Hi all, I find these AE late Roman Bronze interesting and very affordable for the newer Ancient Coin collector like myself. These coins are drenched with History and it's fun to learn the interesting stories these coins can tell. Helena, or Saint Helena (Greek: Ἁγία Ἑλένη, Hagía Helénē, Latin: Flavia Iulia Helena Augusta; c. 250 – c. 330), was an Empress of the Roman Empire, and mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. Born in Drepana, Bithynia in Asia Minor, she became the consort of the future Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus (reigned 293–306) and the mother of the future Emperor Constantine the Great (reigned 306–337). She ranks as an important figure in the history of Christianity and of the world due to her major influence on her son. In her final years, she made a religious tour of Syria Palaestina and Jerusalem, during which she allegedly discovered the True Cross. Pious beliefs also associate her to the foundation of the Vatican Gardens. Helena A.D. 328- 329 18x19mm 3.4gm FL HELENA AVGVSTA; diademed and draped bust right. SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE; Securitas standing left, lowering branch, raising robe with right hand. In ex. SMNΓ RIC VII Nicomedia 159 http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=3379#sthash.3qkw3JxA.dpbs Feel free to share any you have. Would love to see them.
Helena (324 - 330 A.D) Æ3 O: FL HELENA AVGVSTA, Draped bust right. R: SECVRITAS-REIPVBLICE, Securitas standing left. Siscia Mint, 5th offcina 19mm 2.8g RIC 218
Nice coin! Definitely a lot of bang for the buck with the Constantine and later Roman coins. One of these days I too want to get one of Helena, who is possibly the first Crazy Cat Lady
Here's a posthumous issue by the sons of Constantine I commemorating the two wives (Helena and Theodora) of Constantius I (AD 305-306), their paternal grandfather. Helena died about eight years before this coin was issued. It's tiny. Helena, Augusta AD 324-228/30 Roman billon reduced centenionalis; 1.24 g, 13.4 mm Trier, AD 337-340 Obv: FL IVL HELENAE AVG diademed and draped bust, right Rev: PAX PVBLICA, Pax standing left, holding olive branch and transverse scepter; in exergue TR S Refs: RIC viii, p. 144, 78; LRBC I 119; Cohen 4; RCV 17492.
Definitely an interesting character from the 4th century Here's the one I have minted at Heraclea Helena, AE3 Heraclea mint, 5th officina FL HELENA AVGVSTA, draped and diademed bust right SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE, Helena standing left, holding branch and raising her dress. dot SMHE dot at exergue 2.9 gr Ref : Cohen # 12, LRBC # 879 Q
Beautifull coins everyone, thanks for sharing I am doing my workout(weights) while bidding on Spink Auction, usually do not multi-task. Working out OK this morning By days ends, I will be lighter in body weight/ and the wallet.
She also commissioned a chapel to be built on the site of the burning bush on the flanks of Mt. Sinai. I visited a few years back and climbed the steps of repentance (over 3,000 steps) which takes you to the top of Mt. Sinai. The fortified structure is dated between 527-565 (Justinian's time). See below... Also, great coins everyone!
Thank you to the OP for sharing his cool coin and also for some historical background. I agree: LRBCs are relatively inexpensive in proportion to the amount of visual and historical interest attached to them. Here's my Helena, also with SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE reverse: Helena (mother of Constantine I); c. 250–330 CE (Augusta 306–30 CE). Æ3, Antioch mint, struck c. 327–8 CE; 20mm, 3.58g, 6h. C 12, cf. LRBC 1355 (SMANTA mintmark), RIC VII 80b (R5), Sear 16227. Obv: FL HELENA AVGVSTA; diademed and mantled bust right, wearing earrings and necklace. Rx: SECVRITAS – REIPVBLICE; Securitas standing left, lowering branch with right hand, raising hem of robe with left hand; SMANTB in exergue. Very rare with this mintmark, more common with • [dot] SMANTB. From the Elvira E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection (misidentified by seller as from Heraclea mint but with SMANTI mintmark [Antioch]).
Beautiful St. Helenas, everyone. I will not even show the Helena coin which I found in a group of crusties and have not worked on since my cleaning skills improved. I'll enjoy your coins until I get my Helena tidied up. But I do have this St. Helena. It is a 2" x 3" (approx) prayer card. Also, she is called St. Elena on the card.
Yes. she does @Cucumbor. Poetic license, perhaps? Now that you mention it, almost all the 'ancient' saints in my prayer card collection are beautiful and youthful looking. Only the more modern saints are realistic as to age and beauty. St. Helena could not have possibly looked as youthful as she appears on this card at the time she purportedly discovered the "True Cross."
I got one! Helena, Mother of Constantine I. AE Follis, 325-330 AD O: FL HELENA AVGVSTA, Pearl-diademed and mantled bust right, wearing necklace. R:SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE, Securitas standing left, holding branch pointing down; ∙ΓSIS in ex., Siscia mint, RIC 204. 20 mm, 2.6g
NF means Nobilissima Femina which is a very high title also given to her daughter in law Fausta. These were only struck at Thessalonica. Helena 318 to 319 AD Mint: Thessalonica AE Follis Obvs: HELENA N F, bare head right, waved hair, mantled. Revs: Laurel wreath enclosing eight pointed star. 17x18mm, 3.05g Ref: RIC VII.505.50, Vagi 2898
Constantine and Helena were the first saints of the Christian church. Here is the reverse of a gold hyperpyron of Alexius III (1195-1203) showing St. Constantine next to Alexius holding the patriarchal cross. Note to the left of St. Constantine you can see the O with a dot in it for "O hagios" or "saint" and the "K" and "W" (omega) of Constantine.
Nice @old49er ! These are cool affordable little nuggets of history... My Helena: RI Helena mother Constantine AE Follis Securitas Nicomedia mint 325-326 CE 19mm 3.3g RIC-95 Sear 16619
