★ Next London issue ★

LONDON TETRARCHIC: Galerius as Caesar (293-305), AE follis, issued c. 296. London, 10.02g, 28mm.
Obv: C VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C, Laureate, truncated, bare neck bust right.
Rev: GENIO POPV–LI ROMANI; Genius standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left arm; no mark in ex.
Not in RIC (would be classified as RIC VI 17b [London]); CT (Cloke & Toone) 1.02.004 (R).
From the James Pickering Romano-Britannic Collection (please see lot 122 for details), acquired from Münz-handlung Ritter.

Part of Bastien’s “intermediate series." If you don’t have a LON mintmark follis to mark the beginning of the London mint's production, this issue is the next best thing. Bastien, Cloke & Toone, Pickering, and others who have considered the matter all identify it as coming immediately after the LON issue. Cloke & Toone also remark that it is possible this issue actually comes prior to the LON issue. (It is extremely similar except for the mintmark; note for example the ribbon tie on the neck, characteristic of both series.) Cloke & Toone note that it is just as rare as the LON series.

This is a superb example.