Follis of Galerius

The follis of Galerius is a large base-metal Roman coin struck during the reign of Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus, who ruled as Augustus of the eastern empire from AD 305 to 311. The follis (also called the nummus) was the flagship bronze denomination of the Tetrarchy, introduced by Diocletian's coin reform of the mid-290s and originally given a thin surface silvering.

The obverse of this coin shows the laureate head of Galerius facing right, encircled by a Latin legend naming the emperor. The reverse carries a standing figure, a deity or personification identified by the attributes it holds and by the accompanying legend. The example here is dated to about AD 308-310, late in Galerius's reign, by which point the follis had been reduced in size and weight from the heavy pieces of the reform's first years.

Because the Tetrarchic mints struck folles in great quantity across the whole empire, coins of Galerius survive in large numbers today and are among the more accessible large bronzes of the early fourth century.

Galerius rose through the army to become Caesar under Diocletian in AD 293, one of the four rulers of the Tetrarchy, the power-sharing system Diocletian devised to stabilize an empire battered by the Crisis of the Third Century. When Diocletian and Maximian abdicated in AD 305, Galerius became senior Augustus in the East, and he remained a dominant figure in imperial politics until his death from illness in AD 311.

The follis was the centrepiece of Diocletian's monetary reform. Early folles of the 290s were sizeable coins of around 10 grams with a silvered surface, but successive reductions steadily shrank the denomination. By the issues of about AD 308-310 represented here, the follis was noticeably smaller and lighter than at its introduction, part of the ongoing struggle to keep the coinage in step with prices and the silver content of the alloy.

Galerius is also remembered for his role in the Great Persecution of Christians launched in AD 303, and, near the end of his life, for the Edict of Serdica in AD 311 that granted a measure of toleration. His coinage was produced at the many mints of the Tetrarchic system, giving rise to numerous regional varieties in legend, portrait, and mint marking.

Attribution starts with the obverse legend. Galerius's folles name him with elements such as MAXIMIANVS, most often in forms like IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG or GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS. Because he shared the name Maximianus with his western colleague Maximian Herculius, the abbreviations GAL VAL (Galerius Valerius) are the key to separating the two. The portrait is a laureate head facing right, typically with the heavy, blocky, short-bearded features characteristic of Tetrarchic style.

The reverse shows a standing figure whose identity is set by its attributes and legend. The commonest Tetrarchic reverse is the Genius of the Roman People, a semi-nude male standing figure holding a patera (a shallow dish) from which he pours a libation and a cornucopia, under a legend such as GENIO POPVLI ROMANI or GENIO IMPERATORIS. Other late issues show figures such as Sol, Providentia, or a comparable personification; matching the attribute the figure holds to the surrounding legend is how the specific type is identified.

In hand a follis of this period is a substantial bronze coin, roughly 24-27 mm across and generally in the region of 6-8 grams for issues of about AD 308-310, though weights vary with the mint and the point in the reduction. Fresh examples may retain traces of the original silvering; where it has worn the surface is brown or olive bronze. Look in the reverse field and exergue for mint marks and officina letters, which place the coin to a specific mint and workshop.

Folles of Galerius are common and generally affordable, reflecting the large output of the Tetrarchic mints. Worn or ordinary examples frequently trade in the low tens of dollars, while well-struck coins with sharp portraits, complete legends, and surviving original silvering can bring higher figures into the middle tens or beyond.

Value is influenced by the strength of the strike, the amount of silvering that remains, the rarity of the particular reverse type and mint, and overall eye appeal. Scarcer legends, unusual portrait or reverse varieties, and coins from less common mints can command premiums over the ordinary run, as can pieces with attractive surfaces and clear mint marks.

The figures here are general context rather than appraisals; condition, type, and provenance can move an individual coin outside these ranges. Precise attribution to a specific mint, officina, and reverse variety adds interest and can raise the value of a well-preserved example.