ROMAN. Maximianus. As Senior Augustus, A.D. 305-310. Bronze Follis (13.36g). Abdication issue. Cyzicus mint, struck A.D. 305-307. D N MAXIMIANO FELISSIMO SEN AVG, laureate bust right in imperial mantle, holding olive branch and mappa / PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia standing right, extending hand to Quies standing left, holding branch and leaning on sceptre. Marks: S F in left field, KA in right field, PTR in exergue. RIC VI Cyzicus 678. Attractive golden toning over the partial silvering, with brown and green patina. gVF. Very rare. Struck at Cyzicus, but imitating the Trier mint mark. This issue is routinely attributed to Trier (Treveri) because it carries PTR, yet portrait style and hoard evidence indicate that it was actually struck at Cyzicus. It was produced by two officinae marked with Greek letters, and the decisive feature is the K with the officina letter in the field between the figures, which serves as the true Cyzicus mint signature rather than PTR. This point is reinforced by related Cyzicus issues, RIC 22-23, struck by the same officinae without any PTR. The most plausible explanation is that early Trier examples were circulated as prototypes for other mints to copy, and at Cyzicus the engravers reproduced the model too literally, retaining PTR while also adding their own field mark and creating an apparent double mint mark. The mistake was soon recognised, and later dies were cut showing only the Cyzicus mint mark in its proper position.

Estimate: AUD 300