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London Mint Follis with expressive portrait.


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I'm rather fond of the coins of London though I have only a few in my collection.  This Follis/Nummus of Maximian with an expressive portrait recently came up in a Roma E-Sale and I was fortunate to win it.   Although the series is interesting, the coins of London are not as a rule found with beautiful workmanship.  This one is an exception in my opinion.  Please post any London mint coins that you would describe as having nice or interesting style.

Maximian London Roma Blk.jpeg

Denomination: Maximian Follis/Nummus – London mint
Time Period: AD 303-305
Obverse: IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG. Laureate cuirassed bust right
Reverse:  GENIO POPU-LIROMANI.  Genius standing with towered crown, nude but drapery over l. shoulder, patera in r., cornucopia in l.
Mint: London
Weight:  9.95 g
Reference: RIC VI 23b (London)
Provenance:  Roma E-Sale 118, April 9, 2024

Edited by SteveJBrinkman
corrections
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Very nice. I have a few Lokdone folles. This is my current favourite.

Maximinus Daia Follis
Obv:- MAXIMINVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:- GENIO POPVLI ROMANI,
Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in London
Reference: RIC VI 59b, LMCC 4.03.024
Weight: 9.9g
Diameter: 28.2mm

Part of a pot hoard found in Rauceby, UK in 2017. The hoard given the reference 2017 T649 by the British Museum who catalogued the hoard.

This coin given the hoard reference BM#092

RI_151aa_img.JPG

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@maridvnvm  Yours is a worthy favorite, with great style portrait and the added interest of Maximinus being substantially more scarce in London.

24 minutes ago, maridvnvm said:

Very nice. I have a few Lokdone folles. This is my current favourite.

Maximinus Daia Follis
Obv:- MAXIMINVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:- GENIO POPVLI ROMANI,
Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in London
Reference: RIC VI 59b, LMCC 4.03.024
Weight: 9.9g
Diameter: 28.2mm

Part of a pot hoard found in Rauceby, UK in 2017. The hoard given the reference 2017 T649 by the British Museum who catalogued the hoard.

This coin given the hoard reference BM#092

RI_151aa_img.JPG

 

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I bought it with a more generic, stylised Severus II.

Severus II, Follis
Obv:- SEVERVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:- GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in London
Reference: RIC VI London 59a, LMCC 4.02.016
Weight: 8.1g
Diameter: 27.2mm

Part of a pot hoard found in Rauceby, UK in 2017. The hoard given the reference 2017 T649 by the British Museum who catalogued the hoard.

This coin given the hoard reference BM # 081

RI_150d_img.JPG

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I think that my Galerius as Augustus is relatively scarce too.

Galerius (As Augustus) Follis
Obv:– IMP MAXIMIANVS P F IN AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, left hand holding cornucopiae and right hand holding patera
Minted in London (_). Group II - i. May A.D. 305 - Late A.D. 306 or into Early A.D. 307
Reference(s) – Cohen ?. RIC VI London 50 (R, citing Voetter with a footnote stating that confirmation is needed). LMCC (page 126) 4.03.012

Same die pair as LMCC plate coin and BM example (BM B.54, 9.98g, 6h. ex De Salis 1860)

9.77 gms. 29.01 mm diameter. 180 degree die orientation.

RI_148ai_img.jpg.782e20b7c5b39a70f0d9ae6d892785ae.jpg

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I have mostly London from this period. It's quite difficult to find something that isn't Genio.

Maximian I First Abdication Follis, 305-306
image.png.736fe8948c5fb0fd2f1c0be3c6a4637e.png
London. Bronze, 29mm, 9.82g. Laureate bust of Maximian senior right, wearing Imperial mantle and holding olive branch and mappa; DN MAXIMIANO FELISSIMO SEN AVG. Providentia standing right extending hand, facing Quies, standing left holding olive branch and resting on sceptre; PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG (RIC VI, 77b).

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19 hours ago, John Conduitt said:

I have mostly London from this period. It's quite difficult to find something that isn't Genio.

Indeed,  virtually everything that is not a genio type or an unusual bust is rarely seen available.

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Posted · Supporter

        image.png.9a8471d076ff37c8b16a8accf120d7f2.pngimage.png.e35f8ad73f2a5563313ddaeb438b6bfa.png\

My personal opinion, based on no evidence, is the best portrait of Constantius is on this coin.  The emperor died in England, and it is within the realm of possibility that the celator was acquainted with his appearance in life. Many portraits of the Tetrarchs appear similar, but there is no mistaking this for any of his colleagues.  It is as individual as the snub-nosed bulldog portrait of Maximianus, who could hardly be mistaken for anyone else, in @SteveJBrinkman OP.  

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54 minutes ago, Hrefn said:

the best portrait of Constantius is on this coin.  

 

here is an antemortem portrait

Constantius_London30.jpg.5317b3f29db2a193fad97e7700e797c2.jpg

Constantius I
A.D. 296-303
26x27mm 9.8g
FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C; laureate and cuirassed bust right.
GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera, left cornucopiae.
No mintmark
RIC VI London 14a/20; LMCC 2.01.010


Ex-Rauceby Hoard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted · Supporter

“an antemortem portrait….”

@Victor_Clark, it is fascinating to me that at first glance the portraits on your follis and mine do not look much alike.  But on looking closely all the elements, the nose with its distinctive bridge and downward curving tip, the heavy brow, the oversized ear, the heavy supraorbital ridge;  they are all the same.  We are being shown some elements of Constantius’ features which I have no doubt he actually exhibited.   On the antemortem coin, these elements are imposed on the idealized square Tetrarchic head, emphasizing his political affinity with the original Tetrarch,  the square-headed Diocletian.  After Constantius’ death, there is no longer any reason to depict him as a Diocletian clone, and we see a more life-like image.

That is my theory, anyway.   If I am correct, it is ironic that the dead Constantius gets a more lifelike treatment than the live Constantius.  

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