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Tejas

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I was after the coin below for a long time and bought it right away when it came up on Vcoins. The price of EUR 180 was very reasonable in my view. 

It is a Pecunia Maiorina of Theodosius I

Obv.: DN THEODOSIVS P F AVG

Rev.: VIRTUS EXERCITI

Mint: Alexandria (ALEA)

Date: 383 - 388

Weight: 5.13 gr.

I really like these large bronze coins of the late Roman period. I think they are difficult to find in good condition and I was really happy when this one came up.

The dating is from the seller and I would really like to know how these coins are dated to certain periods during the reign of Theodosius.

coin1.PNG

Edited by Tejas
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2 hours ago, Tejas said:

Date: 383 - 388

The dating is from the seller and I would really like to know how these coins are dated to certain periods during the reign of Theodosius.

Those dates correspond with Magnus Maximus's reign. So perhaps it has something to do with the VIRTVS EXERCITI coins of Magnus Maximus being issued at Constantinople, which was under Theodosius’s control, not Magnus Maximus’s. The fact that Arcadius and not Gratian has this reverse gives 383 for the same reason.

Edited by John Conduitt
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2 hours ago, Tejas said:

The dating is from the seller and I would really like to know how these coins are dated to certain periods during the reign of Theodosius.

 

That's the dating from RIC, DOC has them in the 386-393 period. But these periods are not related to types individually but to groups of types that correspond to a certain historical period. For RIC the period begins with the elevation of Arcadius and the clear direction of Theodosius towards his own dynastic claim in the East. The period also corresponds largely with the reign of Maximus. DOC is more advanced and puts this common type after the first round of dynastic Theodosian types: the very early Arcadius coinage and the coinage for Aelia Flaccila (who dies in 386, hence the beginning of the period for DOC). But the issue for Maximus dates the beginning of this type to at least late autumn-winter of 384, when some sort of understanding was reached between Maximus and Theodosius, and Theodosius even briefly recognized Maximus as a colleague (minting the extremely rare maiorina of this type for him also at Constantinople). My suspicion is that like in the case of the REPARATIO REIPVB maiorina, which ends in the East before January 383 but is continued in the West until likely 388, this type also has different dating corresponding to particular mints, probably with a beginning in Constantinople around very late 384 or early 385, from where it spread throughout the East but not at the same time. Probably 386 is the safe bet for when the type remains the only maiorina type in the East, after the discontinuation of the coinage for Flacilla. And it remains the only maiorina in the East until around late 392 or early 393, when the GLORIA ROMANORVM emperor standing is introduced, possibly to mark the elevation of Honorius. The chronology is not very exact and there are many plot holes in it -- for instance the pre-383 emperor standing on galley type could have survived in the East until the death of Gratian in the summer of 383 or perhaps even later at some mints, in the name of Theodosius only. If I'm not mistaken, DOC mentions an extremely rare issue for Arcadius. The type is so plentiful that it is possible that it continued for a while. It's the same with your type, which at Alexandria is very closely related style-wise to the next maiorina type arriving in 393, just check out the typically large lettering and smallish Imperial effigies present on both types. So probably here the type extends from around 386 to 393, when the same mint masters and die cutters start working on the GLORIA ROMANORVM type.

Edited by seth77
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The name of the Theodosian AE2 denomination ("decargyrus") and a terminus ante quem for its official circulation (April 12, 395) can be found in the Codex Theodosianus (9.23.2):

Translation:

Emperors Arcadius and Honorius Augusti to Dexter, Praetorian Prefect. We command that only the centenionalis shall be handled in public use and that the coining of larger money shall be abolished. No person, therefore, shall dare to exchange the decargyrus for another coin, and he shall know that the aforesaid money, which can be seized if found in public use, will be vindicated to the fisc. Given on the day before the ides of April at Milan in the year of the consulship of Olybrius and Probinus (April 12, 395).

Latin original:

Impp. Arcadius et Honorius aa. Dextro praefecto praetorio. Centenionalem tantum nummum in conversatione publica tractari praecipimus maioris pecuniae figuratione submota. Nullus igitur decargyrum nummum alio audeat commutare, sciens fisco eandem pecuniam vindicandam, quae in publica potuerit conversatione deprehendi. Dat. prid. id. april. Mediolano Olybrio et Probino conss.

