The beginnings of minting the silver coinage of the “Sirmium group”: quarter-siliquae of the Victoria type (a 2023 paper)

[Vel Saties]

Good evening. I would like to bring to your attention this article by Z. Demo (2024) on the first mintings of the silver coins of the Sirmium Group:
O početku kovanja srebrnog novca „Sirmijske“ grupe: četvrtsilikve tipa Victoria (I) // The beginnings of minting the silver coinage of the “Sirmium group”: quarter-siliquae of the Victoria type (I), Numizmatičke vijesti 76 (2023), Zagreb 2024, 17-36 (cro) // 37-58 (eng).

On Academia.edu: https://www.academia.edu/124038584/O_početku_kovanja_srebrnog_novca_Sirmijske_grupe_četvrtsilikve_tipa_Victoria_I_The_beginnings_of_minting_the_silver_coinage_of_the_Sirmium_group_quarter_siliquae_of_the_Victoria_type_I_Numizmatičke_vijesti_76_2023_Zagreb_2024_17_36_cro_37_58_eng_

Abstract:
In 2024, it will be one hundred years since the publication of an article in which the Croatian archaeologist, numismatist, and museum curator Josip Brunšmid described and analyzed in detail a small group of previously unknown silver coins minted in the name of the Byzantine emperors Justinian and Justin II, while attributing the coinage to the Gepids and the mint in Sirmium. When not long afterwards, the minting in Sirmium was extended to include the Ostrogothic period, a historical framework between the years 504/5 and 568 was created – recently supplemented by an unrecognized Byzantine minting (567-568).1 Until the mid 80s of the last century, the number of known examples of these coins was still very small, but the numerous easily noticeable differences and stylistic features of the silver coins from Sirmium prompted reflection and the desire to give the observed differences a clearer meaning, if pos- sible united in just a few words – which is how the name “the Sirmium group” was coined and passed into usage over time. In the meantime, the development of digital technologies and their wide availability on the one hand, and the uncontrolled activity of metal detector “archae- ologists” on the other hand, have introduced large quantities of silver coins of the “Sirmium group” to the market for ancient coins, so what were until recently numismatic curiosities have suddenly become an easily accessible source of interest and investigation for many. In the mid- 1990s, the beginning of the new era of the “Sirmium group” was symbolically announced by the appearance of a specimen that was different from all previously known ones – due to the reverse legend, it was called the Victoria type and associated with 504/505, the year in which the previously Gepidic Sirmium was once again ruled by the Ostrogoths. The unique nature of that Ostrogothic variant of the Victoria type lasted until 2016, when four new, typologically related but nonetheless different variants appeared at numismatic auctions within a span of just three years. The stylistic and typological content of the three variants would suggest their creation and minting in a period at least a decade earlier than the only previously known Ostrogothoc variants, and these, as considerably earlier, are now attributed to the Sirmium Gepids and their King Thrasaric (489-504/505). The fourth version is an imitation of the already well-known and currently most numerous Ostrogothic variant of the Victoria type minted in 504/505, with which it is either almost contemporaneous or only a few years earlier.

Edited September 24 by Vel Saties

[Rand]

It would be interesting to have views from @Tejas and a chance to ask the author questions. I do not know the details of the Sirmium group, but I would like to discuss the timing/attribution of the gold coins in Fig 2. By the way, I think coin no. 1 in Fig 2 (Ratto/DOC I) is the same one I bought several years ago from a Polish auction. The cropping of the photo is slightly different and prevents firm attribution. Sadly, the auction house had no information on the provenance. I have never found other examples of the variety, likely represented by the same coin.

[Vel Saties]

@Rand: I did something quick.
It seems to me that the two obverses are almost identical which would make one think of the same die, but on the reverse I seem to see some differences

Edited September 25 by Vel Saties

[Rand]

Thank you, @Vel Saties. I see what you mean. The best thing that could happen is the Ratto's piece to re-appear, removing doubts. It will soon be 100 years since Ratto's sale and there are sereval Anastasian coins from the sale which I could not trace since.