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Pillar of the Community
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I have these two (common) bronze AE Follis coins that I am having difficulty attributing. A Lucinius 308-324 A.D. 20 mm, and 4.31 gm Obv. IMP LICINIVS PF AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust right Rev. SOLI IN-VI-CTO COMITI, Sol standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding globe, right hand raised. S-F across fields with ? Mintmark RO (?) Rome. May be RIC VII 36 or maybe 59? or something else?.  And a Constantine 1. 307-337 A.D. 19 mm and 3.2 gm Obv. IMPCONSTANTINVSPFAVG laureate, curiassed and draped bust right Rev. SOLIINVICTOCOMITI Sol standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding globe, right hand raised. S-F across fields with ? Mintmark RS (?) Rome I may be being too 'fussy' but I cannot find an exact match in Ric, or Wildwinds or any of the others I have tried.  I would like some help here if you can, please?
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Pillar of the Community
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I'll read the mintmark on the Licinius coin as RQ (ie second officina in Rome) and it looks more like RIC#4 at Wildwinds with the R F across the field - Sear[ME]#15300 mentions RIC#3-4 and gives Rome AD313.
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Med - I thought of Ric 4 but between Sol's right hand and the head on my coin there are the letters 'V' and 'I' but on Ric 4 there is only (room for) an 'I'. Am I being TOO particular in my identifying?
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Don't forget that there are many (minor) varieties which are not recorded in RIC (*) and while it is always nice to have a 100% attribution, sometimes that takes time and luck. Roman coins are quite well documented but to find an exact match might need to check plenty museum catalogues.
(*) RIC is based on the collection from the British Museum and as far as I know has included coins from other museums in Britain in it's newer editions and while that collection is one (of the, if not 'the') largest collection of Roman coins it does not cover all coins.
Postscript:
Had another look at Sear and I found a better match.
Sear#15302, mentions the R/X in left field and F in the right one, the relevant RIC numbers here are 29-30 and 32 - if you look at Wildwinds, examples for 29 and 30 are displayed (they have different officina marks though).
Edited by Medieval
12/21/2014 9:03 pm
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Funny you posted your Constantine I follis I was just playing with mine and taking some more "phone photos." I am really liking these... Constantine I Lugdunum, Gaul AE Follis Struck 307/8 AD 27.4 mm x 6.98 g Obv:IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:GENIO POP ROM, Genius standing left before lighted altar in turreted crown, left shoulder & loins draped, holding patera & cornucopia. Ref: RIC VI Lugdunum 255. Bastien XI 470   Edited by Ancientnoob
12/21/2014 9:54 pm
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Pillar of the Community
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As per the Constantine, as per Sear#16097 [Rome, AD 314-15]for the R /X and F in field - RIC#27-8 and 31.
RIC#27 is depicted in Wildwinds with officina T.
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Thanks for the help, Med. So getting close is O.K. I am still learning (as I go), so all of this information helps me (and others no doubt).
I can now 'reference' the 2x2s.
I do like them, Nate, but then I like so many for so many reasons.
What is the difference between my 'Sol' and your 'Genius', please?
(Excuse the mistakes. I have done my back and I am typing this lying down - not easy.)
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Pillar of the Community
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Sol holds a globe while Genius hold a cornucopia.
The GENIO POPVLI reverses were ealier ones.
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Aha! Thanks, Med. More knowledge. I'm going to have to forget a few things to fit it all in. Now what can I do without?
Edited by Topcat7
12/21/2014 11:29 pm
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The Licinius is RIC 30. What distinguishes it from being RIC 29 is the bust (Laureate and cuirassed) not the officina
Edited by Biancasdad
12/22/2014 01:23 am
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The Constantine is RIC 27. The bust being laureate draped and cuirassed precludes it from being RIC 28. The legend break, sol facing direction, and chlamys style all preclude it from being RIC 31
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Thanks for the attribution AND the explanation BD.
I did notice those differences, but I was putting the same 'weight' on the 'officina' and where the laurel meets the lettering. and the style if the 'cuirasse' as I was on the bust, the legend, and the 'Sol' Vs 'Genius' etc.
I am still learning that 'exact'; matches are rare, as when each die of the same coin is made there may be subtle changes made that don't actually turn the product into a 'different' coin.
Thanks, again
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Quote:
What distinguishes it ... is the bust (Laureate and cuirassed) not the officina I only mentioned that it was a different officina at Wildwinds because sometimes RIC does some qualification/sub-numbering on those, not changing the type though. Quote:
I was putting the same 'weight' on the 'officina' RIC often does mention various officinae (and as said, sometimes gives is some special marker) but while it is nice to know the officina, it is (usually) not a determining feature for a type which was minted at several officinae. So for attribution, first remove the officina to determine the mint then attribute the coin to a type and at the very end take the officina into account again, if necessary. |
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All good knowledge to have. Thanks.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 1,740 |
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Posted 12/21/2014 8:33 pm
