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Author Topic: How to use RIC  (Read 2981 times)

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Offline the10thlegion

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How to use RIC
« on: April 17, 2017, 12:34:21 am »
I've got access to RIC, never really used it before.
The coin in question is found in RSC vol IV pg 86 #728, an AE Antoninianus.
GALLIENVS AVG / PAX AVG w V in field.
I have no question this is what the coin is.

RSC references RIC S256 which for a more complete description is RIC vol V page 88. I assume the S in S256 stands for Sestertius which is a different domination but the reverse inscription is quite different too. PAX AVGG S C.

Why not use the Antoninianus found on page 81 #155? It's the same denomination and the reverse inscription is PAX AVGG. The description for 155 says Pax standing or walking left so it could be either one.

Is there a convention one follows when a coin is not specifically identified? What do you look for first - denomination, inscriptions, images?

Since I'm here I would attribute this a Sear vol III page 297 #10300 v
Rule out 10299 as inscription is different
Rule out 10301 as Pax is advancing (not standing)
Rule out 10302 as Pax is seated

Where would one find what mint? I assume the V determines it but I'm not sure how to read RIC vs Sear.

Would that be correct?

Thanks
John

 

Online Pekka K

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2017, 01:55:27 am »

RIC lists coins of Gallienus in 2 separate groups:

J = Joint rule with Valerian, that is coins with AVGG in legend.
S = Single rule after Valerian was captured, that is coins with AVG in legend.

Pekka K

PS. RIC is obsolete in listing coins of Gallienus' time. There are more recent
listings available, eg Göbl: Moneta Imperii Romani (MIR) 36.


Offline SC

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2017, 12:48:45 pm »
I agree with Pekka - Gobl is much better than RIC and Sear when it comes to the coinage of Gallienus.

An antoninianus PAX AVG with Pax standing, V in field, and obverse legend GALLIENVS AVG is Gobl 366.

Gobl lists this coin with 14 different bust types!  The most common are 366a - with radiate head right - and 366x with radiate cuirassed bust right.

Gobl also tells us that the coin was struck at Rome (we know it is the 5th officinia from the V) during issue 6.1 which he dates to 260-261 AD.

If you collect Gallienus it is worth buying of copy of Gobl's work.

Shawn



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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline the10thlegion

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2017, 01:23:18 pm »
It's been an informative morning for me. First I learned AVGG vs AVG differentiates between co rule with his father and then by himself. I also learned  the V is the officinia, I was told it was from Rome but I was beginning to think I was told wrong and the V may have stood for Viminacium. Thanks to you and Pekka I've learned a couple things.

As far as an interest in Gallienus, the only interest I have in collecting is over time obtaining an entire zoo (as can reasonably be expected). Aside from Pax I've a Pegasus, griffin (1 each L & R), hippocamp, lion, centaur (1 ea L & R) and probably these last two are not part of the "zoo" wolf w/ twins and finally a horse from Troas.

I really don't have a particular interest in anything in particular, aside from the zoo, I'm also working on Domitian/Minerva denarii w/ her hand on hip, trying to get all the various TRPs, IMPs, & COSs.  Which includes TRP VIII IMP XXI COS XIII which I was told by seller is 1 of 3 known - I have no way to verify.

Depending on finances I may look for a copy of Gobl later this year. What is your opinion of the "best" general reference material?

John

Offline SC

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2017, 11:34:55 am »
The best general resource is the internet.  With things like the forum, wildwinds, Helvetica's lists, coinproject, etc. you get a lot of basic coverage.

Van Meter's Handbook of Roman Imperial Coins is the best low price over-all book.  But it is by no means a comprehensive listing and the internet can provide all it contains.

Personally, I would rely on the internet at the basic stage and leave books for when you get into more specialist areas - Gallienus, Aurelian, late Roman bronze, etc all have their own specialist works that are still better than the internet.

Shawn
SC
(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline the10thlegion

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2017, 02:38:36 am »
I was able to get a hard cover van meter at a local coin show a couple years ago. Didn't even know such a thing existed. And personally I like it.

I don't think there is a comprehensive volume out there and like you I like wildwinds. I'm not however familiar with the others.

An intriguing approach is ERIC II. Where he tries to list the various types of pics found on both sides and lists various inscriptions. Then you as the collector just put the 4 together to match the coin I. Question.

And we can't forget tapping into the knowledge of the subscribers to this forum.

Offline vrtsprb

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2017, 02:01:29 pm »
You will, no doubt, be further amused by the fact that the question "How to use RIC?" has different answers depending on which reign, or time period, a coin belongs to.

Thus, while I'm fairly familiar with RIC up to and inclusive of volume V, I can't make heads or tails of the later volumes.  ::)

Fortunately, I don't much care for anything after Diocletian's monetary reform, so...

G/<

Offline SC

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2017, 05:49:18 pm »
Before Diocletian things are relatively simple to organize.  The vast majority of the coinage is struck at Rome.  Even where there are other mints it is easy to add them to listings by Emperor.

Diocletian in effect added two more "dimensions" the the organizational problem - the same coinage type struck at many mints and many Emperor striking simultaneously.  This means there is no longer a simple way to capture all the data.  Experience since the late 19th century shows that for most purposes organization by mint works better after Diocletian's reform.  RIC-X switched back to Emperor and I personally am not sure it works better than LRBC's continued use of mints for the 5th century coinage.

Anyway, that is why the later RIC volumes are a different beast.

SC
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Offline helvetica

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2017, 04:53:04 pm »

Thus, while I'm fairly familiar with RIC up to and inclusive of volume V, I can't make heads or tails of the later volumes.  ::)

G/<

Use my xls "Helvetica's RIC lists" - (they also work with the freebie Open Office Calc). You can ID your coins in seconds.
There is a short "how to use these lists" on the website as well.
Either here on forum:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dane/
(the "how to use..." is in the centre of the top line, download it and practise a bit and you'll soon be whizzing through your coins literally in seconds)
or here (updated more often [sorry Joe!])
www.catbikes.ch/coinstuff/coins-ric.htm



Offline helvetica

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Re: How to use RIC
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2017, 07:24:29 pm »
I'm also working on Domitian/Minerva denarii w/ her hand on hip, trying to get all the various TRPs, IMPs, & COSs.  Which includes TRP VIII IMP XXI COS XIII which I was told by seller is 1 of 3 known - I have no way to verify.


I made an xls list of the Minerva standing (with spear / on a rostral column / with owl / with spear and shield etc) denarii with separate dropdown columns for IMP TRP COS etc.. Very easy and fast to use if you have Excel or the freebie OpenOffice Calc.
I think I put it on my RIC lists page but it might be in the pw protected section to stop Chinese theft (I got sick of telling dodgy upload sites to remove my work which Chinese thieves had plagiarised and changed my name to their own..)

 

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