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When in doubt, buy a Constantine


Valentinian

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There are vast numbers of coins on the market now. How can you decide what to buy? Well, mostly I buy from various themes I collect, but when the opportunity arises another nice Constantine is always fun.

Constantine3IOVICONSERVATORI2437.jpg.dc0f4f01ff449a4b3883e98d31bfe88f.jpg

20.5-18.2 mm. 2.56 grams.
Struck 316 at Nicomedia. RIC VII Nicomedia 12.
Crisp strike and little or wear.


Constantine3IOVICONSERVATORIAVGGNN2438.jpg.b98478f8d714461c4434d1d25ac7c99e.jpg
22.8-21.6 mm. 3.45 grams.
Struck c. late 312 at Thessalonica
RIC VI Thessalonica 61b.
Also little or no wear.

Constantine3GLORIAEXERCITVS2421.jpg.3a1b8632cfd7aeec2a4fc6e6d5b0f248.jpg
17 mm. 2.64 grams.
Struck 333-335 at Alexandria.
RIC VII Alexandria 58A. 

It's not like I didn't have Constantine's AE pretty well covered before. I did. But, I like these additions anyway.

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I buy a lot of Constantine coins. Most recently--

 

Aquileia_98b.jpg.5fb5c6e5a96b5eba1e80811a78e65993.jpg

 

Constantine I
A.D. 306- 307
Ӕ follis 28mm 8.0g
CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES; Laureate, helmeted and cuirassed bust right, pointing spear downwards with right hand, holding two spears and shield with left.
VIRTVS AVGG ET CAESS N N; Mars, helmeted, advancing right and holding spear and trophy
In ex. AQΓ
RIC VI Aquileia 98b

 

cf_Ticinum_143.jpg.889c7ffb08e2871bb71be5e0c03f75b7.jpg

Constantine I
A.D. 320- 321
20mm   2.9g
CONSTANT-INVS AVG; laureate bust to left, wearing trabea, holding eagle-tipped sceptre.
D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG surrounding laurel wreath enclosing VOT XX.
In ex. ST
RIC VII Ticinum – 
 

not in RIC

 

15254_61.18_1.jpg.dcf06bcd83eefb769b13e3eaadd54976.jpg

 

Constantine I
A.D. 312- 313
22mm      5.3g
IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; laureate and cuirassed (with gorgon) bust right.
SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol rad., stg. right, raising r. hand, globe in l., chlamys over left and falling on either side.
in ex. RT
RIC VI Rome 332
 

 

 

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@Valentinian, Congratulations!  Those first two are real stunners.  I, for one, had never seen examples that have this level of stylistic consonance with coins of the Tetrarchy.  Nothing you couldn't expect to happen, but still a real gestalt if you've never seen an example.  My first reflex for the second one was, 'are you sure that isn't Constantius Chlorus?'  ...Wow.  Very enlightening.  Thanks!

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My first ancient coin was a falling horseman of Constantius II, and the coins of the Constantinian Dynasty became my first collecting passion. I never get tired of these coins for some reason, despite the fact that many of them are common. Here are a handful from my current inventory...

 

cons1.jpg.97dfb5327835c629ea66a0bcdd46a1c0.jpg

cons2.jpg.d10ecca72848b59bd1e6b4223702af06.jpg

cons3.jpg.f9e29e039308de85c13b7408f287a6c5.jpg

cons4.jpg.1c4da58e8607ccbdad7d7c389ff0ad10.jpg

cons5.jpg.cc0232fc586d0dcd86a5bc875fd31498.jpg

 

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2 minutes ago, expat said:

Some great examples shown. Those few that I have from that era are Constantine II or Constantius II. The exception is this one that I couldnt resist.

CONSTANTINEI.jpg.d667942c22e6239fdb556bdde6282a87.jpg

 

There aren't many LRB's that reference specific historical events. This is one of them. It commemorates Constantine's victory over the Sarmatians, who he fought on the Pannonian stretch of the limes, earning him the newly-invented title Samarticus Maximus.

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I particularily like this one of yours @Valentinian

3 hours ago, Valentinian said:

 


Constantine3IOVICONSERVATORI2437.jpg.dc0f4f01ff449a4b3883e98d31bfe88f.jpg

 

I don't have a lot of Constantine the Great myself, but some are very attractive nonetheless

 

0f850a2c996c46b9b8a02dce27d9c962.jpg

Constantine the Great, Follis - Nicomedia mint, 2nd officina, c. AD 311
IMP C FL VAL CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; Laureate head right
VIRTVTIE-XERCITVS Mars/Virtus advancing right in military dress, holding transverse spear and shield ; trophy over shoulder. B in right field. SMN in exergue.
4.88 gr, 22 mm
RIC-, C-, Roman coins -
RIC lists this type only for Licinius and Maximinus . "Iovi Conservatori and Virtuti Exercitus both appear for Licinius and Maximinus, emissions for the former being the more scarce: coinage for Constantine is extremely rare. Date, c. 311". Coin should be listed after NICOMEDIA 70c.
Please see Victor Clarks website for further information at :http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/unlisted/

