Featured CONSTANTINOPLE on FIRE

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, Sep 2, 2020.

  1. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    CONSTANTINOPLE Mint

    [​IMG]
    Romanoi
    Manuel I Comnenus,
    CE 1143-1180
    Aspron trachy, 35mm, 4.6g, 6h;
    Constantinople mint.
    Obv.: Nimbate Christ, bearded, seated on backless throne facing, wearing pallium and colobium; book of Gospels in his left hand; IC (overlined) and XC (overlined) on either side, no stars in fields.
    Rev.: MANVHL DECPOT; Manuel, standing facing wearing crown, divitision, and loros, holding globus cruciger in his left hand and labarum in his right hand, is crowned by the nimbate Virgin standing facing, wearing pallium and maphorium..
    Reference: SB 1966
    Ex: @John Anthony


    [​IMG]
    BZ Andronicus II - Michael IX AD 1295-1320 AR Basilikon 22mm 2.1g Constantinople Christ enthroned - Andronicus l Michael r labarum DOC V 1 Class VIII
     
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  3. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    I think your coin is from a collection that went for sale at a couple of German dealers, with coins we have talked about before here. Likely a collection of Asian trachea rather than from Constantinople. This one might also be a from Magnesia or another similar Asia Minor mint, check out the style and dimensions and contrast with this one at AE24mm 1.98g:

    1057664_1582380901.jpg
     
  4. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    ROMAN EMPIRE CONSTANTINOPLE MINT

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    Marcian, AD 450-457
    AE4, 11mm, 1g, 6h; Constantinople mint, AD 450-457.
    Obv.: DN MARCIANVS PF AVG; Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
    Rev.: Monogram 2+ within wreath // CON
    Reference: RIV X Marcian 545, p. 282.
    From the Doug Smith Collection, #1753


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    Roman Empire
    Aelia Eudoxia
    wife of Arcadius
    395-401 CE
    AE3 2.8g 17mm
    crowned by hand of God Enthroned
    Constantinople mint
    RIC 79


     
  5. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Thanks, @seth77! I didn't mean to imply that it was minted in Constantinople and should have clarified. It's the reverse design (showing the city) that made me include it in the thread.

    Nice seraphim! This assarion (Andronicus II and Michael IX) is usually represented as being a Constantinople mint product, though I don't know if that's accurate:
    Screen Shot 2020-09-02 at 7.10.27 PM.jpg
     
  6. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  7. willieboyd2

    willieboyd2 First Class Poster

    Two Byzantine Justinian coins from Constantinople:

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    Justinian AE Follis
    Bronze, 30 mm, 17.98 gm, Struck: AD 527-538, Sear 158
    Obverse: Justinian facing right, D N IVSTINI-ANVS PP AVG
    Reverse: Large letter 'M', star left, cross top, cross right, G under 'M', CON below (Constantinople mint)

    Philip Grierson's book Catalogue of late Roman coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (Dumbarton Oaks, 1992) places the Constantinople mint for bronze coins near the "Golden Gate". Gold coins were minted at the "Great Palace".

    [​IMG]
    The Golden Gate, Castle of the Seven Towers, Yedikule, Istanbul

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    Justinian Solidus Victory
    Gold, 21 mm, 4.43 gm
    Struck: AD 527-537 Constantinople
    Obverse: Justinian facing 1/4 right, holding spear over shoulder
    Reverse: Victory standing facing holding cross and globe

    There was some discussion on another forum about whether the spear the emperor is holding is an ordinary spear or the Christian holy relic, the "Holy Lance of Longinus" or "Spear of Destiny", which was the lance that a Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus as he hung on the cross. The Spear was supposed carried into battle by the Emperor Constantine, among others.

    :)
     
  8. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Inspired by this thread, I just bought the coin below, because it is from the very first series produced at the Constantinople mint in 326-7, when there were only 2 officinae (as Ocat mentioned):

    Screen Shot 2020-09-03 at 11.04.54 AM.jpg

    For those who are interested, here are the details for all the coins in that first series. (My new coin is the most common, but they are all quite rare, judging by acsearch results.)

