Silver Pendant with Roman Coin of Licinius I - Cyzicus Mint

309-310 AD, Cyzicus

€ 175.00 VAT margin scheme

Article code: 23-0104

Silver pendant enclosing an authentic Roman coin. If preferred the coin can easily be removed from the silver pendant frame.

Coin: Licinius I, Æ Follis, Struck at Cyzicus in 309-310 AD.

Obverse: VAL LICINNIANVS LICINIVS PF AVG, laureate head right.

Reverse: GENIO IMPERATORIS, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae, officina letter left, star right.

Mintmark: MKV

Diameter: ± 26,8 mm

Ref: RIC VI Cyzicus 57; Sear 15174

VF condition, smooth and dark olive-green patina.

Quantity

Licinius I (308-324 AD), co-Emperor with Constantine I the Great until he was murdered in 325 AD (along with his little son) by the order of Constantine.

He was elevated by Galerius during the Tetrarchic civil wars and initially ruled the Balkans and other eastern territories. In 313 AD he met Constantine I at Milan, where the two Emperors agreed on a policy of religious toleration commonly associated with the Edict of Milan.

Licinius later defeated Maximinus II and became sole ruler of the eastern half of the Roman Empire. Relations with Constantine gradually deteriorated, leading to repeated civil wars. After his final defeat at the battles of Adrianople and Chrysopolis in 324 AD, Licinius surrendered and was executed the following year.

His coinage was struck at numerous eastern mints in gold, silver and bronze. Portraits usually show him with a laureate or radiate bust, while reverse types promote military victory, imperial unity, Jupiter and the security of the state. Some of his later coins also include Christian symbols, reflecting the changing religious landscape of the early fourth century.