The Britannic Coinage of Constantius c. 296-305 - Post-Invasion Coinage Produced in Britain

POST-INVASION COINAGE PRODUCED IN BRITAIN

On this page: The re-opening of the London Mint by Constantius, the Intermediate Group coinage proposed by Bastien and the production of coins in Britain catalogued in RIC, Vol. VI, LONDINIUM as Group I (presenting problems of great difficulty according to Sutherland in his introductory notes).

[Constantius coin photo] After his restoration of Britain to the Empire, Constantius re-opened the London Mint -- now as an official facility with one officina (workshop) -- which continued to operate until its closure in 325.

I subscribe to the hypothesis that much of the early unmarked coinage was produced at the London Mint using British die engravers and other workers, formerly employed by the Carausius - Allectus Mints, now supervised and mixed in with Lugdunese mint workers who accompanied the Constantius invasion force.

The accompanying image is an enlarged photograph of the obverse of a reformed aes follis - Constantius, London, Intermediate Group (Bastien: b) - Cuirassed, laureate bust - problematical in RIC as No. 20. (JPINT2).

Random notes relating to the early coinage produced in Britain

LON marked coins: The first folles produced by the re-opened London Mint (RIC Group I, Class I) featured Lugdunese style laureate head facing right obverses and Genius reverses with LON (mint mark) in the exergue. The inscriptional legends feature typical British smaller, more compact and thicker letterforms.
Die axes: Reverse die axis is usually 6 o'clock for this series - only very occasionally are coins encountered with 12 o'clock reverse die axis.
Genius Reverses: The Genius of the Roman People reverse with the legend GENIO POPVLI ROMANI continues for this coinage. Genius is depicted standing, head surmounted by modius, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera in right hand and cradling cornucopia in left arm. Peripheral legends read clockwise.
Intermediate Group coins (Bastien): The Intermediate Group folles, coming directly after the LON issues but before the folles of Group I, Class II were first proposed by Bastien. In his proposal these coins fall into two groups, those with laureate heads (a) and those with laureate, cuirassed busts (b), both of Lugdunese style and with British style inscriptional lettering.
Ribbon ties: The Obverse head with the laurel wreath long ribbon end draped on the portrait neck, a recurring feature on the unknown Continental Mint invasion coinage, is also found on Intermediate Group coinage. 2010-08-08
Inscriptional lettering: Whereas the invasion coinage produced at the unknown Continental Mint features inscriptional lettering with delicate and relatively large letterforms, the Intermediate Group coinage features the typical British smaller, more compact and thicker lettering.
Early portraiture: The LON marked and Intermediate Group coinage portraiture bears the unmistakable stamp of Lugdunese die engravers.
LON Mint mark: John Jencek (JJancek coins & antiquities) opines that the LON marked coinage was an experiment that was subsequently abandoned in favor of the unmarked coinage.
RIC VI, Group I, Class IIa portraiture: The Londinium Class IIa coinage in particular (small head on a tall neck) appears to have been considerably influenced by, and indeed may be mostly the work of, British die engravers who formerly rendered those portrait styles at the Carausius and Allectus Mints.
RIC VI Lugdunum/Londinium duplication attribution problems: The Londinium Group I, Class II (b) and Lugdunum Class I coinage presents some unique attribution problems. For example, Londinium, No. 20 and Lugdunum No. 18 have identical descriptions. If you subscribe to the RIC conspectus then the portraits are the attribution determinants. However, if you subscribe to Bastien's assessment of the Lugdunum Class I (unmarked) folles then there can be no Lugdunum attribution (only for 14a, 14b, 17a, 17b). Londinium No. 22 and Lugdunum No. 21 also have identical descriptions. 2010-08-08
Additional Mints (to London) possibilities: In his introduction to the Londinium section of RIC VI, Sutherland raises the possibility that at least some of the Unmarked Group I, Class II (a & b) folles may have been produced in Britain by a re-opened Carausius/Allectus "C" Mint (or travelling Mint), thereby accounting for the somewhat rough style portraiture - particularly the "small head on a tall neck" busts of Group I, Class IIa coins which are reminiscent of many Carausius/Allectus issues. Sutherland does not seem to pursue this theory, however.
Bastien's "Some Comments on the Coinage of the London Mint, AD 297-311" article: This 1971 Numismatic Chronicle article by Pierre Bastien includes important in-depth discussions of the early (post invasion/occupation) London Mint coinage and the British/Lugdunese engravers (scalptores) - few in number, probably only four or five - who produced the dies. 2010-08-08
Coin obverses with elaborate Cuirasses/Consular features: Stewartby (see final Note) places great emphasis on the number of unmarked coins in the Market Stainton Finds hoard that feature elaborate cuirasses and what he describes as consular features. He goes on to include a discussion of "consular robe busts" plus "palmed" and "wavy line" cuirass features and their possible use in attributing (particularly Intermediate Group ) coins. The two plates (27 & 28) accompanying his article depict examples of these types.
Length of coin obverse inscriptional legends/titulature: Stewartby also discusses the significance of the length of inscriptional legends/titulature, postulating that the longest forms are probably the earliest and the shortest are probably the latest. 2010-08-08
RIC VI, Londinium, Group I, Class I coins: There are no significant attribution problems for Group I, Class I coins - laureate, bare head, with LON in reverse exergue.
Absence of Diocletian coins in RIC VI, Londinium, Group I, Class II (b): No coins are listed as being issued in the name of DIOCLETIAN in Group I, Class II (b) - laureate, cuirassed bust, with larger, elongated head on shorter neck. However, there are reports of DIOCLETIAN coins from this series in collections. 2010-08-11
Paucity of RIC VI, Londinium, Group I coin photo images: In light of the numerous issues raised, first by Bastien and later by Stewartby, relating to the Intermediate Group coinage, it is often difficult to attribute RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, coins (No. 6-39) with any certainty since there are very few plate coin illustrations in RIC to compare against. 2010-08-08
Legend duplication: MAXIMIAN HERCULIUS, RIC No. 6b/No. 17 have identical obverse legends: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Legend duplication: CONSTANTIUS, RIC No. 14a/No. 20/No. 30 have identical obverse legends: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
Legend duplication: GALERIUS MAXIMIAN, RIC No. 15/No. 21/No. 35 have identical obverse legends: MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES
Useful online Reference: There are not many scholarly works available online relating to the History, and especially the Coinage, of the First Tetrarchy. One that I have found particularly useful is (reference): Kiernan, Phillip, "Imperial Representation under Diocletian and the Tetrarchy, AD 284-305", Master of Arts in Classics Thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2003 - as a PDF File. Coins and Medals of the Tetrarchy are discussed on pp 31-55. 2010-08-09
Stewartby's "Early Tetrarchic Coins of London from the Market Stainton Finds" article: This 1998 Numismatic Chronicle article by Lord Stewartby contains much valuable information relating to the early British coinage. However, I find the text hard to follow at times as the categorization scheme he uses is different from that used by Sutherland for RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, coins:

