RIC VI, IANTINUM, DIOCLETIAN, UNLISTED ISSUE [VIRTVS AVGG]

OBVERSE	DIOCLETIA-NVSPAVG [DIOCLETIANVS P AVG]; head r., laur.
REVERSE	VIRTVS-AVGG [VIRTVS AVGG]; Hercules lifting Antaeus to strangle him. IAN in exergue.
NOT IN RIC	UNLISTED ISSUE. Pink ("Die Goldprägung des Diocletianus und seiner Mitregenten", Numismatische Zeitschrift 1931, p. 38) and later Bastien ("The Iantinum Mint", American Numismatic Society Museum Notes, 25, 1980, pp. 77-85, plates 9-11) suggested that extremely rare gold issue with IAN in exergue was minted by a transitory mint at Ianticum (now Meaux in France). The Iantinum mint is not attested in RIC V/2 and RIC VI. Its short activity probably preceded the establishment of the mint at Treveri, so these coins belong rather to pre-Reform coinage. However, they are worth to note here together with similar issues minted at Rome and similarly omitted in RIC V/2 and RIC VI. See also: IANTINUM, DIOCLETIAN, UNLISTED ISSUE [HERCVLI VICTORI] IANTINUM, MAXIMIAN HERCULIUS, UNLISTED ISSUE [IOVI FVLGERATORI]

NOTES

Aureus. Weight 5.28 g. From Bastien's article (plate 9, no. 4).