Liciinii I O M ET FORT CONSER DD NN AVG ET CAES from Nicomedia

[Victor]

a new addition--

Licinius I, with Licinius II as Caesar, Æ Nummus. Nicomedia, AD 320. DD NN IOVII LICINII INVICT AVG ET CAES, confronted laureate and draped busts of Licinius I and II, together holding Fortuna / I O M ET FORT CONSER DD NN AVG ET CAES, Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe in right hand, leaning on sceptre; Fortuna standing right crowned with modius, holding cornucopiae and rudder set on globe, SMNΔ in exergue. RIC 38. 4.17g, 22mm, 12h.

[Pharsalus]

Wow, I’ve never seen this type before. Looks like a lot of work for the poor engraver!

[Victor]

it's a pretty rare type. Below is a similar type that I sold...kind of wish I had kept it now.

Licinius I & Licinius II
A.D. 318
21x22mm   4.3gm
DD NN IOVII LICINII INVICT AVG ET CAES; laureate and draped confronted busts, together holding trophy of arms.
I O M ET VIRTVTI DD NN AVG ET CAES; Jupiter stg. Left, chlamys across l. shoulder, leaning on scepter, in front of trophy, at foot of which two captives are seated on either side.
In ex. SMATZ
RIC VII Antioch –


This coin was listed in RIC VII as Heraclea 50 by Bruun, because he thought the mintmark read SMHTA instead of SMATA. This error was addressed by Pierre Bastien in his article “Coins with a Double Effigy Issued by Licinius at Nicomedia, Cyzicus, and Antioch.” NC 13 (1973) : 87.

[Gavin]

Fortuna would not prove kind to either of them in the next few years. Maybe they were holding her wrong.

[Victor]

I'm always a bit surprised at how long fortune smiled on Licinius. He survived the turmoil during the Tetrarchy and even lost a war to Constantine that he lived to talk about. Constantine must have really loved his sister to have not executed Licinius after his first defeat, or he thought that he finally had Licinius completely under his control-- or maybe a bit of both.

[Victor]

I recently got an example of this type. Bidding got crazy, with one person bidding 9 times. I easily paid twice what I thought the coin was worth, but I put in a high max bid so I would not have to worry. So, I guess I am happy? 

Licinius I & Licinius II
Circa A.D. 318
21mm 3.8gm
D D N N IOVII LICINII INVICT AVG ET CAES; laureate and draped confronted busts, together holding trophy of arms.
I O M ET VIRTVTI DD NN AVG ET CAES; Jupiter stg. Left, chlamys across l. shoulder, leaning on scepter, in front of trophy, at foot of which two captives are seated on either side.
In ex. SMATS
RIC VII Antioch –

Bastien, "Coins with a Double Effigy Issued by Licinius at Nicomedia, Cyzicus, and Antioch," (Numismatic Chronicle 1973), p. 91, 5 (Pl. 6, 27-29).

[Victor]

I just got another example like the original coin, with a different workshop though.

Licinius I & Licinius II
A.D. 320
22mm 4.1g
D D N N IOVII LICINII INVICT AVG ET CAES; laureate and draped confronted busts, together holding Fortuna.
I O M ET FORT CONSER D D N N AVG ET CAES; Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe with laurel crown in right hand, leaning on sceptre; Fortuna standing right crowned with modius, holding cornucopiae and rudder set on globe.
In ex. SMNΓ
RIC VII Nicomedia 38

[Heliodromus]

BTW, I don't know if you noticed the additional coin I posted on my IOM thread on CT ... It looks like these pre-date Licinius' 5% silver ("centennionnalis" ?) Iovis, so I'm guessing they are nummi, which would make sense. They do seem to often be overweight though.

If you want to do a service to humanity, you could take an angle-grinder to it, and do a metallurgical test!