A new addition to my Constantinian Portrait Gallery

[CPK]

Good morning/evening everyone! I hope the week is progressing well for you. I've been a bit under the weather the last few days - cold, seasonal allergies - but seem to be on the mend now.

I've always taken an interest in the history surrounding Constantine I - he was such an influential figure in world history. This interest has led to a small sub-collection: a portrait gallery of the family of Constantine, with an emphasis on artistic quality. So far, I've got Constantine himself, his father Constantius, wife Fausta, and eldest son Crispus. Recently, I've added a new one: Constantine's second son, and first by Fausta, Constantine II.

(Oh, and the coins must date from the lifetime of Constantine, so later issues of his sons as Augusti are out.)

Here's the coin, which happens to be a very rare type featuring a charming portrait of Constantine II as a young boy. The reverse inscription of "CLARITAS REIPVBLICAE" means "the brightness/distinction/renown of the Republic"

CONSTANTINE II as Caesar, AD 317-337
AE (21.02mm, 3.23, 6h)
Struck AD 317-18. Ticinum mint
Obverse: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES, draped and cuirassed bust of Constantine II right
Reverse: CLARITAS R-EIPVBLICAE, Sol, radiate, chlamys flying, advancing left, raising right hand and holding whip in left hand; P in left field, T T in exergue
References: RIC VII 81 (R5), RCV 17119
An extremely rare type in exceptional condition. Fine youthful portrait of Constantine II.

 

Thanks for looking! Feel free to comment and/or post your own Constantinian portrait coins!

[expat]

Nice addition, lovely portrait.

Here is Constantine I, Constantine II and Crispus

Constantine II AE follis. 337-340 AD. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, laureate head right / PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, campgate with no doors, two turrets and star above. Mintmark: Epsilon SIS double crescent.
Siscia 2.92 g, 19.2mm
RIC VII 216

Crispus AE follis. 316-317 AD. CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / PRINCIPIA IVVENTVTIS, Crispus in military dress, standing left with vertical spear, resting right hand on a shield at his side. Mintmark AQT. RIC VII Aquileia  9.
22 mm, 3,30 g

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

A rather tough looking portrait of Constantine. He was a man you didn't want to piss off. By now he was calling himself "The Great".

[O-Towner]

Here's another Constantine II as Caesar Ae3 camp gate type from Alexandria (dated 327/8 AD)

Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB: Laureate and cuirassed bust left

Rev: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS: Camp gate with star above, wreath to left and II to right, SMAL in exergue

 

Edited August 28, 2024 by O-Towner

[Orange Julius]

Nice coin! I love the bust style of Trier at this time and the sense of movement on the reverse. Here’s a similar coin for Constantine II but from Arles:

[hotwheelsearl]

How's this for a great portrait? Haha.

 

Probably my nicest Constantinian portrait is this one. Very charming kid!

 

[Victor_Clark]

this is one of the few Constantine II coins that I have--

 

 

Constantine II
A.D. 321
19mm 2.8g
CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, holding spear over shoulder and horse’s head by reins.
BEATA TRA-NQVILLITAS globe set on altar inscribed VOT/IS/XX; above, three stars.
in ex. PTR
cf. RIC VII Trier 314; RMBT 64

possible error in RIC…this coin might actually be RIC 314

 

 

[MrMonkeySwag96]

I find the reverse of your coin to be more impressive than the obverse. I love the fine style, well proportioned figure of Sol Invictus.

 

My only Constantine coin is an inexpensive, humble campgate:

 

 

I guess you can consider the Urbs Roma type to be a Constantine coin, though it depicts Roma rather than an emperor/caesar on the obverse:

 

 

Edited August 29, 2024 by MrMonkeySwag96

[hotwheelsearl]

23 hours ago, Victor_Clark said:

this is one of the few Constantine II coins that I have--

 

 

Constantine II
A.D. 321
19mm 2.8g
CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, holding spear over shoulder and horse’s head by reins.
BEATA TRA-NQVILLITAS globe set on altar inscribed VOT/IS/XX; above, three stars.
in ex. PTR
cf. RIC VII Trier 314; RMBT 64

possible error in RIC…this coin might actually be RIC 314

 

 

Victor, that’s incredible, I’ve never seen a horse head like that on any coin ever. You seem to be an absolute master in finding the rarest types possible!

