First Crispus from Rome ?

[Heliodromus]

The first issues of the caesars from Rome are interesting because together with Ticinum they show Constantine appointing his own caesars, Crispus and Constantine II, before recognizing Licinius II.

Unfortunately RIC VII makes a bit of a mess of these early issues.

In reality we have Crispus initially appearing with a bare head (i.e. non-laureate) and CRISPVS NOB CAES legend, then transitioning to a laureate bust and CRISPVS NOBIL CAES legend. Constantine II also initially appears with a bare head (with wavy hair) before transitioning to a laureate bust.

RIC also includes a number of coins (#60, 61, 81, 88) with a bare head and "CRISPVS NOBIL CAESAR" legend, all Vienna only, which all seem to be misreported, and should really have CRISPVS NOB CAES legend, as confirmed by a RIC 60 "legend variant", ex. Ramskold, that appeared in the recent Leu Web 30 sale (#2783).

The order of Rome issue marks including the caesars is:

1) -|-
2) -|* (and *|-)
3) A|-
4) wreath|-
5) T-in-wreath|-

The transition from bare to laureate busts, and new Crispus legend, occurs during issue 3 (A|-) where both busts exist.

The coin whose photo I opened the post with, a new acquisition, is RIC 95, and seems to be quite rare. None to be found on OCRE or Coin Archives (incl. Ramskold coll.) or other online resources such as the Nummus database. I'm pretty sure RIC has the wrong date/sequence order for this issue (-|-), positioning it between issues 3 & 4 above, despite the bare head and legend which indicate it at least coming before the "A" issue, and most likley before the "*" issue too as I've suggested above (issue #1). I'm guessing the reason for this RIC error is RIC 96, a unique coin (mis)reported from Oxford, supposedly from the same issue with an otherwise unattested and suspicious combination of laureate bust but early "CRISPVS NOB CAES" legend.

Here are my specimens of coins from these first 4 issues (1-4 above) for Crispus, showing RIC 95 as the first where I believe it belongs.

Note that RIC doesn't include Constantine II in the star issue, but they do exist per a specimen in the ANS, and two more in the Misurata hoard. I've not yet seen Constantine II in this first RIC 95 -|- issue, but given the rarity it's quite possible/likely that he exists there too, unless Constantine actually appointed Crispus as caesar before Constantine II.

 

 

Edited July 20 by Heliodromus

[ominus1]

.Crispus is  a tragic figure in history ....here's e pluribus unum of his in my collection...:)

[Heliodromus]

48 minutes ago, ominus1 said:

Crispus is  a tragic figure in history

Yes - it's amusing to think of what the (months long) family trip was like of Constantine's vicennial tour starting in the east and ending up in Rome. Quite a bit of tension I expect. Was Crispus really canoodling with Fausta?! Of course poor Crispus never made it home. He seems to have been alive when they arrived in Rome (included on the anepigraphic series), but then barely made it out of Italy - being killed on order of dad at Pola (modern Pula, Croatia).

[ominus1]

21 minutes ago, Heliodromus said:

Yes - it's amusing to think of what the (months long) family trip was like of Constantine's vicennial tour starting in the east and ending up in Rome. Quite a bit of tension I expect. Was Crispus really canoodling with Fausta?! Of course poor Crispus never made it home. He seems to have been alive when they arrived in Rome (included on the anepigraphic series), but then barely made it out of Italy - being killed on order of dad at Pola (modern Pula, Croatia).

...from Fausta's genetic point of view, she wanted her offspring to rule, so i strongly suspect skullduggery..on her part...and it would seem "dear old dad" did also later on..

Edited July 20 by ominus1

[Heliodromus]

2 minutes ago, ominus1 said:

...from Fausta's genetic point of view, she wanted her offspring to rule, so i strongly suspect skullduggery..on her part

Yes, I'd have to guess so too, but who knows ... Regardless it seems that it must have been during this family trip that she told Constantine. Where is Constantine's daily diary from this trip - I would love to read it!

 

[expat]

Nice collection of early Crispus examples.

I picked up one a few weeks ago, CRISPVS NOB CAES obverse from Aquileia,

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

 

[O-Towner]

There is a single issue from the Thessalonica mint which is a bit different than the typical Crispus as Caesar types. It's a bit rough with heavy patina but you can still make out much of the obverse legend.

Obv: CRISPVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES; Laureate bust right

Rev: PRINCIPIA IVVENTVTIS; Crispus with spear and shield; TS●Δ● in exergue

Edited July 20 by O-Towner

[Victor_Clark]

 

Here's his last issue from Constantinople...it's fairly rare, perhaps production stopped due to his execution.