Categorization according to Sutherland (RIC) - my summary - all except (i) unmarked (no mint mark), mostly simply cuirassed obverse busts (some also draped/mantled):

Group I:
(i) ......................... No. 1-5 - laureate head with bare neck - LON in reverse exergue. NOTE: Class I category descriptor is found in RIC VI, Lugdunum, Group I (page 243). 2010-08-11
(ii), Class II(a) ... No. 6-16 - with small head on tall neck.
(ii), Class II(b) ... No. 17-22 - with larger, elongated head on shorter neck.
(iii), Class III ...... No. 23-39 - with large, spread bust in low relief.
Note: Group II follows as a separate entity ........... No. 40-100

Categorization according to Stewartby - my summary - all except Group Ia & Group Ib unmarked (no mint mark), cuirassed obverse busts (some also draped/mantled/robed):

Group Ia ............ LON, bare head (Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius, Galerius).
Group Ib ............ unmarked, bare head (Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius, Galerius).
Group IIe, IIea . early RIC Class II (?) - (Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius, Galerius).
Group IIe ........... mantled (Diocletian, Maximian)
Group II ............. from rear (Diocletian).
Group IIa .......... (Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius, Galerius). (RIC) small head, tall neck.
Group IIb .......... (Maximian, Constantius). (RIC) larger, elongated head, shorter neck.

There were no (equivalent) RIC Group I, Class III coins in the Market Stainton Finds.
I am not sure where the (Bastien) Intermediate Group (b) coins - unmarked with Lugdunum style laureate and cuirassed busts and London style lettering - fit into the Stewartby categorization scheme.

Initial series of coins produced at the London Mint in 297

The initial folles c. 297, again issued in the names of Diocletian & Maximian Herculius as Augustus and Constantius & Galerius Maximian as Caesar, closely followed the design, size and weight of the unknown Continental Mint coinage except they now bore a LON mint mark in the reverse exergue.

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, (i), folles, No. 1-5, c. 297, 11.0-9.5 gm, 28/26 mm. Obverses and Reverses in the style of the unknown Continental Mint invasion coinage. Laureate head, right, with bare neck truncation. NOTE: Class I category descriptor is found in RIC VI, Lugdunum, Group I (page 243). 2010-08-11

RIC VI, Londinium, Diocletian, No. 1a

[Diocletian coin photo]
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG .................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI
LON in exergue

actual size of coin
weight: 9.5 grams

Similar to RIC Volume VI, Plate 1, 1a.

It is now generally accepted that these LON mint marked, and succeeding unmarked, folles were indeed produced in Britain.

