Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 770. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $3400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Martinian. AD 324. Æ Follis (2.51 g, 6h). Nicomedia mint, 1st 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 and scepter in left; to left, eagle standing right, holding wreath in its beak; to right, bound captive seated right; X/IIΓ//SMNA. RIC VII 46; cf. Hunter 1 (different obv. legend and officina). VF, dark brown surfaces, some roughness, area of slight flatness of strike on reverse. Extremely rare.

From the D. Alighieri Collection.

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.