Constantius

Coins of the Roman Emperors Constantius and Galerius
The "aurelianus" or "antoninianus" denomination, struck AD 293-294.

A collection of radiate coins of Constantius (293-305 as Caesar and 305-306 as Augustus) and of Galerius (293-305 as Caesar and 305-311 as Augustus) by emperor and then in alphabetical order of reverse legend.

Navigation: Skip to Constantius: I, IOV; P, PRAESIDIA;
Skip to Galerius: P, PAX; V, VOT.

The aureliani of the other tetrarchs are on other pages: Diocletian and Maximianus.

Newest: 2022, August 16: Constantius PROVIDENT DEOR and VIRTVS AVGG.
2021, Sept. 3: Galerius PRAESIDA REIPVBLIC.

All of these coins were struck before the coin reform of c. 294 which introduced the "follis" denomination and discontinued minting of this denomination. The reform was shortly after Constantius I and Galerius were created Caesars in 293, so the Caesars minted relatively few coins of this denomination. For coins of other denominations, see "Introduction to Roman coins of the First Tetrarchy." References to RIC are to volume V.II which has coins of the First Tetrarchy before the reform of c. 294.

Constantius I, Caesar, 293-305, and Augustus 305-306:

Constantius
CONSTANTIVS NOB C
COMES AVGG
Minerva standing front, head left, holding long staff and resting left on shield
B in exergue
RIC V.II 627 variety (theirs has a spear) "Lugdunum, 295"
Bastien 629

Constantius
FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
CONCORDIA AVGG
Two Concordiae standing, facing each other, clasping hands
each holding a cornucopia
II in exergue
RIC V.II 628 page 297
Bastien 543 "293"
Sear IV 13981

Constantius
FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
CONCORDIA MILITVM
Jupiter on right presenting Victory on globe to emperor on left
A in middle field below, XXI • in exergue
RIC V.II 672A (Variety with A, not E) Cyzicus page 302, but since then reattributed to Siscia.
Sear IV 13982

Constantius
IOVI ET HERCVLI CONS CAES
Jupiter standing right holding globe and scepter facing Hercules standing left holding Victory, club, and lion's skin.
S low in middle field, XXI • in exergue
RIC V.II Constantius 673, page 302 "Antioch" (undated)

Constantius
PRAESIDA REI-PVBLIC
Emperor on left receiving Victory on globe from emperor on right, both with spear and shield, tiny captive between them
RIC V.II Constantius 671, page 301 "Siscia" [very rare]
"PRAESIDIA REIPVBLIC and the last emission of antoniniani at the mint of Siscia" by Davor Margetic, plate coin 7 (this coin), iVAMZ, 3. s., XLV (2012), p. 359-368.
Ex CNG 84, lot 1440.

Constantius
23-22 mm. 3.63 grams.
PROVIDE-N-T DEOR
Providentia standing left holding baton pointing down at globe, vertical scepter in left,
RIC V.II 635 Lugdunum "293-4"
Bastien Lyon 506 "second series"

Constantius
PROVIDE-N-T DEOR
Providentia seated left holding baton pointing down at globe, vertical scepter in left, II in exergue
RIC V.II Constantius 636, page 298 "Lugdunum, 293-4"
Bastien 558 p.217, 11th emission, 2nd officina (293 AD)

Constantius
SECVRIT AVGG
Securitas standing with legs crossed, right hand raised to top of head, left arm leaning on column, B in exergue
RIC 644, page 298, Lugdunum, "295"
Bastien 649 p.234, 12th emission, 2nd series, 2nd officiana

Constantius
22 mm. 4.10 grams.
VIRTVS AVGG
Virtus standing left with right hand resting on shield and left hand holding vertical spear.
B in exergue
RIC 647 "295"
Bastien 656 "second emission"

Galerius, Caesar, 293-305, and Augustus 305-311.

Pre-reform "aureliani" (more commonly called "antoniniani," but different because of the coin reform of Aurelian) in alphabetical order of reverse legend.
References to RIC are to volume V, part II, which has his pre-reform coins.
The reform (which discontinued this denomination) was shortly after Constantius I and Galerius were created Caesars in September, 293, so they minted relatively few antoniani.

Galerius
25-23 mm. 4.96 grams
CONCORDIA AVGG
Two Concordiae clasping hands, each holding cornucopia, club in exergue
RIC V.II Galerius 678, page 304 "Lugdunum, 293-4"
Bastien 494 p.205, 10th emission, 2nd officina (293 AD)

Galerius
22 mm. 3.63 grams.
IOVI ET HERCVLI CONS CAES
Emperor holding staff receiving Victory on globe from
Hercules with club in left
A, low in middle field, XXI in exergue.
RIC V.II Galerius 719v [RIC has officina Γ and not A],
page 309, "Antioch", but since then reattributed to Siscia.

Galerius
23-21 mm. 3.26 grams.
ORIENS AVGG
Sol standing left, raising right hand, holding whip in left
B in exergue
RIC 684. Bastien 642. Sear IV 14300
Lugdunum, AD 294

Galerius
22 mm. 3.53 grams.
PAX AVGG
Pax standing left holding branch and transverse scepter
A below
RIC V.II 688v (theirs is draped and cuirassed; this one has drapery only on the far shoulder) "295"
Bastien 623 p.229, 12th emission, 2nd series, 1st officina (294 AD).

Galerius
22-21 mm. 2.59 grams. (Light)
GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C
PRAESIDIA REIPVBLIC
Emperors standing facing each other, the one on the left, with staff and shield at feet, presentng Victory on globe to the one on the right with staff and shield at feet, small captive right at feet
XXIA in exergue
RIC 716, Siscia
Margetic "PRAESIDIA REIPVBLIC and the last emission of antoniniani at Siscia" #4, this coin.

Galerius
22-21 mm. 3.19 grams.
PRINCIPI IVVENTVT
Emperor standing front, head left, holding standard and long scepter,
R in field right, XXI Γ in exergue
RIC V.II Galerius 707, page 307 "Rome"

Galerius
23-22 mm. 3.60 grams.
PROVIDENT DEOR
Providentia seated left holding rudder over globe and long scepter,
II in exergue
RIC V.II Galerius 690, page 305 "Lugdunum, 294"
Bastien 559 p.217, 11th emission, 2nd officina (293 AD)

Galerius
22-21 mm. 4.53 grams.
SECVRIT AVGG
Securitas standing front, head left, left leg cressed in front of her right leg,
supporting her head with her right hand, her left elbow resting on a short column.
B in exergue.
RIC 691. Bastien 650 p.234, 12th emission, 2nd series, 2nd officina (294 AD). Sear IV 14312.

Galerius
23-21 mm. 3.82 grams.
VOT X M XX
Victory left on globe, holding out wreath
D in field left, PTR in exergue.
RIC 703. Sear IV 14319.

References to RIC (Roman Imperial Coinage) are to volume V, part II, which has their pre-reform coins.

Pierre Zanchi, a scholar who studies these coins, wrote me, "In both eastern mints the obverse legends end NOB CAES, whereas Siscia ends with NOB C." and "Siscia mints for the Caesars with officina A, very rarely Gamma. In Cyzicus, Galerius appears on officina A (very rarely), Constantius officina B and Gamma (very rarely), Constantius & Galerius officina Epsilon (commonly). In Antioch, Galerius appears on officina Gamma (commonly) and Constantius on officina S (commonly)."