    CONSTAN–TINVS AVG, laur. hd r., PROVIDEN–TIAE AVGG. Camp gate, two turrets, no doors; star above. CONS, officina (A or B) in left field. (RIC 7)

    CRISPVS NOB CAES, laur. dr. & cuir. bust r., PROVIDEN–TIAE CAESS. Otherwise as previous. (RIC 8)
    (NOTE: Crispus was executed in 326, so his rare coins from this issue can be definitively dated to that year.)

    CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, laur. dr. & cuir. bust r., otherwise as previous. (RIC 9
    (NOTE: Officina Γ means it's not from this series.)

    FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laur. dr. & cuir. bust left, rest as previous except only officina A. (RIC 10)
    (NOTE: Officina A is actually ambiguous between this and RIC 21 in the second series, so probably to be avoided. Officina S is not part of this series; also if the bust isn't draped it doesn't belong in this series. If you want to be sure the coin is from the first series, don't buy Constantius.)

    FL HELENA AVGVSTA, Diademed & mantled, with necklace, SECVRITAS REIPVLICE. Securitas stg. l., lowering branch, raising robe with r. hand. CONS, officina (A or B) in left field. (RIC 11)

    FLAV MAX FAVSTA AVG, bare head, waved hair, mantled; SALVS REI–PVBLICAE. Salus stg. front, looking l., head veiled; two children in her arms. CONS, officina (A or B) in left field. (RIC 12)
    (NOTE: Fausta was executed in 326, so her rare coins from this issue can be definitively dated to that year.)

    The last three have the officina in the exergue rather than the left field.

    No obv. legend (anepigraphic), laur. hd. r., CONSTAN/TINVS/AVG in three lines, wreath above. CONSA. (RIC 13)

    as previous but CONSTAN/TINVS/CAESAR, star above. CONSB (RIC 14)

    CONSTANTIA N F, bare head w/ pinned plaits, mantled, with necklace; SOROR CONSTANTINI AVG. Wreath enclosing PIET/AS PVB/LICA. CONSB. (RIC 15)

    This is working just from RIC... any corrections due to more recent research would be most welcome! (@Victor_Clark?)
     
  9. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    Was this from the last Roma sale?
     
  10. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Nope, I just got it on VCoins. :)
     
  11. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    Some of my favorite coins from the Constantinople Mint :D.

    Theodosius II, Sear 21127.jpg
    2491169-005, AK Collection.jpg
    2101304-004, AK Collection.jpg
    4790075-008, AK Collection.jpg
     
  12. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I'm late to the party, but thank you @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix for the excellent writeup! Three of my favorite LRBs, from the Constantinople mint...

    Constantine I - Follis Dattari Gloria Exercitus 2344.jpg
    CONSTANTINE I
    AE3. 3.4g, 21.3mm. Constantinople, AD 327-328. RIC VII Constantinople 22 (R3). O: CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed head right. R: GLORIA EXERCITVS, soldier standing left, looking right, holding spear and resting hand on shield; Γ in left field, CONS in exergue.
    Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection

    Constantine - Constantiniana Dafne Eyes to Heaven.jpg
    CONSTANTINE I
    AE3. 3.12g, 20mm. Constantinople mint, AD 328. RIC VII Constantinople 32. O: CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed head of Constantine right, looking up to the heavens. R: CONSTANTINI-ANA DAFNE, Victory seated left on cippus, palm branch in left hand and laurel branch in right hand, looking right, spurning a captive kneeling left with head turned right; a shield at her foot and a trophy before her; gamma in left field, CONS in exergue.

    Constantine I - Libertas Pvblica.jpg
    CONSTANTINE I
    AE3. 3.15g, 19mm, Constantinople mint, AD 327-328. RIC VII 25 (R2). O: CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed head right. R: LIBERT-A-S PVBLICA, Victory standing with head left on a galley, holding up a wreath in each hand; CONS in exergue, B in left field.

    And a song for the road...

     
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