases things like OF II can be found in the field.

Issue marks are the symbols that indicate a specific issue.  They differentiate ASIS from   ASIS and   ASIS   .

So, now to your question.  

The same set of marks generally means the same issue, but with two caveats/exceptions.

1) Mint marks for precious coinage - silver and gold - do not always match the marks used for bronze.  They often seem to use different sequences, etc.  Mint marks were used to keep track of production and help detect fraud.  There was no real need to track precious metal and bronze with the same marks as they could not be confused.

2) The same marks were sometimes re-used for a later issue.

But otherwise two different coin types with the same mark are from the same issue.

But the same symbols used a different mints are not necessarily the same series.  Occasionally they were but usually different mints ran through their own sequences.

SC

[SC]

A few more points to add.

On the last question - whether the use of the same symbol a different mints represents a single issue.  Above I wrote that they are not necessarily the same issue.  I think this can be explained better.

In most cases the issues at each mint are separate.  Even if two mints are issuing the same type with the exact same obverse and reverse legend breaks, etc. they do not seem to coordinate their actual issues. 

The CONSTANTINOPOLIS type was struck with the obverse legend variation CONSTANTINOPOLI at four mints - Heraclea, Constantinopolis, Cyzicus and Nicomedia.  These mints are close to each other and there was clearly some kind of regional administrative coordination.  But look at the mint marks used at these four mints from 330 to 336.

Heraclea used SMHA,  SMHA,  SMHA  ,  / SMHA ,  /  SMHA  and then SMHA  .

Constantinopolis used CONSA, CONSA  , and  CONSA  .

Cyzicus used SMKA  , SMKA,  SMKA, and  SMKA.

Nicomedia used SMNA.

Similarities but clearly not exact copying.  Also, though Heraclea used 6 marks and Nicomedia only used 1, the coinage from Heraclea is not 6 times as common as that from Nicomedia.  The quantity struck does not appear to match exactly the number of issues.


But, there are cases were there was coordination.  For example, the FEL TEMP REPARATIO coinage of 348 to 358 used letters to designate the series, as well as the issue marks.  The series marks changed less frequently than the issue marks and, while the issue marks differed at each mint the series marks were used across many mints.  The series marks for the FTR coinage included A,  ,  ,  , and M.


Finally, an example regarding your first question, all the coins struck with the mint mark  CONSA  were part of the same issue.  This issue included the CONSTANTINOPOLI, VRBS ROMA and the GLORIA EXERCTVS with two standards for Constantine I, Constantine II, Constantius II, Constans and Dalmatius.  Thus seven different coins make up this one issue.

Hope this helps.

SC

[COINS FAN]

Dear olitchnik thank you.

For finish, do you think we can rank marks with a specific order? Example: PTR  STR  :dot:PTR  :dot:STR  ... Im not talking about issues, just a manner of ranking marks on a database, for an harmonious visual.
Tell me, for you, as coin collector and passionate, what would you like to see for mark ranking 

[SC]

If you just mean on a database, with no reference to the mints or order they were issued in etc. then I don't think the order you list them matters.  It might be easiest for searching to group together all with dots, then all with stars, etc.  But there will always be ones that are hard to classify - dot and star, with the dots or stars?

You can see the drop down lists on Helvetica's spreadsheets.

SC

[COINS FAN]

Yes, dot stars or stars dot is hard to rank. You probably own more books than me, so if you see a ranking different than "dots" together,  together, tell me.