My first 'rare' Roman coin lot find

[GordianAppreciator101]

Back in January I started buying some cheap lots off of Ebay to try my hand at ID-ing, cleaning and then eventually reselling them. At the time I was mostly planning on learning how to clean bronzes, but eventually the whole ID-ing process became my main source of fun. You never know what you've got in front of you until you've properly inspected every nook and cranny of a particularly unremarkable Nummus of Constantius II, the most common type I've come across. Until now, I've come across quite a few different coins that for one reason or another have called my attention: Abstract Barbarous Radiates, Iberian coins for which I found a match after days of digging... However, this last one has been so... uninteresting it became my best find yet (rarity wise, quality wise not so much) 

The portraiture in itself is nothing remarkable, and the condition isn't exactly the best. I've not dared to "try" to clean it either for fear of damaging the coin any more but all the important features are there.

This is a Nummus of Constans, minted between 347 and 348 at Trier. This I know because of the M with a dot visible on the reverse. The mint mark should be TRP but even in hand its pretty tough to read. The reverse type is a Two Victories one, "VICTORIAE DD AVGG Q NN", I've got quite a few of those in my lots; what matters is the obverse.

The legend quickly called my attention. On the left side "CONSTANS" can be read completely, instead of the more usual "CONSTAN", with the "S" being on the other side, along with the P F AVG. From here I started digging, but couldn't find anything online, not on ACSearch, not on Ocre, and eventually found it mentioned in Helvetica's RIC Lists, a huge source for every single type minted for a particular Emperor, reverse type etc.

According to it the type is RIC VIII Trier 182 var (obverse break) which I've managed to find a reference to on an Italian forum from 2015, where another person unknowingly bought one of these. Overall, this is one of the rarest coins I've come across and hopefully a good sign for future lots to try and ID. 

 

Has any of you guys come across such surprising finds in any lots you've got?

[Amarmur]

This Aksumite coin takes the cake for me I bought it in a lot of 8 unattributed Greek and Roman coins for $30. A very difficult coin to find and it's in great condition too with some gildening visable. Aksum is located in present day Ethiopia and was a long forgotten world power in the ancient world. It dates from 375-400 ad when Christianity was introduced to the kingdom.

[expat]

Maybe some answers can come my way in this thread. I recently received 25 coins for 2.40 Euros per coin. Most were uncleaned or very degraded. This one when researched was claimed to be a R5 rarity, whatever that means. I assume it is because of the F mintmark in conjunction with the S officina. There are  only 2 in OCRE.

Constantius II, as Caesar, 18mm, 1.78gr AE3. Aquileia 335-336 AD.
Authority of Constantine I
Obv: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers facing with spears and shields, two standards between, F between standards, AQS in ex.
RIC VII 133 R5

 

[hotwheelsearl]

I would take R ratings with a grain of salt. These coins are only worth what a specialist collector would pay. Sometimes, a lot. More often, not so much.

 

These two coins, Commodus and Leo I, were both found in large lots at less than $1 each.