Nomos 39

Diocletian, with Constantius I Caesar, 293-305. Heavy Aureus (Gold, 18 mm, 6.32 g, 6 h), on a special, 'heavier' standard, Ticinum, 293. DIOCLETI-ANVS P F AVG Laureate and lightly bearded bare bust of Diocletian to right. Rev. CONSTANTI-VS NOB CAES Laureate and lightly bearded bare bust of Constantius Chlorus Caesar to right. Arras (Beaurains) -. Calicó 4598 (R5, this coin illustrated). Depeyrot 5/1 (this coin cited and illustrated, and dated to 293). Lukanc -. RIC VI, p. 279, 2 (c. 294-295, this coin cited). Of the highest rarity, toned, with splendid military portraits and very well struck. Minor bang on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

From The Dr. Ivo Lukanc Collection of the Gold Coinage of Diocletian, ex Lanz 50, 27 November 1989, 804 and from the collection of H. Otto, Hess Luzern 207, 1 December 1931, 1296 ("aus dem Funde von Arras"), and Professor H., Helbing 12 April 1927, 1972.

This exceptional coin was struck nearly a gram heavier than normal (was this a mint error or was it a special issue?). For one explanation of what it could be, see the note to lot 18, above. It was dated to 294-295 by the RIC, but Depeyrot's date of 293, connecting it to the start of the First Tetrarchy, seems more plausible; especially given its very unusual dynastic types. The note in Hess 207, attributing this coin to the Arras (Beaurains) find of 1922, must have come from information given to the cataloguer privately, since it does not come from the description in the Helbing catalogue of 1927; given this coin's distinctive toning the provenience is almost certainly correct and it is a mystery how Bastien missed it when compiling his publication of the hoard.