The meaning of "CMH" on Nicomedia folles of Maximinus II

[Qcumbor]

Hi folks 

I recently acquired the following Maximinus II follis :

Maximinus II as Caesar, follis - Nicomedia mint, 3rd officina - 308/9 CE
GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAES, Laureate head of Maximinus right
GENIO CAESARIS CMH (ligate). Genius standing left, wearing modius, holding patera and cornucopia. At exergue SMNΓ
7,38 gr - 27,3 mm
Ref : RCV # 14722, C #45

RCV states that the ligate CMH at the end of the reverse legend "has yet to be determined". I've read somewhere on the forum, written by @Valentinian :

Quote

If that is really CMH, what does it mean? I don't think we know, but some have speculated that the C is 100 in Roman numerals and MH is 48 (in Greek). Maybe it is "48 to the pound" and 100 of something (denarii?). 

What do you all think ?
Any more interpretation of what it might be ?

Thanks in advance for your input

Q

[Victor_Clark]

here is the pertinent bit from Michael Hendy "Studies in the Byzantine Monetary Economy c. 300-1450"

 

 

 

and a Constantine coin with the CI HS mark

 

 

 

 

and my uniface CMH

 

Uncertain Tetrarchic ruler
A.D. 310- 311
Ӕ follis 21mm 4.5g
GENIO AVGVSTI CMH; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera from which liquid flows, left cornucopiae.
In ex. SMNE
RIC VI Nicomedia 66

Edited October 22, 2024 by Victor_Clark
added uniface coin

[Qcumbor]

That's great information @Victor_Clark thank you so much

Q

[Heliodromus]

I'm not convinced by these explanations, but don't have anything better to offer either.

The CMH legend suffix was used three times, in different successive date ranges, which seems to call into question it being a valuation mark related to any recent change.

Galerius first uses CMH at NIcomedia, on all his bronze reverse types, from 308-310/311 AD, which we can date by obverses of Constantine as FIL AVG following Carnuntum and then as AVG in 310 following Daia's pressure campaign.

Following the death of Galerius in 311 AD, Daia then assumes control of both Nicomedia and Cyzicus, and starts using CMH at Cyzicus instead of Nicomedia, but now only on the first two issues (GENIO AVGVSTI type, error in RIC), not on his postumus type for Galerius.

Following the death of Maximinus in 313, Licinius issues GENIO AVGVSTI CMH from Cyzicus, alongside an IOVI type without CMH. There is no continuity from Data here - just a restored type, with two weight reductions having occurred since previous use of CMH.

It should also be noted that at about (or exactly?) the same time as Nicomedia started using CMH as a legend suffix on bronze, it also extended the suffix used on gold from an NK monogram (Nika, perhaps?) to NK VL XC where VL is also a monogram. Maybe these bronze and gold legend suffixes are related in some way?

The CI-H/S mark was used by Constantine's mint of Lyons in 308 AD only, when there had been no recent monetary change, and served as an issue mark (as opposed to eastern use of CMH which had persisted across issues). It's been suggested that CI-H/S might refer to "Constantine Imperator + Herculius Senior", referring to the alliance between the two; this seems a somewhat contorted explanation, but maybe no worse than the 100:1 sestertius one which has various problems.

***

Edited to note Licinius' use of CMH, and Nicomedian contemporary gold suffix.

 

Edited October 25, 2024 by Heliodromus

[Heliodromus]

The book's wrong about the date here - poor proof reading I suppose!

This should be 311 (starting with RIC VI Cyzicus 76-77), not 308, and there can't be much doubt about it since CMH was not used at Cyzicus for Galerius.