Hello All!
Just received this one courtesy of Joe and
FORVM:
DiocletianSilvered follis,
RIC VI Trier 677a,
cf. RIC VI Cyzicus 22-3, EF,
weight 10.854g, maximum
diameter 27.9mm,
die axis 180o,
Cyzicus mint, 305 - 307 A.D.;
obverse D N DIOCLETIANO FELICISSIMO
SEN AVG, laureate
bust right, wearing imperial mantle, olive branch in r.,
mappa in l.;
reverse PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia on left standing right, extending right hand to Quies, who is standing left with branch in right and leaning on
scepter in left, S F across fields, KS center, PTR ex
This one drew my attention not only because of its obvious visual merits and
rarity (R1) but also because of its interesting
history:
This is perhaps one of the most unusual issues in the entire follis series. It is nearly always attributed to Trier (Treveri), but a comparison of portrait styles and an examination of follis hoards reveals that this issue was not struck in Trier but in Cyzicus. Two officinae struck this issue, and the KS in the field between the two figures is actually the mintmark, not the PTR. A look at the coins of Cyzicus (RIC 22-23) shows that the same two officinae struck this issue without the PTR also. The Senior Augustus issues of Diocletian and Maximianus were struck at every mint currently in operation. Apparently, the first coins of this type were prepared at Trier and examples were sent to the various mints for the individual mints to copy. At Cyzicus, the die engravers copied everything, including the Trier mintmark and put their own mintmark in the field. Eventually someone soon realized the mistake and new dies were prepared with the mintmark in its proper location. (notes from
FORVM website)
Sure enough, it is incorrectly listed in
RIC under the city of Trier!
One thing that was very hard to bring out in the pic is the beautiful, shiny
silvering but in hand it is a
joy.
Also posted in my
gallery. In other words, your comments and ratings are appreciated!
Enjoy!
mz
p.s Thank you, Joe!
EDIT: Also notable is the fact that this coin
comes from the
collection of "maridvnvm" (
Martin) of
FORVM. It just keeps getting better!