[rasiel]

"Constantinians" is a pretty broad clan, stretching from Claudius II(!) all the way to Anthemius, and beyond.

Constantine had none of Claudius II's genes but he sure had clout, and the best PR machine ancient gold could buy. With bootlickin' fanboys like Eusebius and Lactantius doing the heavy lifting with their pens, Constantine could reverse adopt himself into El Gothicus's family tree: the better to raise his own cred in the Roman world. Whether the populace at large was gullible enough to believe it - whether it really mattered one way or the other - history does not record.

This here's a serviceable Claudius II ant that I bought as a placeholder to tide me over until the day I could get something more 'special'. Like, say, a cool 8-aureus medallion or similar. Seeing that that day is about as near as portable fusion reactors, it will likely linger around much more than initially anticipated. Its sharp features are growing on me so that's a bonus!

Shame on all y'all for forgetting the X-chromosome carrying side of the family! With Constantine's always-positive news network it's hardly a surprise that the slightest negative comment about Mom would be quickly erased from the eyes of posterity. Despite the heavy brush of whitewashing, Helena probably really was the most decent human being out of the whole lot of them. She dedicated herself to promoting Christianity and charity which, however way you spin it, is as admirable a profession as anyone could undertake. As for her coins, meh. With the very rare exception of her gold coinage, the pencil pushers in charge of determining Helena's numismatic output came up with mind-numbingly pedestrian and utilitarian fare.

Wait, I lied, her gold coins are just as boring!

Constans is the most chill among Constantine's four kids. There was big brother Crispus, the real-life star of a Greek tragedy. Constantine II, whose imperial aim was loftier than either his military acumen or his diplomatic finesse. Then lastly Constantius II, in whose veins ice water coursed and who possessed all the right ingredients to hold his old man's domains together. But Constans? He just sorta was. Liked to dabble in a bit of partying. A little of this, a little of that. Until the burly men skilled in wielding big knives, the ones sworn to watch his back, decided instead to poke a little steel into it. This coin would have been one of those guys' paychecks.

Let's skip way forward. With Anthemius we reach the other bookend; the last of Constantine's descendants to sit on the throne of the mighty Roman empire and to rest in its pantheon of immortals. Destitute though the nation of the Romans might have been at this terminal stage, they still had enough pride to look down on a Greek man being sent from faraway Constantinople to reign as their new overlord. The ingrates. However modest his list of credits as general and statesman when tallied against more familiar names of yore, he actually was the best man for the job. It didn't help. His enemies would eventually outwit him and his head rolled into a wicker basket.

This memento from those sad years was one of ancient Rome's last products of commerce. It was made by a skeleton crew working at a mint that was likely only open for business on the sporadic occasions soldiers walked in with some recovered loot that could be turned into coin. It's a minor miracle that it found its way to modern times, and a greater miracle that it found its home with me.

Rasiel

 

Edited August 30, 2024 by rasiel

[Qcumbor]

Beautiful OP coin @CPK, with a very noble portrait of a young lad enhanced by its earthen deposits. The reverse isn't bad either 

Constantius :

 

Helena :

 

Constantine :

 

Fausta :

 

Constantine II :

 

Q

[CPK]

Thanks all! A lot of great coins posted! 👍

On 8/28/2024 at 8:01 AM, expat said:

Nice addition, lovely portrait.

Here is Constantine I, Constantine II and Crispus

Constantine II AE follis. 337-340 AD. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, laureate head right / PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, campgate with no doors, two turrets and star above. Mintmark: Epsilon SIS double crescent.
Siscia 2.92 g, 19.2mm
RIC VII 216

Crispus AE follis. 316-317 AD. CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / PRINCIPIA IVVENTVTIS, Crispus in military dress, standing left with vertical spear, resting right hand on a shield at his side. Mintmark AQT. RIC VII Aquileia  9.
22 mm, 3,30 g

That's a great Constantine I portrait (the others are too!) and I like the SMARMATIA reverse: very sharp!