Edited by DLTcoins
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Thanks all for the great information, especially on the dating and on the name of the denomination. I didn't know that before.

 

Now I remember why I was so keen to buy the coin,  when I saw it on MA Münzen (not Vcoins) for EUR 180,-:

Leu sold a very similar coin for CHF 1800,- in May last year. I remember that the coin was high on by wishlist, but I was totally and completely outbid. I think my highest offer was under CHF 500,-. 

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=9492953

So I am super happy that I didn't win the Leu coin, but got this one for a 10th of the price. However, I realize of course that the Leu price is the outlier here. Somebody completely overpaid for the piece. 

 

 

Edited by Tejas
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17 hours ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Ah i see that coin last days at VCoins - and remember about - because I like it. How much is the diameter? 

It was actually on MA Münzen. It had been newly listed and I bought it right away. The diameter is 23 mm.

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1 minute ago, Tejas said:

It was actually on MA Münzen. It had been newly listed and I bought it right away. The diameter is 23 mm.

Ah... Milan or Madrid, the main thing is Italy! (a German football player)

VCoins, MA-Shop... same for me. But - I remember this coin exactly - because I like it. Gratulation for this buy.

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I have a maiorina of Arcadius of the Alexandria mint. This is one of my favorite coins of my entire collection. I always come back to this one. It ticks all the right boxes: interesting bust, interesting reverse, perfect condition, great eye appeal, etc ...

Screenshot 2023-01-04 at 19.34.39.png

Edited by Tejas
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19 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Ah... Milan or Madrid, the main thing is Italy! (a German football player)

VCoins, MA-Shop... same for me. But - I remember this coin exactly - because I like it. Gratulation for this buy.

Thanks a lot ... there is a lot of overlap between Vcoins and MA-Shop anyway. I can never remember where I saw something (and Vcoins seems to have this habit of clearing the shopping basket from time to time)

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Wonderful coins, @Tejas. The appearance of your coins, and  @Qcumbor's maiorina of Arcadius, very much remind me of my own maiorina of Aelia Flaccilla, also from Alexandria:

Aelia Flaccilla (first wife of Theodosius I and mother of Arcadius & Honorius), AE maiorina, AD 383-386, Alexandria mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Draped bust of Aelia Flaccilla right, wearing necklace, earrings, and elaborate headdress with diadem, AEL FLAC-CILLA AVG / Rev. Empress standing facing, head right, her arms crossed on her breast, SALVS REI-PVBLICAE; in exergue, ALEB [mint mark ALE = Alexandria; B = 2nd Officina]. 24 mm., 6.62 g. RIC IX 17 (p. 302); Sear RCV V 20622; Cohen 6; LRBC II 2897 [R.A.G. Carson, P.V. Hill, & J.P.C. Kent, Late Roman Bronze Coinage, A.D. 324-498 (London 1972)]. Purchased Nov. 2022 from Kirk Davis, Claremont, CA, Cat. No. 80, Fall 2022, Lot 79; ex. Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, Auction 75, 09.24.2013, Lot 2652.

image.jpeg.93a3f80da83966c612f130881f888cde.jpeg

My only coin of Theodosius I himself is an AE3, from Alexandria as well:

Theodosius I, AE3 (Sear: Centenionalis), AD 379-383 [Emperor AD 379-395], Alexandria mint, 3rd Officina. Obv. D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG - Diademed (Pearls), draped and cuirassed bust right /  Rev. CONCORDIA AVGGG - Constantinopolis, helmeted, seated facing on throne, head right, holding spear and globe, right foot on prow. ALE(Γ) [gamma] in exergue. RIC IX 11 (p. 300), Sear RCV V 20535. 17.72 mm, 1.9 g. 

image.jpeg.681e56e5c42abf943d6aa87e91b09c2d.jpeg

Edited by DonnaML
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On 1/15/2023 at 12:49 AM, Qcumbor said:

I knew you would post your Aelia Flacilla @DonnaML, and I'm never tired of seeing it.

Q

Exactly what I thought 🙂

Here is my Aelia Flaccilla from Alexandria. 

Obv.: AEL FLAC CILLA

Rev.: SALVS REI PVBLICAE

 

Numerian.PNG

Edited by Tejas
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