Coins that tell the story of the rise and fall of Magnentius

[Victor_Clark]

2 hours ago, Curtis JJ said:

Here's a Constantius II that I've seen described as struck under Magnentius:

 

This type was struck under Magnentius and Nepotian. When assigning RIC numbers to these, it is a bit arbitrary since the biggest difference between the issues is size, and there is overlap, i.e. Second series first group (Magnentius) RIC 195- 197 dia. 25- 26mm, second group (Nepotian) RIC 198- 200 dia. 23- 25mm, third group (Magnentius) RIC 204- 205 dia. 22- 24mm. When I have examples I describe them like this-- RIC VIII Rome 198/ 204

[dougsmit]

I was unaware of the Magnentius connection of the N series from Rome.  Was this related? 

 

My favorite Magnentius type is the big Chi-Rho but my AE1 of Amiens was on a small flan as were too many of that issue.

 

Of course there are several other Magnentius types not seen as often.

My best Decentius is a common type but gets extra credit for the clear Chi-Rho.

 

Lest anyone ever forget what A fool i am: Years ago, I found this one sided coin in a junk box and mounted it in a quarter size ring mount as a neckless.  My wife still wears it on occasion.  At a dinner at Victor Failmezger's house while we were discussing his upcoming book, Warren Esty pointed out it was a barbarous copy of something that does not exist.  There are no coins of Magnentius from Siscia.  I'd feel much worse if I had made jewelry out of the only 'real' coin from a mint.  I not seen another like it so I still assume it is unique and probably as meaningless as most barbarous culls.  

[Heliodromus]

9 hours ago, dougsmit said:

I was unaware of the Magnentius connection of the N series from Rome.  Was this related?

Yes, Magnentius initially continued the large and middle FEL TEMP denominations for his own reverse types, using the same "A" (large) and "N" (middle) denominations marks that had been used in the west (Italy, Gaul).

Here's my VICTORIA AVG LIB ROMANOR set, just missing RIC 177.

You can see the eagle on globe/banner types (RIC 177-180) are the large "A" denomination, while the Chi-Rho on banner (RIC 193) and Victory+Libertas with trophy (RIC 192) types are the smaller "N" denomination.

For whatever reason RIC 177-178, although of the large denomination, didn't have the "A" mark. I'm not sure of the sequencing here. RIC has them in RIC number numerical order, but perhaps 192-193 and 177-178 are actually same issue?

Incidentally, my RIC 178 is an ex. Failmezger plate coin, so you must have had your hands on it!

 

[Victor_Clark]

 

Here's Magnentius with two captives.

 

 

 

Magnentius
A.D. 350- 2
22x25mm   4.6g
D N MAGNEN-TIVS P F AVG; bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right, A behind bust.
GLORIA RO-MANORVM; Emperor standing left, holding victory on globe and standard with Chi-Rho on banner and with foot placed on captive who is seated to left, and whose heads is turned right; to right, captive kneeling left, hands stretched out towards Emperor; A in right field.
In ex. AQP•
RIC VIII Aquileia 148
 

 

[mc9]

Here are 3 more coins, 2 from Magnentius, 1 from Decentius.

Magnentius:

DN-MAGNEN-TIUS PF AVG . bare head, draped and cuirassed right, A behind bust

GLORIA RO-MANORUM   , in ex :TRS

4,68 gr,  21.09-23.22 mm

RIC VIII 269

 

IM CAE MAGN-ENTIUS AVG , bare head, draped and cuirassed right,  A behind bust

FELTEMP-REPARATIO , in ex:TRP ,A left in field

5.72 gr , 22.07 mm

RIC VIII 260

 

DECENTIUS:

DN DECENTIUS NOB CAES , bare head , draped and cuirassed right

VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE ; SV in field , RSLG in ex.

4.97 gr , 20.31 mm

[dougsmit]

4 hours ago, Heliodromus said:

Incidentally, my RIC 178 is an ex. Failmezger plate coin, so you must have had your hands on it!

438MG plate 38.  Unfortunately, I did not save the full size files for images of the coins one or the other of us did not see as special so this one was reduced for the disk that accompanied the book.  It is rather embarrassing now to see the photos I thought were good 20 years ago.  The coding on the disk confirms that both of these coins were Tory's property at the time when shot.   

Of this period, 437MG made the cut and was presented larger as shot. I have no recollection of why one was picked over the other but we tried to do a representative selection of nicer  coins in one respect or the other. When we did that book, the idea of supplying a disk of the images shown in the plates was considered silly by most including the publisher.  Tory humored me to get free photos of the coins but most sellers of the book declined the disks.  If we did it today, the disk would have been distributed as a website link which would have been much more easily distributed.

Edited August 29, 2022 by dougsmit

[Heliodromus]

23 minutes ago, dougsmit said:

Tory humored me to get free photos of the coins but most sellers of the book declined the disks.  If we did it today, the disk would have been distributed as a website link which would have been much more easily distributed.

I still have the CD, and have the photos copied onto my hard drive. I forget if I got the book and CD together or had to write Tory separately for the CD - either one or both came from him with a handwritten note. As a beginning collector I found both book and photos to be enormously useful.

 

[Jims,Coins]

Bronze Coin (AE Centenionalis) (23mm, 5.46 g. 6h) minted at Thessalonica, 2^nd officina, during the reign of VETRANIO in 350 A.D. Obv. D.N.VETRANIO.P.F.AVG. laur., dr. and cuir. bust right. Rev. CONCORDIA.MILITVM. VETRANIO, in military dress stg. facing, hd. l., holding in each hand a standard with Chi-Rho on the banner; over his head, a star. A-B//*TSB* RCS #4041. RICVIII #132 pg.414. DVM #6.

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Jims,Coins