Maximinus II SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART from Carthage

[Victor]

This coin was struck with a reverse for Galerius. The proper reverse for Maximinus II has an I in field with a Δ in the exergue.

This series has either an H or an I in the left field because of the Tetrarchic system of belonging to the family of either Hercules or Jupiter, so H was for Hercules and I was for Jupiter. Maximinus II was in Jupiter's family, so the I is correct; but, according to RIC, this series also only used specific workshops for each ruler- first and second were for the Augusti and third and fourth were for the Caesars. So both Galerius and Maximinus II were in the family of Jupiter (I in left field) and Constantius and Severus were in the family of Hercules (H in left field).

So, for this issue, either the wrong reverse was used, or perhaps the workshops were flexible for each pair of Augustus and Caesar- the important part being that the correct god (Hercules or Jupiter) was represented in the field. However, given that all these issues are rated as common in RIC and none of these die pairings were noted by the authors, this seems most likely to be a mint error using the wrong reverse die.


Maximinus II
A.D. 305- 306
25x28mm     9.6gm
GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAES; laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands; I in left field.
In ex. B
Cf. RIC VI Carthage 40b

[Per D]

Maybe I'm missing something completely obvious here, but doesn't this coin belong to the first issue of Carthage folles struck after Maxentius' coup d'etat (i.e. RIC 51b, Drost p. 282, no. 12)?

It seems as if the local authorities quickly decided to side against Galerius and Severus while supporting an imagined, new Tetrarchy with Maximian as sole Augustus and Maximinus, Constantine and Maxentius as Caesares. As Maximinus would be the seniormost of the three, he was assigned officina B.

The ugly specimen is from my collection, the nicer one from British Museum.

[Victor]

Maybe I'm missing something completely obvious here, but doesn't this coin belong to the first issue of Carthage folles struck after Maxentius' coup d'etat (i.e. RIC 51b, Drost p. 282, no. 12)?

No, you didn't miss anything, but I did. Thank you for the correction.