 

 

Crispus
A.D. 326
19mm 2.7g
CRISPVS NOB CAES; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS; camp gate with two turrets and star between them; in left field B.
in ex. CONS
RIC VII Constantinople 8

[CPK]

Lovely coin @Victor_Clark

Here is my Rome mint Crispus:

CRISPUS as Caesar, AD 317-326
AE3 (20.48mm, 3.73g, 12h)
Struck AD 321. Rome mint
Obverse: CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Crispus right
Reverse: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM around wreath enclosing VOT X in two lines, R T below
References: RIC VII 238, RCV 16770
A particularly fine portrait of the young Caesar.

[O-Towner]

Some really nice coins shown!

Here's two more of his "as Caesar" from the Rome mint and I'm about done.

Rev: PRINCIPIA IVVENTVTIS; Crispus holding shield and spear upright: (RIC 87)

And a Rome mint campgate

Rev: VIRTVS AVGG; Campgate with closed doors, P - R across fields (RIC 180 var.):

 

[Orange Julius]

Interesting topic. I ran to see what I had… none from Rome, I do have two Crispi(?) of this/similar type from Aquileia and one from Arles but what stood out to me was this coin from Trier of Constantine II. The reverses are different but the bareheaded bust looks very much like the early Rome busts.

Constantine II AE follis. 317 AD. FL CL CONSTANTINVS IVN N C, bare head right, draped and cuirassed, seen from the back / PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Constantine II, laureate, in military dress, standing right, cloak spread and hanging down behind both shoulders, holding globe and transverse spear. F-T across fields. Known mintmarks: dot ATR
Trier RIC VII 172 

Edited July 21 by Orange Julius

[Orange Julius]

Here’s my Aquileia and Arles examples that are similar:

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.

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.

Crispus AE follis. AD 317. CRISPVS NOB CAES, Laureate draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / PRINCIPIA IVVENTVTIS, Mars, naked except for helmet and boots, chlamys flying out behind, advancing right, holding transverse spear and shield. R-S across fields. Mintmark QARL. RIC VII Arles 129.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I just realized I don't have a Crispus in my collection!

Mentally looking through my LRB's confirms it. 

Will have to remedy that. Rather I do have Delmatius and the other Constantinian kids but no Crispus.....weird

Nice examples, all.

Edited July 21 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

My only contribution will be the last emission of Crispus in Rome before his death. The minting of this type started after the fall of Licinius in 324 AD. This type is rated rare since Crispus disappeared from the coinage in 326 AD following his killing. Just not sure if I still own that coin. Maybe I gave it to a member here ?

[Heliodromus]

9 hours ago, Orange Julius said:

The reverses are different but the bareheaded bust looks very much like the early Rome busts.

Looking at Trier, the Claritas/Principi busts for the caesars are always laureate for Crispus and bare-headed for Constantine II, which corresponds to the "A" issue at Rome (before that both were bare headed, and after both were laureate). The "A" issue is also basically when the Claritas type was introduced at Rome, which is the type Trier started with (RIC 124-126), so it would appear that this is the time when Trier started these caesar types.

Here's two of mine for Constantine II from Rome, showing the transition from bare headed to laureate busts. Interestingly Trier only struck bare headed busts for Constantine II, and never transitioned to laureate ones in this series.

[mc9]

Here are 3 more Crispus coins, but I start in AD 318,

 

CRISPUS NOB CAES : bust laureate, draped and cuirassed right

PRINCIPIA IV – VENTVTIS // PÝQ : Mars standing left in military dress, chlamys across left shoulder, leaning on shield en holding reversed spear

RIC 7 ARLES nr 162; 2,41gr; 18,43 mm; 1,52 mm;AD 318

 

CRISPUS NOBIL CAES : bust laureate and cuirassed right

CLARITAS – RE – IE PUBLICAE A|/RT: Sol radiated, advancing left, raising right hand whip in left, chlamys flying

RIC 7 Rome nr 83 var; 3,49gr ; 20,50 mm; 1,71 mm; AD 317

 

CRISPUS NOB CAES : bust left, cuirassed with spear pointing forward, shield on left arm

VIRTU – S AVGG R|P/RP: campgate with closed doors, 3 turrets, 7 stone layers, dot over top of door

RIC 7 nr 180; 3,07gr; 16,56 mm; 1,96 mm; AD 318 - 319

Edited July 21 by mc9