Martinian, Usurper

Triton XX, Lot: 864. Estimate $3000. Sold for $3750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Martinian. Usurper, AD 324. Æ Follis (20mm, 3.01 g, 12h). Nicomedia mint, 2nd officina. D N M MARTINIANO P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / IOVI CONS ERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand, eagle-tipped scepter in left; to left, eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in its beak; to right, bound captive kneeling right; X/IIΓ//SMNB. RIC VII 46; cf. Hunter 1 (different obv. legend). VF, green patina, cleaning scratches, some gray deposits, minor roughness. Very rare.

From the KD Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 80 (20 October 2014), lot 254.

During his war with Constantine, Licinius appointed his magister officiorum, Martinian, as his co-emperor. The new Augustus was then deployed to Lampsacus to oppose Constantine's army as it crossed the Hellespont. After his defeat, Martinian was imprisoned in Cappadocia, where he was later executed on Constantine's orders. During his brief reign, Martinian struck coinage at two mints, Cyzicus and Nicomedia.