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Jan's
Maximum Confusion Quiz!
- The Solution
(My personal rules to differentiate bronze coins of Maximianus, Galerius and Maximinus II Daia) |
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| Rule 1 |
Coins from Galerius and Maximinus
II Daia can ALWAYS be distinguished by the spelling of the name
MAXIMIANVS and MAXIMINVS, so if you can read the entire obverse legend you should be able to tell them apart despite the fact that both use GAL VAL in their legends a lot! ;-) This contrary to what Mr. David van Meter says in his erroneous listing of obverse legend Ol/9 for Galerius on page 281 of his otherwise nice book "The Handbook of Roman Imeprial Coins" (that's a hint for serious collectors to get more coin reference books than just that one)! ;-) |
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| Rule 2 |
Coins including GAL, GAL VAL or NOB
CAESAR, NOB CAES, NOB C in the obverse legend cannot be from
Maximianus as he does not have these first names and no coins have been minted for him as Caesar! |
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| That already takes care of 95% of the confusion between the three emperors! | |||
| Rule 3 |
Coins with IMP C M A in the obverse legend are always from Maximianus, not from any of the other two emperors! | ||
| Rule 4 |
Coins with SEN AVG in the obverse legend can only be from Maximianus, not from any of the other two emperors! | ||
| Rule 5 | Coins with IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG can be from both
Maximianus and Galerius. If they have the reverse legend GENIO POPVLI ROMANI or SACRA MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOST they are from Maximianus. If the reverse legend is GENIO AVGVSTI or FIDES MILITVM AVGG ET CAESS NN they are from Galerius. |
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| Rule 6 |
And this bring us to the only
obverse legend for bronze Folles which could cause serious
confusion, namely between Maximianus and Galerius: In the case of IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG it is ALMOST always Maximianus (99% of the cases). Galerius also used this legend but only for a brief period (between 306 and 308) at the mint of Alexandria on GENIO IMPERATORIS and VIRTVS EXERCITVS reverses, where Maximianus' legends (who had come out of retirement) then read IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF SEN AVG. |
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| A few tips for reverses in case you cannot read important parts of the obverse legend: | |||
| CONSERV(ATORES) VRB SVAE reverses
were only issued for Maximianus, not for the other two emperors. GENIO AVGG ET CAESARVM NN were not issued for Maximianus, only for the other two emperors. GENIO AVGVSTI coins with FIL AVGG or NOB CAES, NOB C cannot be from Galerius, only from Maximinus II Daia. GENIO AVGVSTI CMH coins from Cyzicus cannot be from Galerius, only from Maximinus II Daia. GENIO CAESAR(IS) CMH coins from Nicomedia cannot be from Galerius, only from Maximinus II Daia. GENIO POP(VLI) ROM(ANI) CIHS (Lyon) was not issued for Maximinus II, only for the other two emperors. GENIO POP(VLI) ROM(ANI) CMH (Nicomedia) was not issued for Maximianus, only for the other two emperors. MARTI CONSERVATORI was only issued for Maximinus II, not for the other two emperors. SOLI(E) INVICTO (COMITI) was not issued for Maximianus, only for the other two emperors. |
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| There may be
exceptions to some of these rules, and if anyone finds them,
please let me know! :-) |
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| And here are the results of your votes - were you
confused? (updated on the 1st of each month) |
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| Coin 1 |
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| Coin 2 |
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| Coin 3 |
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| Coin 4 |
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| Coin 5 |
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| Coin 6 |
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| Coin 7 |
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| Coin 8 |
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| Coin 9 |
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| Coin 10 |
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| Back to Jan's Maximum Confusion Quiz |
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| My
Roman Imperial Coins |
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