7-2793

RIC VII, NICOMEDIA [before 26], LICINIUS II, UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND

  

OBVERSE

VALCONSTLICI-NIVSNOBCAES [VAL CONST LICINIVS NOB CAES]; bust l., laur., dr., cuir., seen from back.

REVERSE

IOVICONS-ERVATORIAVGG [IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG]; Jupiter stg. l., chlamys across l. shoulder, leaning on sceptre, holding Victory on globe. Branch in left field, Δ in right field. SMN in exergue.

NOT IN RIC

UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND. Not attested for this issue (p. 603).

General note from p. 595: "The first post-war coins present certain difficulties. We have an odd series of highly unorthodox, not to say irregular, obverse legends of the Caesars:

FL VN CRISPVS NO CAS
VA CO LICI-NIVS NOV CS or N CS
F CL CONSTAN-TINVS NOV CS

The corresponding obverse bust was B4 l. The busts are exceptionally large, and in accordance with the unusual development we should expect them to be of late date. The broken obverse legends point in the same direction. A further point of interest is that they are regularly connected with the reverse legend IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG. Nevertheless, they appear to be of regular fabric, and Maurice's explanation of the obverse legends as due to the Greek engravers of the mint is probably correct. All the same, we should not expect such grossly distorted versions of the official legends to appear at a time of normal friendly intercourse between the two parts of the Empire. The coins should therefore be regarded as an endeavour to commemorate the settlement at Serdica at an early stage before proper instructions had been circulated to all the mints. The large-size busts can be similarly explained, and the irregular employment of the reverse legend Iovi conservatori augg confirms the impression of an emergency arrangement".

Note that "corresponding obverse bust" is actually B3 l. (see CORRIGENDA, VOL. VII, p. 604). Coin should be listed before NICOMEDIA 26.

See also:
NICOMEDIA [after 25], CRISPUS, UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND
NICOMEDIA [after 25], CRISPUS, UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND
NICOMEDIA 26, LICINIUS II, OBVERSE LEGEND VARIETY
NICOMEDIA 27, LICINIUS II, UNLISTED OFFICINA A
NICOMEDIA 27, LICINIUS II, UNLISTED OFFICINA Δ
NICOMEDIA 27, LICINIUS II, UNLISTED OFFICINA Z
NICOMEDIA [after 27], LICINIUS II, UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND [6d] AND BUST TYPE
NICOMEDIA 28, CONSTANTINE II, OBVERSE LEGEND VARIETY
NICOMEDIA [after 28], CONSTANTINE II, UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND, OFFICINA B
NICOMEDIA [after 28], CONSTANTINE II, UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND, OFFICINA Δ
NICOMEDIA [after 28], CONSTANTINE II, UNLISTED OBVERSE LEGEND [7b]
NICOMEDIA [before 31], LICINIUS I, UNLISTED MINTMARK

NOTES

Weight 3.37 g. Coin sold on Gorny & Mosch E-auction 259 (lot 3927) in October 2018 for EUR 240.


NOT IN RIC © 2004 Lech Stępniewski