Featured Showing LRBs some love and attention...

The past number of months I've been focusing more on coinage between Augustus and Gordian, and seem to have been neglecting my LRBs (about 2 dozen), most of which had not even had their photo taken yet. So here's a thread where I'll progressively post those in 5-6 coin chunks over the course of the coming days or something as to not inundate you with too much infinite scrolling.

LATE ROMAN BRONZE
​

If you have similar coins please share!
Or if you have more info on one, share that too!
Or if I have messed up the IDing, feel free to correct me!
Thanks!!​

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I'll start with some basics of the LRB collecting lineup:


Constantine I, AE3
Rome Commemorative, 335-337 AD
Obverse: VRBS ROMA, helmeted head of Roma left, wearing imperial mantle and ornamental necklace.
Reverse: She-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, two stars above.
Exergue: SMANΘ
Reference: RIC VII Antioch 91/113



Constantine I, AE3
Constantinople Commemorative, 337-347 AD
Obverse: CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS, bust of Constantinopolis left, wearing laureate and crested helmet, necklace and ornamental mantle over left shoulder, holding scepter.
Reverse: Victory standing left, foot on prow, holding transverse sceptre and resting left hand on shield with central boss, Star (or dot?) in top right field.
Exergue: SMANI.
Reference: RIC VIII Antioch 38



Constantius II, AE3
Antioch Mint, 350-355 AD
Obverse: D N CONSTAN-TIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: FEL TEMP - REPARATIO, Soldier, helmeted, draped, cuirassed, advancing left, spearing fallen horseman with right hand and wearing shield on left arm; shield on ground to right; horseman falling forward onto neck of horse.
Exergue: ANH
Reference: RIC VIII Antioch 188



Constans I, AE3
Struck 348-350 AD, Siscia Mint, Celebration of Rome’s 1100th Anniversary
Obverse: DN CONSTA-NS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: FEL • TEMP • REPARATIO, phoenix, radiate, standing right on rocky mound.
Exergue: ΓSIS•
References: RIC VIII Siscia 232



Constantius II, AE3
Antioch Mint, 330-348 AD
Obverse: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers standing facing each other, each holding a spear and shield, two standards between them.
Exergue: SMANZ
References: RIC VII Antioch 88



Constantius II, AE3
Struck 330-333 AD, Heraclea Mint
Obverse: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: •GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, Two soldiers standing facing each other, each holds a spear and shield, two standards between them.
Exergue: •SMHA•
References: RIC VII Heraclea 133 var (bust type; RIC lists as helmeted)
(originally appears as rarity R2 for RIC 133 as written, but with the bust variation, who knows?)

 

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Nice!

 

Nice coins!

 

Those are some very nice examples.

 

None of these GLORIA EXERCITVS types have helmeted busts, except for the type with Roma or Constantinopolis obverses.

 

https://www.tesorillo.com/aes/home.htm


My favorite resource for LRBs.

 

I wonder if it's an error in the OCRE page ... Says helmeted, but also says laureate.
http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.7.her.133?lang=en

Looking at Helvetica's spreadsheet, it's the draping that makes it a var, and not a missing helmet as OCRE made me believe. @Victor_Clark can you confirm mine is draped AND cuirassed? I think it is, but this is one area that I have trouble determining draped and cuirassed vs just cuirassed.

 

I don't see evidence of its being draped. I would go with just cuirassed.

 

The most interesting of my many GLORIA EXERCITVS types:


Constantius II, Caesar AD 324-337.
Roman billon reduced centenionalis, 2.06 g, 16.7 mm, 6h.
Thessalonica, AD 335-336.
Obv: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: GLORI-A EXER-CITVS, two soldiers standing, two standards between them; SMTSΓ in exergue.
Refs: RIC vii, p. 526, 200; LRBC I 842; Cohen 104; RCV 17690.

Note: Not to be confused with the much more common earlier issue, RIC 185-186, which bears the reverse legend GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS.

The difference in the break in the inscription is meaningful. The reason is that the earlier issue bearing the typical GLOR-IAEXERC-ITVS legend was shared by father Constantine, Constantine II and Constantius II. The next issue added coins for the newly appointed Caesars Constans and Delmatius but before long they stopped making the two standards coins and switched to the lighter weight one standard design.

Numismatists noted that coins of Constans had the C of EXERCITVS moved from the top to the right side (i.e. GLORI-AEXER-CITVS), allowing the coins of the three people who made coins in both series to be separated according to the C position into those made before Constans and those made after he joined the group. This difference allows this coin to be dated to AD 335-336.

 

Ok, cool, then it'll be just RIC VII 133. No var.

 

Instead of posting all my LRBs (think I have about 42) here's a digital tray I made last night of my GLORIA EXERCITVS types I'll post as well as a few others related to what you shared @Justin Lee :




Time of Constantine, 330-333 AD
AE, follis, 17mm, 2.2g; 6h; Trier, AD 333-334
Obv.: VRBS ROMA; helmeted bust of Roma wearing imperial mantle left
Rev.: She-wolf standing left, with Romulus and Remus suckling beneath, two stars above, wreath between
In Ex.: TRS


Time of Constantine I, AD 306 - 337
EA, 1.7g, 19mm; 6h; Thessalonica, Greece
Obv.: CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS; bust left, laur. helmet, wearing imperial cloak, reversed spear
Rev.: Victory standing left on prow holding spear and shield
In Ex.: SMTS⌂


Constantius II, AD 337-361
AE Follis, 5g, 25mm, 12h; Antioch mint, 350-355
Obv.: D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Γ in left field, helmeted soldier left, spearing falling horseman who is clutching horse's neck
In Ex.: ANS

 

It is draped and cuirassed. Though not always discernible, on your example, over the right shoulder of Constantius II you can see the round fibula holding the cloak. A cuirassed only bust would not have this feature.

