CONSERVATOR AVGG from Siscia...coded series for Diocletian and Maximianus

[Victor]

This coin is part of the coded series from Siscia, issued for Diocletian and Maximianus. In 1872, the Viennese numismatist Joseph Van Kolb was the first person who figured out the meaning of these coins. Diocletian and Maximianus claimed lineage with the gods- in the East, Diocletian was in the family of Jupiter and in the West, Maximianus was in the family of Hercules.

The first part of the mintmark for this issue reads XXI, which must be a mark of value- twenty parts copper to one part silver. The next bit is the code, which is in Greek, so it is IOBI versus IOVI. There were three workshops in Siscia at this time, workshop A= I, workshop B= O and workshop Γ = BI, so I/O/BI for Jupiter and HP/KOY/ΛI for Hercules. The coins of Diocletian have a reverse with him and Jupiter and the reverses for Maximianus depict him and Hercules.


http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/CONSERVATOR/


Diocletian
A.D. 289- 290
22x24mm    3.9gm
IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Diocletian stg. r., and Jupiter stg. l., sacrificing at altar, each holding sceptre; Γ in right field.
In ex. •XXI•BI•
RIC V Siscia 263

[Genio popvli romani]

Always interesting these coded series like the Probus EQVITI.
Here is my I example with the IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P AVG legend. 4g4 - 22mm

[Victor]

I love these coded coins...but you have to wonder, how many Romans would have known what they meant. These codes are fairly complex and unless you have all the coins in the series, it does not seem likely that you would figure it out on you own...maybe that was the point, like a mystery religion; it was only for the initiated.

[Genio popvli romani]

I was wondering too ! If I was not aware about it, no doubt I did not pay any particular attention for these few more letters. What I think is that the codes were only undertstood by the issuing authorities and may have been usefull for counting/checking purpose. May be the Valentinian bronze coinage has dozens of unrevealed codes.

[marandnumiz]

Here is a Maximianus from the same series, with somewhat rarer bust type.

[Victor]

that is an unusual bust...very neat.

[Victor]

 I just got a group of coins in that had one of each of the series for Maximianus.

workshop A= HP, workshop B= KOY and workshop Γ = ΛI, so HP/KOY/ΛI for Hercules.


Maximianus
A.D. 289- 290
23x24mm    3.3g
IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; Γ in right field.
In ex. AXXIHP
RIC V Siscia 580


Maximianus
A.D. 289- 290
22x24mm    3.1g
IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; Γ in right field.
In ex. BXXIKOY
RIC V Siscia 580


Maximianus
A.D. 289- 290
22x23mm    3.4g
IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; Γ in right field.
In ex. XXIΓ•ΛI•
RIC V Siscia 580

[Victor]

I just got this example from workshop B with O for IOBI/ IOVI

workshop A= I, workshop B= O and workshop Γ = BI, so I/O/BI for Jupiter


Diocletian
A.D. 289- 290
25mm    4.9g
IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Diocletian stg. r., and Jupiter stg. l., sacrificing at altar, each holding sceptre; B in left field.
In ex. XXIO
RIC V Siscia 263

[Victor]

I just got this one, the mintmark is not listed in RIC; but not surprising given the variety of these.

A pertinent quote from Lactantius--

"Where now are the surnames of the Jovii and the Herculii, once so glorious and renowned among the nations; surnames insolently assumed at first by Diocles and Maximian, and afterwards transferred to their successors?" Lactantius LII

Diocletian
A.D. 289- 290
23mm    3.9gm
IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Diocletian stg. r., and Jupiter stg. l., sacrificing at altar, each holding sceptre.
In ex. XXIΓ•BI•
RIC V Siscia 263

[Heliodromus]

A while back I tried to find pictures of all variations of these.

For each emperor (Dio, Max) there are three officinas (A/B/G => I/O/BI, HP/KOY/AI), and each officina letter has 4 possible placements: left field, right field, left exergue, right exergue.

Of all these variations, 2 emperors * 3 officinas * 4 placements, I could only never find Dio A-right-field, although I'm sure it exists.

[Victor]

A while back I tried to find pictures of all variations of these.

I am leisurely collecting this series and could not imagine trying to acquire all the possible variations...it would fill up several trays.

[Victor]

I got a nice example for Maximianus. I have a few of these now that are almost fully silvered.

This one is the HP bit of Hercules

HP/KOY/ΛI for Hercules

Maximianus
A.D. 289- 290
Ӕ Antoninianus   22x23mm     4.2g
IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar.
In ex. AXXIHP
RIC V Siscia 580

[Victor]

thanks to Josh for the heads up on this one

Maximianus
A.D. 289- 290
Ӕ Antoninianus   23x24mm    3.7g
IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P AVG; radiate, bare bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; A in left field
In ex. XXIHP
RIC V Siscia 581

http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/CONSERVATOR/

[Victor]

I just got two more

Diocletian
A.D. 289- 290
Ӕ Antoninianus   23mm    3.5g
IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right, slight drapery over left shoulder.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Diocletian stg. r., and Jupiter stg. l., sacrificing at altar, each holding sceptre.
In ex. XXIB•O
RIC V Siscia 263


Maximianus
A.D. 289- 290
Ӕ Antoninianus   23mm    3.9g
IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate, bare bust right.
CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; A in left field
In ex. •XXI•HP
RIC V Siscia 580

http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/CONSERVATOR/