Laelian

aureus, Cologne mint - BM

antoninianus, Cologne mint

RIC V lists ten different coins for Laelian, four aurei, five antoniniani and a denarius. The true figure should be six. Jn addition to the aureus illustrated above, there is another, much rarer, type with reverse VIRTVS MILITVM (Emperor standing left, holding a standard and a spear) which somehow managed to be listed as three different coins, one with the wrong obverse legend, the other with the wrong reverse legend. The white metal denarius in the Bibliothèque nationale, Paris (BnF), was the sole example found during my research and is either a test strike or a cast of this. The standard held by the emperor is supposedly inscribed XXX, and interpreted as that of Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix, stationed at Colonia Ulpia Traiana (modern Xanten) on the Rhine. However, the marking on the standard is not as clear as this assertion seems to suggest, but, that said, it seems highly probable that support from this legion was a factor in Laelian’s bid for power and would also explain how he came to be in control of the Cologne mint.

The antoniniani likewise reduce to only three versions, one with two bust variants. They commence with coins bearing the obverse inscription IP C VLP COR LAELIANVS (note, no AVG). This inscription is incorrectly listed in RIC as beginning with IMP with a note that sometimes it is IP. The note also states that it may sometimes continue with CORN instead of COR. This is complete nonsense. All the examples that it has been possible for me to study use the same obverse die, so any alleged variations must result from erroneous readings, recordings or transcription. The others have an obverse IMP C LAELIANVS P F AVG of which those with a cuirassed bust are the most common. These have a reverse VICTORIA AVG, either running right or, on the rarer version, running left.

No coins were seen with the legend IMP LAELIANVS P F AVG.

Cologne Mint
Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	RIC V	Elmer
Aureus (gold)	IMP C LAELIANVS P F AVG Laureate cuirassed bust right	TEMPORVM FELICITAS Hispania (or Tellus) reclining, with a rabbit alongside, holding an olive branch aloft	1
(ditto)	(ditto)	VIRTVS MILITVM Emperor standing left, holding a spear and a military ensign (inscribed XXX?)	4
Denarius (white metal)	(ditto)	(ditto)	10
Antoninianus (silver-washed bronze)	IP C VLP COR LAELIANVS Radiate draped and cuirassed bust right	VICTORIA AVG Victory running right, holding wreath and palm	8 corr.	621
(ditto)	IMP C LAELIANVS P F AVG Radiate draped and cuirassed bust, right	(ditto)	9	622
(ditto)	IMP C LAELIANVS P F AVG Radiate cuirassed bust, right	(ditto)	9	625
(ditto)	(ditto)	VICTORIA AVG Victory running left, holding wreath and palm	6	-

Marius

It has been possible to verify nearly all of the coins of Marius listed in RIC V, all except Nos. 4, 11 and 16. An example of RIC 5, which was unknown to Elmer, has since been found in the Cunetio hoard. The portrait on the first issue at Cologne, the reverse of which is die-linked to coins of Laelian is crude to the point of caricature but improves rapidly to reach a standard that easily bears comparison to that on coins from the Trier mint, an improvement that is remarkable in such a short reign.

A notable feature of the coins of Marius is the adoption of different obverse legends at each mint, IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG at Cologne, and either IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG or IMP C MARIVS P F AVG at Trier. Another is that cuirassed busts gradually replaced draped and cuirassed at Cologne, a development that continued into the coinages of Victorinus and Tetricus I that followed. The messages conveyed by the reverses are also different, with an emphasis on victory at Cologne, perhaps reminding the locals who had actually won, and military concord coupled with eternal happiness at Trier.

antoninianus, Cologne mint

Cologne Mint – one officina
Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	RIC V	Elmer
Aureus (gold)	IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	FIDES MILITVM Fides standing left holding a standard in each hand	14	642
Antoninianus (silver- bronze)	IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG Radiate, cuirassed bust right	AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas standing left, holding scales and a cornucopiae	15	641
	IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right	VICTORIA AVG Victory running right holding wreath and palm	18	636
		VICTORIA AVG Victory walking left, leaning backwards from the waist, holding wreath and palm	17	637
	IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG Radiate, cuirassed bust right	(ditto) (Note)	17	638
		VICTORIA AVG Victory standing left, holding wreath and palm	17	639
		VIRTVS AVG Virtus standing left, holding a spear, left hand leaning on a shield	19	640

Note: On the example illustrated, the T in VICTORIA has been engraved over a C.

Trier Mint - two officinae
Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	RIC V	Elmer
Aureus (gold)	IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG Laureate draped and cuirassed bust right	CONCORDIA MILITVM Clasped hands	1 corr.	626
	IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	SAEC FELICITAS Felicitas standing left, holding a short caduceus and a cornucopiae.	2	627
	IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	VICTORIA AVG Victory standing left, holding a pail, leaning on shield.	3	628
Antoninianus (silver-washed bronze)	IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right	CONCORD MILIT Clasped hands	Cunetio Hoard (now in BM) cf. RIC 5
	IMP C MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right	CONCORD MILIT Clasped hands (Note)	6	633
	IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right	CONCORDIA MILITVM Clasped hands (Note)	8 corr.	629
	IMP C MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right		7 corr.	632
	IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right	SAEC FELICITAS Felicitas standing left, holding a short caduceus and a cornucopiae.	9	630
	IMP C MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right		10	634
	IMP C M AVR MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right	VICTORIA AVG Victory standing left holding a palm frond and resting right hand on a shield	12	631
	IMP C MARIVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right		13	635

Note: On some coins with this reverse the clasped hands are upside down.