Valentinian Posted April 10 · Member Share Posted April 10 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. 20.5-18.2 mm. 2.56 grams. Struck 316 at Nicomedia. RIC VII Nicomedia 12. Crisp strike and little or wear. 22.8-21.6 mm. 3.45 grams. Struck c. late 312 at Thessalonica RIC VI Thessalonica 61b. Also little or no wear. 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. 25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Victor_Clark Posted April 10 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted April 10 I buy a lot of Constantine coins. Most recently-- 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 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 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 23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeandAcre Posted April 10 · Member Share Posted April 10 @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! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAZ Numismatics Posted April 10 · Member Share Posted April 10 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... 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted April 10 · Supporter Share Posted April 10 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. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAZ Numismatics Posted April 10 · Member Share Posted April 10 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. 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. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcumbor Posted April 10 · Supporter Share Posted April 10 I particularily like this one of yours @Valentinian 3 hours ago, Valentinian said: I don't have a lot of Constantine the Great myself, but some are very attractive nonetheless 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 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O-Towner Posted April 10 · Member Share Posted April 10 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 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 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted April 10 · Supporter Share Posted April 10 Nice coins. Here are a couple of my favorite Constantine coins: 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. 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. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasiel Posted April 11 · Member Share Posted April 11 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted April 11 · Supporter Share Posted April 11 Constantine I is for when I want a bit of variety in the reverses of London mint coins. Constantine I Nummus, 310-312 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). 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted April 11 · Supporter Share Posted April 11 Constantine I Nummus, 310-312 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). 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted April 11 · Supporter Share Posted April 11 Constantine I Nummus, 312-313 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). 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Victor_Clark Posted April 11 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted April 11 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severus Alexander Posted April 11 · Supporter Share Posted April 11 I agree, you can't go wrong with Constantine! A couple favourites are this early London follis (his first coin): And this eyes-to-heaven anepigraphic Dafne: More in keeping with the OP (numismatic snacks) is this humbler coin. I love the baby face! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tejas Posted April 15 · Member Share Posted April 15 On 4/10/2024 at 8:11 PM, Victor_Clark said: I buy a lot of Constantine coins. Most recently-- 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heliodromus Posted April 15 · Member Share Posted April 15 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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