| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 552 | Auction date: 13 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 591 Price realized: 550 USD (Approx. 510 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Maximinus II. AD 310-313. "BI Pseudo-Argenteus" – Follis (18mm, 2.91 g, 12h). Treveri (Trier) mint, 1st officina. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed half-length bust left, raising hand and holding globe / Sol driving facing quadriga, head left, raising hand and holding globe and whip; PTR. RIC VI 826; RSC 174. Toned partial silvering amd brown patina, minor flan crack, light cleaning scratches. VF. From the Quietus Collection. Ex Nomisma S.p.a E-Auction 8 (27 January 2019), lot 176. The curious sometimes titled 'pseudo-argentei' or 'billon-siliquae' of Treveri (Trier) present an interesting anomaly within early 4th century Imperial coinage. Issued only at Trier, there are three types within this series that correspond to the three rulers between AD 310-313: Constantine I, Licinius I, and Maximinus II Daia. Dr. Bruun et al in RIC VII (1966) attributed the issues of Constantine and Licinius to 318-9 while Sutherland et al conversely attributed those of Licinius and Maximinus to 310-313 in RIC VI (1967). Given that there is an example from this series of Maximinus II as Augustus (310-313), the earlier date of 310-313 is preferable. This assumes, however, that these three issues are indeed from the same series. For clarity, the coins of the series specifically in question are as follows: Constantine I, RIC VII 208A; Licinius I, RIC VI 825 VI = RIC VII 211-212; and Maximinus II, RIC VI 826. Given this background, the issue of what exactly these coins represent denominationally remains to be unpacked. Easily dismissible from any serious discussion is the 'billon-siliquae' phraseology. The siliqua was not introduced as a denominational replacement for the argenteus (itself a replacement for the denarius) until Constantine's monetary reforms of 324. Consequently, any reference to these coins as being derivative of the siliqua is extraneous. Perhaps more valid is the sometimes-employed wording of the 'pseudo-argenteus.' Indeed, the argenteus was the silver denomination of the Tetrarchy which immediately preceded the time in question of 310-313. Thus, using its phraseology to help describe the curious phenomena encountered in these coins makes some sense. However, simply calling them pseudo-argentei makes assumptions about the successor to the argentus between the time of its discontinuation at Trier in 310 and before the introduction of the later silver denominations of Constantine – conventionally titled the siliqua and miliarense. As such, what exactly these coins represented as circulating currency and were valued at is difficult to say. In the intervening period between the Argenteus' discontinuation and the introduction of new silver denominations in Constantine's later currency reforms, the question is begged as to what denomination was held as the median coin between the highly valued aureus and the much lower valued follis. Ultimately, future more research may uncover this missing link, if indeed there was a median denomination at the time. Alternatively, as seen in the fallout from Diocletian's 301 edict on maximum prices, the Roman public may have simply generally ignored the central government's directives and efforts to preserve its currency standards by largely resorting to localized barter methods. But this hypothesis still fails to explain what could be represented by these so-called "pseudo-argentei," many of which seem to feature a noticeably higher silver content than other folles. However, other examples, apparently from this same series, feature lower silver content more in-line with the silver wash treatment that folles received of approximately 2-5%. Could it be that perhaps only the early issues of this series at Trier were given this higher silver content "billon-treatment." If so, what was the purpose and reasoning behind the decision to seemingly release these coins at a higher silver content before abandoning the technique? The answers to these questions are perhaps unlikely to become apparent without additional research into the monetary system of 301/10-324. In the meantime, this interesting series provides an area for further research for those intrigued by the changes in the Roman monetary system between Diocletian's efforts to stabilize and rebalance monetary policy, and the later reforms of Constantine I following his triumph over Licinius I. Estimate: 100 USD |  |
Match 1:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 552 | Auction date: 13 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 594 Price realized: 450 USD (Approx. 417 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Licinius I. AD 308-324. "BI Pseudo-Argenteus" – Follis (19mm, 3.13 g, 6h). Treveri (Trier) mint. Struck circa 310-313. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left, holding scepter and thunderbolt / Jupiter, head left, holding scepter and thunderbolt, astride eagle right, head left; PTR. RIC VI 825 = RIC VII 211; RSC 99. Toned partial silvering and brown patina. VF. From the Quietus Collection. Ex Naville 33 (16 July 2017), lot 527. Estimate: 100 USD |  |
