The Usurper Martinian

Triton XXI, Lot: 852. Estimate $3000. Sold for $3000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Martinian. Usurper, AD 324. Æ Follis (20.5mm, 2.60 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 and scepter with left; to left, eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in its beak; to right, bound captive seated right, head left; X/IIΓ//SMNA. RIC VII 46. VF, green patina, some roughness and minor cleaning marks in obverse field.

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, Nicomedia and Cyzicus. The great majority of his known coins are from Nicomedia, and there are only three Martinian folles from Cyzicus in CoinArchives.