Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 1246. Estimate $3000.  Closing Date: Monday, 10 January 2005.  Sold For $6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

MARTINIAN. 324 AD. Æ Follis (1.96 gm, 12h). Cyzicus mint. IM C S MAR MARTINIANVS P F AVS, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / IOVI CONS-ERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and sceptre in left; to left, eagle standing left, head right with wreath in beak; to right, bound captive seated right; X/IIG/SMKD. RIC VII 16; Hunter -. Good VF, brown patina, some roughness. Extremely rare and perhaps the finest known from the mint of Cyzicus. ($3000)

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 we have been unable to locate a recent sale record for any coin of Cyzicus.