 

 

On 8/28/2024 at 8:09 AM, Ancient Coin Hunter said:

A rather tough looking portrait of Constantine. He was a man you didn't want to piss off. By now he was calling himself "The Great".

Powerful portrait! I like it. 👍

 

On 8/28/2024 at 10:13 AM, O-Towner said:

Here's another Constantine II as Caesar Ae3 camp gate type from Alexandria (dated 327/8 AD)

Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB: Laureate and cuirassed bust left

Rev: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS: Camp gate with star above, wreath to left and II to right, SMAL in exergue

 

Nice coin and patina!

 

On 8/28/2024 at 12:37 PM, Orange Julius said:

Nice coin! I love the bust style of Trier at this time and the sense of movement on the reverse. Here’s a similar coin for Constantine II but from Arles:

A great specimen, perfect centering with an even strike. That's a great Sol, in particular!

 

On 8/28/2024 at 4:40 PM, hotwheelsearl said:

How's this for a great portrait? Haha.

 

Probably my nicest Constantinian portrait is this one. Very charming kid!

 

Gotta love the imitations! 😄 Nice Constantine II too!

 

On 8/28/2024 at 9:46 PM, Victor_Clark said:

this is one of the few Constantine II coins that I have--

 

 

Constantine II
A.D. 321
19mm 2.8g
CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, holding spear over shoulder and horse’s head by reins.
BEATA TRA-NQVILLITAS globe set on altar inscribed VOT/IS/XX; above, three stars.
in ex. PTR
cf. RIC VII Trier 314; RMBT 64

possible error in RIC…this coin might actually be RIC 314

 

 

Very cool rarity Victor!

 

On 8/28/2024 at 10:35 PM, MrMonkeySwag96 said:

I find the reverse of your coin to be more impressive than the obverse. I love the fine style, well proportioned figure of Sol Invictus.

 

My only Constantine coin is an inexpensive, humble campgate:

 

 

I guess you can consider the Urbs Roma type to be a Constantine coin, though it depicts Roma rather than an emperor/caesar on the obverse:

 

 

Nothing humble about that campgate! It's a sterling example. The VRBS ROMA too - very sharp!

22 hours ago, rasiel said:

"Constantinians" is a pretty broad clan, stretching from Claudius II(!) all the way to Anthemius, and beyond.

Constantine had none of Claudius II's genes but he sure had clout, and the best PR machine ancient gold could buy. With bootlickin' fanboys like Eusebius and Lactantius doing the heavy lifting with their pens, Constantine could reverse adopt himself into El Gothicus's family tree: the better to raise his own cred in the Roman world. Whether the populace at large was gullible enough to believe it - whether it really mattered one way or the other - history does not record.

This here's a serviceable Claudius II ant that I bought as a placeholder to tide me over until the day I could get something more 'special'. Like, say, a cool 8-aureus medallion or similar. Seeing that that day is about as near as portable fusion reactors, it will likely linger around much more than initially anticipated. Its sharp features are growing on me so that's a bonus!

Shame on all y'all for forgetting the X-chromosome carrying side of the family! With Constantine's always-positive news network it's hardly a surprise that the slightest negative comment about Mom would be quickly erased from the eyes of posterity. Despite the heavy brush of whitewashing, Helena probably really was the most decent human being out of the whole lot of them. She dedicated herself to promoting Christianity and charity which, however way you spin it, is as admirable a profession as anyone could undertake. As for her coins, meh. With the very rare exception of her gold coinage, the pencil pushers in charge of determining Helena's numismatic output came up with mind-numbingly pedestrian and utilitarian fare.

Wait, I lied, her gold coins are just as boring!

Constans is the most chill among Constantine's four kids. There was big brother Crispus, the real-life star of a Greek tragedy. Constantine II, whose imperial aim was loftier than either his military acumen or his diplomatic finesse. Then lastly Constantius II, in whose veins ice water coursed and who possessed all the right ingredients to hold his old man's domains together. But Constans? He just sorta was. Liked to dabble in a bit of partying. A little of this, a little of that. Until the burly men skilled in wielding big knives, the ones sworn to watch his back, decided instead to poke a little steel into it. This coin would have been one of those guys' paychecks.

