Artemide Aste s.r.l.
Auction LII 26-27 Oct 2019
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Maximian (286-310). AR Argenteus, Aquileia mint, 300 AD. D/ MAXIMIANVS AVG. Laureate head right. R/ XCVI/AQ within wreath. RIC 16 b (R3); C. 697 (Fr.20). AR. g. 3.22 mm. 18.00 RRR. Very rare. A superb example, lustrous and in high relief. Lovely iridescent tone. EF/Good EF.
The reverse of this coin, with the denominational mark XCVI, shows that it was struck to be 1/96th of a Roman pound of silver and therefore in line with Diocletian's reform of the monetary system of circa AD 294. The mint at Aquileia, where it was struck, was re-established only after this reform and in response to the quadruple division of the empire and the foundation of the tetrarchic system, which saw Maximian taking his main residence in Milan. In RIC Sutherland and Carson demonstrate that, unlike the other mints of the central empire, Aquileia struck no silver before this issue and that, judging by their rarity, they were only struck in small quantities, although examples exist for all four of the tetrarchic colleagues. (Roma Numismatics E-Sale 40, 840 note).
The reverse of this coin, with the denominational mark XCVI, shows that it was struck to be 1/96th of a Roman pound of silver and therefore in line with Diocletian's reform of the monetary system of circa AD 294. The mint at Aquileia, where it was struck, was re-established only after this reform and in response to the quadruple division of the empire and the foundation of the tetrarchic system, which saw Maximian taking his main residence in Milan. In RIC Sutherland and Carson demonstrate that, unlike the other mints of the central empire, Aquileia struck no silver before this issue and that, judging by their rarity, they were only struck in small quantities, although examples exist for all four of the tetrarchic colleagues. (Roma Numismatics E-Sale 40, 840 note).