Ancient Coin Question

Hi, uhhh, I'm not from around here, I'm from up north where we pay someone to put coins in these funny little plastic capsules and tell us what its worth. I'm not sure if I'm in the right place....let me check my map....
ha ha

All jokes aside.
I need help attempting to mentally recollect what ancient coin I had that I have lost.
If anyone can show me some pictures based on the description I provide that would be awesome. I don't know dang so my terminology will be off.

Price $5 from a dealer at a show when I was just starting out
Roman Coin
About the size of your ring finger fingernail
Redish brow with dark brown or black devices(some toning of sorts?)
Very common

Can anyone help?
Thanks

 

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Could be anything, but, depending on when you acquired the coin, my guess is a late Roman bronze at that price. Of course, if you paid $5 back when @dougsmit was a young-un, I may be way off. Back then 5 bucks went a long way.

 

something like this?https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/praefectus_coins/130/product/valens_ae_follis/972112/Default.aspx

 

No I paid $5 about 2 years ago.

 

Possible, I know it had a head on the obverse.
@Gavin Richardson -my coin was (semi)similar to your coin on your avatar

 

"About the size of your ring finger fingernail..."

Sounds like an AE4 (small size) LRB (late Roman Bronze).

I'd search VCoins for "AE4" and see if you see anything familiar. Like so: https://www.vcoins.com/en/Search.as...cords=100&SearchOnSale=False&Unassigned=False

 

So you may have had an AE3 or AE4 of Constantine or his sons, of which there are literally hundreds (thousands?) of variations. You may just have to use these search terms in VCoins to see something that matches what's in your memory.

 

But would a constantine like coin make sense for a $5 junk bucket purchase?

 

And what is AE3 and AE4?

 

any of these look right?millions of types to choose from.

 

Yeah I agree. Kind of an impossible determination. At least I learned something...

 

Yes it would. It is one of the most common ancient coins. Btw, AE means copper(bronze), and 3 and 4 are sizes. An AE 4 is small, about the size of your fingernail.

 

1. Yes. 4th c. coins were struck in the millions; those with wear often end up in "pick bins."

2. See: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/voc5.html

AE1 = over 25mm
AE2 = 21 - 25mm
AE3 = 17 - 21mm
AE4 = under 17mm

 

WAIT! I may have just found the coin on VCoins!
https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/da...veiled_and_standing_right/909127/Default.aspx

Constantine I The Great AE4 Constantine veiled and standing right Date: 306-337 AD 15mm

Obverse: DV CONSTANTINVS P T AVGG- Veiled head of Constantine, right

Reverse: VN MR. Constantine veiled and standing right. Crusty!!
(pasted the write up from the website)

 

CONSTANTINE I
AE4
OBVERSE: DV CONSTANTINVS P T AVGG, veiled head right
REVERSE: VN-MR to either side of Constantine, standing right, togate & veiled, SMANS in ex.
Struck at Antioch, 337-355 AD
2.1g, 15mm
RIC VIII 112

Maybe? I paid $9 a couple of years ago

 

This one or the one I linked. They are both pretty close in design

 

Oh I definitely like you guys...
Thanks for all the help!

 

Yes. These are very common and could be in pick bins.

[DV [Divus] CONSTANTINVS PT AVGG], “Divine Constantine, father [pater] of the Augusti” (-GG refers to the sons Constantius II and Constans.) Veiled head right.

VN MR [(VENERANDAE MEMORIAE; “To the venerated memory”; Emperor veiled, standing right.

Victor Clark: “After Constantine died in 337, his sons issued posthumous coins in honor of their father. Constantine was the last Emperor to be consecrated and deified on coins.”

 

You predicted the future! I just bought a coin very similar to this as my first ancient