An AE2 of Aelia Flaccilla, 383-388 AD

[robinjojo]

I normally don't buy late Roman bronzes, but I wandered into this one, in VF-ish condition, a few weeks back and thought "why not?  It will make a nice type coin addition."  I understand there is a rare variety with the figure on the reverse holding a cross, but this version seems to be the normal hands folded on chest type and a regular cross to the right.

Aelia Flaccilla,  383-388 AD, AE 2  (Maiorina), Constantinople, 5th officina (epsilon).

RIC IX Constantinople 82

5.27 grams

 

Are there other examples out there?  Thanks!

Edited August 28, 2022 by robinjojo

[Roman Collector]

Here's the same type from my collection.

My most photogenic one, however, is this one of Antioch:

Aelia Flaccilla, AD 379-386.
Roman AE Maiorina (AE 2), 4.78 gm, 21.55 mm, 6 h.
Antioch, AD 383-386.
Obv: AEL FLACCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Victory seated r., inscribing chi-rho onto shield set on cippus. T in field r, ANTЄ in exergue.
Refs: RIC 61.3; Sear 20616; Cohen 4; c.f. LRBC II 2747.

[robinjojo]

1 hour ago, Roman Collector said:

Here's the same type from my collection.

My most photogenic one, however, is this one of Antioch:

Aelia Flaccilla, AD 379-386.
Roman AE Maiorina (AE 2), 4.78 gm, 21.55 mm, 6 h.
Antioch, AD 383-386.
Obv: AEL FLACCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Victory seated r., inscribing chi-rho onto shield set on cippus. T in field r, ANTЄ in exergue.
Refs: RIC 61.3; Sear 20616; Cohen 4; c.f. LRBC II 2747.

Very nice!  That Antioch coin is particularly nice!

Is there a difference in scarcity between the two reverse types, or are both about equally common?

 

[shanxi]

nice coins 👍

 

My example has a nice obverse, but a weak reverse

Aelia Flacilla
Syria, Antiochia
Obv.: AEL FLACCILLA AVG , Draped bust right
Rev.: SALVS REI PVBLICAE Aelia Flacilla standing facing head right, ANTE
Ae, 5.55g, 21.7mm
Ref.: RIC.62 pl. 14/17

[ambr0zie]

I also have one from 5th officina.

[Roman Collector]

5 hours ago, robinjojo said:

Very nice!  That Antioch coin is particularly nice!

Is there a difference in scarcity between the two reverse types, or are both about equally common?

 

Neither type is hard to come by.

[Valentinian]

Here is my page on all the AE types of Aelia Flaccilla:

http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/AeliaFlaccilla.html

Here is the first one on that page:

Aelia Flaccilla
SALVS REIPVBLICAE
AE2. 22 mm. 4.73 grams.
•TESΔ
RIC IX Thessalonica 46

[Qcumbor]

An example from the Constantinople mint

Aelia Flaccilla, AE2 - Constantinople mint, 5th officina
AEL FLAC CILLA, diademed and draped bust right
SALVS REI PVBLICAE, Victory seated right, inscribing ChiRo on a shield. CON epsilon at exergue
4.75 gr
Ref : Cohen # 4, LRBC # 2167

[DonnaML]

I saw this in Kirk Davis's new catalogue (he sends them out in the mail, the old-fashioned way!), and couldn't resist the nice portrait and reverse. Aelia Flaccilla's coins may be common, but I don't see them very often in this sort of condition. It's the first time I've added a new empress in a while, and the first one I have later than Fausta.

Aelia Flaccilla (first wife of Theodosius I and mother of Arcadius & Honorius), AE maiorina, AD 383-386, Alexandria mint, 2^nd Officina. Obv. Draped bust of Aelia Flaccilla right, wearing necklace, earrings, and elaborate headdress with diadem, AEL FLAC-CILLA AVG / Rev. Empress standing facing, head right, her arms crossed on her breast, SALVS REI-PVBLICAE; in exergue, ALEB [mint mark ALE = Alexandria; B = 2^nd Officina]. 24 mm., 6.62 g. RIC IX 17 (p. 302); Sear RCV V 20622; Cohen 6; LRBC II 2897 [R.A.G. Carson, P.V. Hill, & J.P.C. Kent, Late Roman Bronze Coinage, A.D. 324-498 (London 1972)]. Purchased Nov. 2022 from Kirk Davis, Claremont, CA, Cat. No. 80, Fall 2022, Lot 79; ex. Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, Auction 75, 09.24.2013, Lot 2652.

[mc9]

Another Constantinopel mint coin,

A.D. 383 - 386 ,  AE2

AEL FLAC - CILLA AVG

Draped and diademed bust right, wearing necklace and earrings

SALUS REI - PUBLICAE //CONЄ

Constantinopolis,  5.38 gr,  23.00 mm, RIC IX 55

Edited November 21, 2022 by mc9

[Qcumbor]

15 hours ago, DonnaML said:

 

That one would be a perfect companion to my Arcadius AE2 minted at the same mint (Alexandria)

Q

[DonnaML]

1 minute ago, Qcumbor said:

That one would be a perfect companion to my Arcadius AE2 minted at the same mint (Alexandria)

Q

Indeed! It would be a great mother-son pair. I love the chocolate color on yours. For whatever reason, all of Aelia Flaccilla's coins of this type from Alexandria seem to have been made at the 2nd officina; I assume Arcadius's coins of your type weren't limited to a single officina.

[kevikens]

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

Indeed! It would be a great mother-son pair. I love the chocolate color on yours. For whatever reason, all of Aelia Flaccilla's coins of this type from Alexandria seem to have been made at the 2nd officina; I assume Arcadius's coins of your type weren't limited to a single officina.

Now that is the kind of coin that would tempt me to collect from this period, museum quality.

[Jims,Coins]

Bronze coin (AE2) minted at Antioch during the reign of VALENTINIAN II, for his wife AELIA FLACCILLA in 383 A.D. Obv. AEL.FLACCILLA.AVG. Draped bust right, with elaborate head-dress and necklace. Rev. SALVS.REIPVBLICE. FLACILLA stg. facing head r., arms folded on breast. RCS #4193. RICIX #62 pg.291. DVM #5. LRBC #2717.