Match 2:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 559 | Auction date: 3 April 2024 |
| Lot number: 565 Price realized: 80 USD (Approx. 74 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Maximinus II. AD 310-313. "BI Pseudo-Argenteus" – Follis (18.5mm, 3.12 g, 6h). Treveri (Trier) mint, 1st officina. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed half-length bust left, raising hand and holding globe / Sol driving facing quadriga, head left, raising hand and holding globe and whip; –|–//PTR. RIC VI 826; RSC 174. Toned, granular surfaces. Fine. From the Weise Collection, purchased from T. Hristov on Ebay, 30 May 2000. Estimate: 100 USD |  |
Match 3:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 926 Price realized: 5,750 USD (Approx. 5,266 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Magnus Maximus. AD 383-388. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.46 g, 12h). Treveri (Trier) mint. Struck AD 385-386. D N MAG MA XIMVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VICTOR IA AVGG, Theodosius I and Valentinian II enthroned facing, each with right hand on globe between them; above, Victory facing with wings spread; palm fond between legs; TROB. RIC IX 77b; Depeyrot 52/1; Biaggi 2311. Underlying luster, light scratches, edge marks. EF. Rare. Ex William H. Williams Collection (Triton VI, 14 January 2003), lot 1124; Frederick S. Knobloch Collection (Stack's, 5 May 1984), lot 1460; Sir Charles Oman Collection. A capable general of Spanish birth, Flavius Magnus Clemens Maximus was appointed military commander of Britain (Comes Britanniae) in AD 380. Three years later, Maximus made a bid for the throne of the Western Roman Empire, then ruled by the young Gratian and his brother Valentinian II. After disposing of Gratian, Maximus proposed a three-way division of the Empire, with himself ruling Britain, Gaul, Germany and Spain, Valentinian II ruling Italy and Africa, and Theodosius I, another Spaniard, holding the East. During this period of relative calm, Maximus struck this gold solidus at his capital, the mint city of Trier, with a reverse depicting him ruling in harmony with Theodosius and Valentinian. The uneasy equilibrium lasted about three years but, in AD 387, Maximus launched an invasion of Italy, provoking a final showdown with Theodosius. In a lightning campaign, Theodosius struck westward and defeated Maximus before he could fully marshal his forces. Both Maximus and his son Victor were summarily executed by Theodosius, who restored Valentinian II to the Western throne. Maximus' grab for power proved ill-advised, igniting a destructive civil war and fatally weakening the Western Empire, particularly in Britain and northern Gaul. It is claimed, however, that a descendent of his ended up marrying Vortigern, king of the Britons, and is it through this union that several Welsh kings claimed Maximus as an ancestor. Estimate: 5000 USD |  |
Match 4:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 558 | Auction date: 20 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 671 Price realized: 170 USD (Approx. 157 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Carinus. As Caesar, AD 282-283. Antoninianus (22.5mm, 3.05 g, 12h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint, 3rd officina. 3rd emission, November-late AD 282. Radiate and cuirassed bust left, holding spear over shoulder and shield / Prince standing left, holding globe in outstretched hand and reversed spear; C|–//–. RIC V 150; Lyon 484; Pink VI/2, p. 21. Toned near complete silvering, minor weakness, small flan crack. Near EF. Ex Warden Numismatics. Estimate: 100 USD |  |
Match 5:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 555 | Auction date: 7 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 648 Price realized: 600 USD (Approx. 560 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. Æ Follis (23.5mm, 4.54 g, 6h). Londinium (London) mint. Struck circa AD 311-312. Helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear in right hand over right shoulder and shield on left shoulder / Constantine I standing left, holding globe and reversed spear; –|*//PLN. RIC VI 230; RML 486 (forthcoming); C&T Supplement 1. 7.07.034 (this coin cited and illustrated). Dark green-brown patina, minor cleaning scratches. VF. Very rare. RRR in C&T and RR in RML. From the DFA Collection. Ex Paul DiMarzio Collection (Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 516, 18 May 2022), lot 587 (since conserved); Marvin Lessen Collection (Part 1, Dix Noonon Webb 146, 25 April 2018), lot 154, purchased from Baldwin's, October 1970. Estimate: 150 USD |  |