 

Q

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A couple of somewhat unusual types for Constantine:

An Ae3 type from Rome (RIC 207):

Obv: CONSTANTINVS AVG; Helmeted and cuirassed bust right

Rev: VOT X / ET XV F / RQ; Legend within wreath

ConstantineVOTXETXVF3.jpg.948c7733c607cb22b7a81680fd44ac2e.jpg

An Ae Follis type from Trier (RIC 229):

Obv: CONSTANTINVS AVG; Helmeted and cuirassed bust right

Rev: VICTORIAE LAET P P; Two Victories holding shield inscribed VOT / PR over altar; STR in exergue

ConstantineVICTORIAELAETPP6.jpg.3bb76d8b701110a778d69ba92f7e47fa.jpg

 

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Posted · Supporter

Nice coins. Here are a couple of my favorite Constantine coins:

ConstantineIAE3Trophy-captives.jpg.63cc5604772168809840bfb6f66c1b5e.jpg

CONSTANTINE I, AD 306-337
AE3 (21.05mm, 3.61g, 12h)
Struck AD 320. Treveri mint
Obverse: CONSTA-NTINVS AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Constantine I right
Reverse: VIRTVS EXERCIT, trophy, with two captives seated back to back at base; T|F in fields, STR in exergue
References: RIC VII 279, RCV 16313
Dark patina with areas of flat strike. Good style and details. From the Dieter Alten Collection.

 

 

ConstantineIAE3Vexillum-captives.jpg.c7b9e51ad1f8861ca805f24e56c5f6b9.jpg

CONSTANTINE I, AD 306-337
AE3 (19.92mm, 3.34g, 1h)
Struck AD 320-321. Treveri mint
Obverse: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Constantine I right
Reverse: VIRTVS EXERCIT, vexillum inscribed VOT/XX in two lines, with two captives seated back-to-back at base; T|F in fields, •PTR in exergue
References: RIC VII 291, RCV 16318 (corr.)
Excellent portrait and reverse detail. From the Adrian Lang Collection.

 

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5 hours ago, Victor_Clark said:

I buy a lot of Constantine coins. Most recently--

 

 

 

Love that Constantine with him holding a bunch of spears about to go bonzo (on a falling horseman?)

Would you be okay with me adding that one to my database for possible publishing?

Rasiel

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Constantine I is for when I want a bit of variety in the reverses of London mint coins.

Constantine I Nummus, 310-312
image.png.07eb493c4e17cd26837fcec89a1193ab.png
London. Bronze, 23mm, 4.28g. Bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, right; CONSTANTINVS P F AVG. Constantine I, draped, cuirassed, riding left, raising right hand and holding up spear with left hand; horse treading seated captive to left; ADVEN-TVS AVG N; Star in right field; PLN (RIC 142).

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Constantine I Nummus, 310-312
image.png.43be9697ba6758f641d47662f83ee441.png
London. Bronze, 22mm, 4.76g. Laureate and cuirassed bust of Constantine I right; CONSTANTINVS P F AVG. Concordia, draped, standing left, holding signum in each hand; star in left field; CONCOR-D MILIT; PLN in exergue (RIC 195).

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Constantine I Nummus, 312-313
image.png.95987b7382cec0fbd2b59c46f903cc01.png
London. Bronze, 24mm, 4.04g. Laureate and armoured bust of Constantine I right, draped over the shoulder, seen from three quarters forward; CONSTANTINVS P F AVG. Laureate Constantine I, militarily dressed standing right, holding a globe in his left hand and an inverted pole in his right hand; PRINCIPI IV-VENTVTIS; Star in left field; PLN in exergue (RIC 265).

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2 hours ago, rasiel said:

Love that Constantine with him holding a bunch of spears about to go bonzo (on a falling horseman?)

Would you be okay with me adding that one to my database for possible publishing?

Rasiel

 

Sure, but it is not a very good example of the type.

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On 4/10/2024 at 8:11 PM, Victor_Clark said:

I buy a lot of Constantine coins. Most recently--

 

Aquileia_98b.jpg.5fb5c6e5a96b5eba1e80811a78e65993.jpg

 

Very interesting, also from a military historical perspective. Usually, the emperor holds one spear and a shield, but this coin seem to show a more realistic depiction, where the emperor holds two more spears in the left hand together with the shield, so he hold throw three spears before he draws the gladius.

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1 hour ago, Tejas said:

Very interesting, also from a military historical perspective. Usually, the emperor holds one spear and a shield, but this coin seem to show a more realistic depiction, where the emperor holds two more spears in the left hand together with the shield, so he hold throw three spears before he draws the gladius.

These seem to be two different types of spears. When we see a soldier/emperor with one spear, it's invariably a long spear, aka a "pilum". Apparently they would often carry two of these rather than just one, although the coins only show one.

The coins where the emperor is holding multiple shorter spears are presumably depicting "plumbata" which were more dart-like, with the name deriving from a lead (plumbum) weight near the front of the projectile to give it more momentum and make it self-correcting in flight.

 

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