Intermediate Group (Bastien) unmarked coins

Following is my concept of how the Intermediate Group coinage of Bastien might be incorporated into the RIC VOLUME VI, LONDINIUM, GROUP I classification scheme. Of course, RIC itself can only be changed by the Publisher.

Group I folles

LON mint mark and laureate heads

Intermediate Group - unmarked with (typically) Lugdunum style heads/busts and London style lettering
.......... (a) laureate heads
.......... (b) laureate and cuirassed busts

unmarked with cuirassed busts
......... (a) With small heads on tall necks
......... (b) With larger, elongated heads on shorter necks

unmarked with large, spread busts

Intermediate Group (Bastien) - unmarked folles with (typically) Lugdunum style heads/busts and London style lettering .......... (a) with laureate heads .......... (b) with laureate and cuirassed busts. The JPINT numbers accompanying the following Intermediate Group coins are in accordance with my personal classification scheme.

Galerius, London, Intermediate Group (Bastien: a) - laureate head - not in RIC (JPINT1).

[Galerius coin photo]
C VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C ........................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

[Galerius coin photo]
actual size of coin
weight: 10.0 grams

Archetypal Intermediate Group (Bastien: a) - Unmarked follis with Lugdunum style laureate head and bare, truncated neck. London style lettering - not in RIC. 2010-08-08

Constantius, London, Intermediate Group (Bastien: b) - Cuirassed, laureate bust - problematical in RIC as No. 20. (JPINT2).

[Constantius coin photo] [Galerius coin photo]
FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C ........................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

[Constantius coin photo]
actual size of coin
weight: 8.8 grams

Cuirassed, laureate bust in fine style with the laurel wreath long ribbon laying on the neck. The obverse legend is rendered using typical British small, compact and thick letterforms, while the reverse legend is rendered using the typical Lugdunese somewhat larger and more delicate letterforms. Problematical in RIC as No. 20. 2010-08-08

Succeeding unmarked Group I folles

The obverse busts are mostly simply curaissed, however, some are also draped and/or with helmets, spears and shields, etc.

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, (ii), folles, Class II, (a), No. 6-16, c. 300 onward, 11.0-9.5 gm, 28/26 mm. Laureate bust, right, cuirassed, or cuirassed and draped - small head on a tall neck, reminiscent of some of the Carausius ~ Allectus coinage.

RIC VI, Londinium, Diocletian, No. 6a

[Diocletian coin photo]
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

actual size of coin
weight: 10.3 grams

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, (ii), folles, Class II, (b), No. 17-22, c. 300 onward, 10.8-9.0 gm, 27/26 mm. Laureate bust, right, cuirassed, or cuirassed and draped - shorter necks and proportional heads.

RIC VI, Londinium, Galerius, No. 21

[Galerius coin photo]
MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

actual size of coin
weight: 10.2 grams

Example of "palmed cuirass" as described by Stewartby (Numismatic Chronicle article "Early Tetrarchic Coins of London from the Market Stainton Finds" ( Plate 28 - 26 & 27).

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, (iii), folles, Class III, No. 23-39, c. 303 onward, 10.8-9.0 gm, 27/26 mm. Large, spread, laureate bust, right, cuirassed, or cuirassed and draped.

RIC VI, Londinium, Galerius Maximian, No. 33

[Galerius coin photo]
MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C ................................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

actual size of coin
weight: 10.2 grams

References and Resources

BASTIEN, Pierre -- "Some Comments on the Coinage of the London Mint, AD 297-313", Numismatic Chronicle Ser. 7 (1971).
STEWARTBY, Lord -- "Some rare and unpublished roman coins of the London Mint in the Paris collection", Revue numismatique, 6e serie - Tome 154, annee 1999 pp. 183-193.
STEWARTBY, Lord -- "Early Tetrarchic Coins of London from the Market Stainton Finds", 1998 Numismatic Chronicle article.
BESLY, Edward -- "A Hoard of Tetrarchic nummi from Bridgend, South Wales", 2002 Numismatic Chronicle article (with plates 31-42).
THE ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE (RIC), Volume VI, Diocletian's reform (AD 294) to the death of Maximinus (AD 313), C. H. V. Sutherland, Spink & Son Ltd, London (1967) -- LONDINIUM, pp113-128.
IN PRAISE OF LATER ROMAN EMPERORS (The Panegyrici Latini), Rodgers, Barbara Saylor & C. E. V. Nixon, University of California Press, (1995) -- VIII, Panegyric of Constantius (with annotations and footnotes).

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THE BRITANNIC COINAGE OF CONSTANTIUS Produced during the First Tetrarchy c. 296-305 AD

THE BRITANNIC COINAGE OF CONSTANTIUS
Produced during the First Tetrarchy c. 296-305 AD