Classical Numismatics Discussion
  Welcome Guest. Please login or register. 10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! Explore Our Website And Find Joy In The History, Numismatics, Art, Mythology, And Geography Of Coins!!! Expert Authentication - Accurate Descriptions - Reasonable Prices - Coins From Under $10 To Museum Quality Rarities Welcome Guest. Please login or register. 10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! Explore Our Website And Find Joy In The History, Numismatics, Art, Mythology, And Geography Of Coins!!! Support Our Efforts To Serve The Classical Numismatics Community - Shop At Forum Ancient Coins

New & Reduced


Author Topic: Valentinian I RIC help  (Read 593 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Derek H

  • Guest
Valentinian I RIC help
« on: December 01, 2021, 05:05:06 pm »
Hello,

I am trying to identify this coins RIC. I seem to have tracked it down to either RIC IX 7a or 15a. I am not sure if this is correct as I am new at this and using online sources. However, this is what I have:

Obverse: DNVALENTINI  ANVSPFAVG

Reverse: SECVRITAS   REIPVBLICAE

*/ P (left field) M (right field)

Mint SIS with characters on either side

2.28 g

I’m trying to use this reference: http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=rev_leg_text%3ASECVRITAS%20REIPVBLICAE%20AND%20deity_facet%3A%22Victory%22&start=60

Offline SC

  • Tribunus Plebis Perpetuus
  • Procurator Monetae
  • Caesar
  • *****
  • Posts: 6068
    • A Handbook of Late Roman Bronze Coin Types 324-395.
Re: Valentinian I RIC help
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2021, 10:20:02 pm »
Derek,

Welcome to the forum.

RIC-IX has a different approach to this coinage because of the huge number of issues, and therefore field marks, they were struck with.

7a and 15a are both SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE for Valentinian I.  You then need to consult the chart of field and mint marks which shows that the  :<a href='../numiswiki/view.asp?key=star' target='_blank'>star</a>: P / M /  :Greek_Delta: SISC is part of 15a.

That field mark is given the sub-listing: 15a(xvii).

In a separate work, the Hungarian scholar Lanyi dated that particular issue to the middle third (i.e. May to August) of 370 AD.

SC
SC
(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Derek H

  • Guest
Re: Valentinian I RIC help
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2021, 07:02:48 am »
Thank you. Yes, I see it now. Really an amazing array of types and subsets.

My next question is what are the * P M and  :Greek_Delta:? I believe SISC is the mint. Maybe  :Greek_Delta: is the 5th  “oficina”, I might have read?

Offline SC

  • Tribunus Plebis Perpetuus
  • Procurator Monetae
  • Caesar
  • *****
  • Posts: 6068
    • A Handbook of Late Roman Bronze Coin Types 324-395.
Re: Valentinian I RIC help
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2021, 08:16:14 am »
 :Greek_Delta: SISC means 4th officina of Siscia mint.

It is usually hard to tell exactly what any field marks mean, other than signifying specific issues, likely for administrative tracking, accounting and security purposes.

However, the marks for the SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE and GLORIA ROMANORVM types at Siscia are very interesting.  When you remove a few marks that are likely errors or misreadings (there are several marks that have never been seen on another coin since the book was published in 1933 are so are very likely mistakes) then what remains is interesting as the letters, especially those on the right side for SR and left side for GR, appear to be annual marks.  They generally appear in groups of three.  So A k / F, k A / F and D k / F.  Three issues with k/F combined with a different letter.  This goes on for all years between 368 and 375.

This led Lanyi to the, what I believe is correct, conclusion that these related to the quadrimestrial (every four months) military pay cycle that we know existed.

So this is likely one of the few types and mints that we have a fairly likely explanation of the "meaning" of the field marks.  We don't know why they used any specific letter or symbol but at least we can see a pattern.

SC

SC
(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

 

All coins are guaranteed for eternity