Let's skip way forward. With Anthemius we reach the other bookend; the last of Constantine's descendants to sit on the throne of the mighty Roman empire and to rest in its pantheon of immortals. Destitute though the nation of the Romans might have been at this terminal stage, they still had enough pride to look down on a Greek man being sent from faraway Constantinople to reign as their new overlord. The ingrates. However modest his list of credits as general and statesman when tallied against more familiar names of yore, he actually was the best man for the job. It didn't help. His enemies would eventually outwit him and his head rolled into a wicker basket.

This memento from those sad years was one of ancient Rome's last products of commerce. It was made by a skeleton crew working at a mint that was likely only open for business on the sporadic occasions soldiers walked in with some recovered loot that could be turned into coin. It's a minor miracle that it found its way to modern times, and a greater miracle that it found its home with me.

Rasiel

 

Great commentary and coins! I like the style on your Helena - I've been looking out for a nice one but they're not easy to find.

19 hours ago, Qcumbor said:

Beautiful OP coin @CPK, with a very noble portrait of a young lad enhanced by its earthen deposits. The reverse isn't bad either 

Constantius :

 

Helena :

 

Constantine :

 

Fausta :

 

Constantine II :

 

Q

A lovely gallery Qcumbor - Thanks for sharing!

[Coinmaster]

Hello @CPK, I don't own many coins from this era (yet!), but did manage to get my hands on this one:

Constantine I, 307/310-337. Follis (Bronze, 20 mm, 3.61 g, 1 h), Treveri, 2nd officina (B), 317.
Obv. IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG Laureate and cuirassed bust of Constantine I to right.
Rev. SOLI INVICTO COMITI / T-F/BTR Sol standing facing, head left, raising hand and holding globe in left.
RIC VII Trier 132. 

Interestingly, Constantine is known as the Christian emperor, but to his legions it was all about the sun-god sol!

[Al Kowsky]

On 8/29/2024 at 10:26 PM, hotwheelsearl said:

Victor, that’s incredible, I’ve never seen a horse head like that on any coin ever. You seem to be an absolute master in finding the rarest types possible!

Constantine I, AD 307-337 (struck 315). Ticinum Mint. AR 6.08 gm. NAC Auction 106, May 2018, price realized 250,000 CHF 😮.

[Al Kowsky]

[Al Kowsky]

On 8/28/2024 at 8:14 AM, CPK said:

Good morning/evening everyone! I hope the week is progressing well for you. I've been a bit under the weather the last few days - cold, seasonal allergies - but seem to be on the mend now.

I've always taken an interest in the history surrounding Constantine I - he was such an influential figure in world history. This interest has led to a small sub-collection: a portrait gallery of the family of Constantine, with an emphasis on artistic quality. So far, I've got Constantine himself, his father Constantius, wife Fausta, and eldest son Crispus. Recently, I've added a new one: Constantine's second son, and first by Fausta, Constantine II.

(Oh, and the coins must date from the lifetime of Constantine, so later issues of his sons as Augusti are out.)

Here's the coin, which happens to be a very rare type featuring a charming portrait of Constantine II as a young boy. The reverse inscription of "CLARITAS REIPVBLICAE" means "the brightness/distinction/renown of the Republic"

CONSTANTINE II as Caesar, AD 317-337
AE (21.02mm, 3.23, 6h)
Struck AD 317-18. Ticinum mint
Obverse: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES, draped and cuirassed bust of Constantine II right
Reverse: CLARITAS R-EIPVBLICAE, Sol, radiate, chlamys flying, advancing left, raising right hand and holding whip in left hand; P in left field, T T in exergue
References: RIC VII 81 (R5), RCV 17119
An extremely rare type in exceptional condition. Fine youthful portrait of Constantine II.

 

Thanks for looking! Feel free to comment and/or post your own Constantinian portrait coins!

CPK, That's a rare & superbly engraved portrait for the period 🤩!

[Alegandron]

Common CII’s…


RI Constantine II 337-340 CE AE3 GLORIA EXERCITVS Glory to the Army 2 Soldiers 2 Standards



RI Constantine II 337-340 CE AE3 VOT X