 

Well, I have over 80 of the falling horseman types. One day I'll photograph them all and do a major thread on FEL TEMP REPARATIOs. Nice coins @Justin Lee !

 

LRB:


Roman Empire
Verina, wife of Leo I, 457-475
20 mm. Corroded AEL VERINA AVG
SALVS REPVBLICAE,
Victory seated right,
inscribing chi-rho on shield.
CONE in exergue
RIC X, 656, "R3" possibly minted at Constantinople as the mint mark says, but circulated only near Cherson, in the north Black Sea Crimean region.
Ex: @Valentinian (http://augustuscoins.com/)

 

I need to add that your GLORIA EXERCITVS coin is RIC 133. There is an error in RIC for this listing and for 132, Constantine II. The bust types for these two listings need to be swapped. Constantius II is always draped and cuirassed and Constantine II is only cuirassed. If you look at examples online, you will see this pattern.

 

As you know, I specialize in London Mint coinage - mostly Tetrarchic, but I also have some post-Tetrarchy reduced weight folles/nummi:

RIC VII, London, Licinius, No. 3

• Reduced weight follis - 313 to 314
• O: Licinius laureate and cuirassed bust right - IMP LICINIVS PF AVG
• R: Genius with modius on head, chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera (rh) cornucopia (l) -GENIO POP ROM - PLN (exergue) S (l) F (r)

RIC VII, London, Constantine, No. 8

• Reduced weight follis - 312 to 314
• O: Constantine I laureate and cuirassed bust right - IMP CONSTANTINVS P AVG
• R: Sol with radiate crown, holding globe (lh) - chlamys over left shoulder - SOLI INVICTO COMITI - PLN (exergue) S (l) F (r)

RIC VII, London, Constantine I, No. 10

• Reduced weight follis - 312 to 314
• O: Constantine I laureate and cuirassed bust left - IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG
• R: Sol with radiate crown, holding globe (lh) - chlamys over left shoulder - SOLI INVICTO COMITI - PLN (exergue) S (l) F (r)

RIC VII, London, Constantine, No. 11

• 
  
  • Reduced weight follis - 312 to 314
  • O: Constantine I helmeted bust left with spear and shield - IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG
  • R: Sol with radiate crown, holding globe (lh) - chlamys over left shoulder - SOLI INVICTO COMITI - PLN (exergue) S (l) F (r)

 

A few more:

RIC VII, London, Constantine, No. 27

• Reduced weight follis - 314 to 315
• O: Constantine I laureate and cuirassed bust right - IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG
• R: Sol with radiate crown, holding globe (lh) - chlamys over left shoulder - SOLI INVICTO COMITI - MLL (exergue) S (l) F (r)

RIC VII, London, Constantine, No. 28

• Reduced weight follis - 314 to 315
• O: Constantine I laureate and cuirassed bust right - IMP CONSTANTINVS AG
• R: Sol with radiate crown, holding globe (lh) - chlamys over left shoulder - SOLI INVICTO COMITI - MLL (exergue) S (l) F (r)

RIC VII, London, Constantine, No. 43

• 
  
  • Reduced weight follis - 315
  • O: Constantine I laureate and cuirassed bust right - IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG
  • R: Sol with radiate crown, holding globe (lh) - chlamys over left shoulder - SOLI INVICTO COMITI - MLN (exergue) S (l) F (r)

 

I wish I could us my camera so you could see my coins but since my stoke and the
camera on the blink is can't.

 

Okay, I guess it's now time for part deux.


Probus, AE Antoninianus,
Struck 276-282 AD, Antioch Mint
Obverse: IMP CM AVR PROBVS PF AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: CLEMENTIA TEMP, emperor standing right, holding scepter and receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter, standing left, holding scepter, officina letter A in lower center.
Exergue: XXI
References: RIC V Antioch 922.



Probus, AE Silvered Antoninianus,
Struck 276-282 AD, Antioch Mint
Obverse: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right wearing the imperial mantle (draped).
Reverse: CLEMENTIA TEMP, Probus, in military attire, standing right, holding eagle-tipped scepter and receiving a globe from Jupiter, standing left, holding a scepter, officina letter Γ in lower center field.
Exergue: XXI
References: RIC V Antioch 921



Diocletian, AE Antoninianus
Struck 285 AD, Antioch Mint
Obverse: IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: IOV ET HERCV CONSER AVGG, Jupiter, standing right, holding globe in right hand and scepter in left hand, facing Hercules, standing left, holding Victory in right hand and club and lion's skin in left hand, officina letter B in lower center field.
Exergue: XXI
References: RIC V Antioch 323



Constantius II, AE3
Struck 347-348 AD, Antioch Mint
Obverse: D N CONSTAN-TIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed head right.
Reverse: VOT/XX/MVLT/XXX within a laurel wreath.
Exergue: SMANB
References: RIC VIII Antioch 113



Constantine II as Caesar, AE3
Struck 320-321 AD, Thessalonica Mint
Obverse: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left.
Reverse: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, VOT/V within laurel wreath terminated with a star.
Exergue: TSBVI (T almost looks like a Gamma)
References: RIC VII Thessalonica 120

 

Aww man, that is tough! I wish you could share them too and be able to have others appreciate the coins you're passionate about! Sharing your hobby with other enthusiasts is half of the pleasure! Is there anyone that could help? Let me know if there is anything I could do to help!