Popular LRB subsets/themes?

I expect I'll get many, many answers to this, but what are some popular subsets, themes, niches, etc that folks here like to collect within the overall category of Late Roman Bronzes?

I can already see the obvious like a Tetrarchy set, a certain dynasty, a reverse... but interesting combinations and permutations must be endless.

Share/brag/enjoy! I look forward to reading the responses.

 

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A very popular treasure hunt is for the various coins of Gallienus’ scrappy and cost-friendly Zoo series featuring tons of mythical and real animal reverses. Here’s 3... I have... many... haha.

 

I like the city commemoratives:

"VRBS ROMA":





CONSTANTINOPOLI(S):

 

The difficult VRBS ROMA FELIX series from the Rome mint just before the Gothic sack. Very late western lrb's are generally fun because they're so hard to find in decent condition.

 

I have to admit, I really tried at a point of collecting LRB’s. Lotta good coins posted by a lotta good folks on CT. However, I collect Historically, and I could not get enthused by the sunset of the Empire. Rather, I am fascinated by the foundations, and the expansions into an Empire during the Roman Republic. In fact, most of the size of the Empire was gathered during the Roman Republic from the 1st Punic War through to Augustus.

ROMAN REPUBLIC


RR Anon AR Heavy Denarius -Quadrigatus - Didrachm 225-215 BCE Incuse Roma Janus Jupiter driving fast Quadriga Craw 28-3 Sear 31



RR 234-231 BCE AR Heavy Denarius - Didrachm Apollo-Horse prancing Crawford 26-1 Sear 28


Here are some LRB’s

Here are some of my Constantinopolis


RI commem AE Follis CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS Victory Prow Shield RIC VII Trier 543 Left



RI Commem Urbs Constantinopolis Victory Commem



RI Commem AE 17 Constantinopolis 227-340 Victory Alexandria Mint RIC VIII 17 Left



RI ROMA CE 330-331Commem AE Follis 2.6g 20x16mm Lugdunum VRBS ROMA She-wolf Twins Stars RIC VII 247



Rome VRBS ROMA commem 330-331 CE Æ reduced centenionalis, 16mm, 2.5g, 12h; Trier mint, CE 330-331 She-wolf RIC VII 529



RI URBS ROMA 223-336 CE Romulus Remus She-wolf S R Alexandria mint AE 15mm 1.5g RIC VIII 8 C2



RI commem AE Follis Urbs ROMA She-wolf Rom Rem Stars RIC VII Lyons 242

 

You should also post these over in the Gallienus Zoo coin thread to which I just added my own latest additions!

But when are LRB's generally considered to begin? I don't really think of Gallienus coins as being "Late Roman." The zoo coins were minted in 267-268 AD, which wasn't that much more than halfway through the life of the Empire. I know that 300 or so was only 30 years later, but that's about when I think of LRBs beginning. Or maybe that's just me!

 

That’s a good question Donna and I’d expect there are a lot of different answers. You’re correct that many consider true Late Roman bronzes to be *edit death of Constantine and later... but I’ve always thought of them from both a collectors and historical perspective. So, I’ve always thought of LBRs as the common late bronzes that most of us stumble on to kick off our collections starting at the rock-bottom of the crisis of the third century onward. So for me... LBRs start in my mind (and I know I’m wrong haha... and would give you a different answer the next time I’m asked) at sole reign Gallienus.

 

historically, the LRB period begins with RIC VII (Constantine and Licinius), the death of Maximinus and a coin reform. I like to start earlier about A.D. 250-- when the coins stopped being silver and became silvered bronzes.

 

Big is beautiful !

Althought they're hard to find in nice condition and/or cheap, I really love the late big, fat AE1s


Magnentius, AE 1 - Amiens mint, AD 353,
D N MAGNEN TIVS P F AVG, Draped bust of Magnentius right
SALVS DD NN AVG ET CAES, Large christogram between alpha and omega. AMB at exergue
9.20 gr
Ref : Cohen #30, LRBC #19, Bastien # 135 (15 ex), RIC # 34 (C)



Julian II, AE 1 - Antioch mint, 3 rd officina
D N FL CL IVLI ANVS P F AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Julianus right
SECURITAS REIPUB, Bull to right, two stars above. ANT gamma between two branches at exergue
8.73 gr
Ref : Cohen #38, RC #4072, LRBC #2641



Jovianus, AE 1 - Antioch mint, 3 rd officina
D N IOVIAN VS P F AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Jovianus right
VICTORIA ROMANORVM, Jovianus standing, holding victory on a globe and labarum, ANT gamma at exergue
8.46 gr
Ref : RIC # 228, Cohen #22, RC #4085, LRBC #2645



Valentinian I, AE1 - Nicomedia mint, 1st officina
D N VALENTINI ANVS P F AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
RESTITVTOR REIPUBLICAE, Valentinian standing left, head right, holding standard and vicotry on globe. SMKA at exergue
9.66 gr
Ref : Cohen # 30, RIC #7a (R2), LRBC #2321



Valens, AE1 - Aquilea mint, AD 364
DN VALEN - S PF AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
RESTITVTOR REIPVBLICAE, Valens standing facing, head right, holding standard and victory. SMAQP at exergue
8.55 gr
Ref : Cohen # 40 (100Fr), RIC #6b

Q

 

Well, many collectors seem to collect LRBs by ruler. While some rulers are abundant (e.g. Constantine the Great and sons, Licinius, Valens, Valentinian I), others are common but not easy to find in good condition (e.g. Constantius Gallus, Theodosius, Valentinian II, Julian II, Arcadius), some are scarcer (e.g. Delmatius, Jovian, Magnentius and Decentius), and a few are outrightly rare (especially Procopius, Vetranio and Hannibalianus).

Others collect by reverse type or mint.

My own style of collecting LRBs is a bit of a mixture of these. I mainly try to find attractive examples of interesting reverse types for the main rulers:


Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE3, 312–313 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol, chlamys hanging behind, standing l., raising r. hand and holding up globe in l. hand. 20mm, 2.96g. Ref: RIC VI Rom 323a. Ex AMCC 2, lot 244.


City Commemorative under Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE 3, 331–334 AD, Cyzicus mint. Obv: CONSTANTINOPOLI; bust of Constantinopolis, laureate, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak, l. holding spear in r. hand. Rev: Victory, winged, draped, standing l. on prow, holding long sceptre in r. hand and resting l. hand on shield; in exergue, SMKE. 18mm, 2.49. Ref: RIC VII Cyzicus 92. Ex “Maridunum” collection; ex Forvm Ancient Coins; ex “The Red” collection; ex AMCC 2, lot 256.


Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 326AD, Trier. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, l. Rev: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, camp gate with two turrets, star above; in exergue, STR crescent. 19mm, 3.01g. Ref: RIC VII Treveri 479.


Delmatius, Roman Empire, AE4, 335–337 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: FL DELMATIVS NOB C; laureate, draped, cuirassed bust of Delmatius r. Rev: GLORIA EXERCITVS; two soldiers standing with one standard between them; mintmark SMANΘ. 15mm, 1.36g. RIC VII Antioch 112.


Constans, Roman Empire, AE3/4, 347–348 AD, Trier mint. Obv: CONSTANS P F AVG; bust of Constans, rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: VICTORIAE DD AVGGQ NN; two Victories, winged, draped, standing front, facing each other, each holding wreath in r. hand and palm in l. hand; between them, star; in exergue, TRS. 15.5mm, 1.38g. Ref: RIC VIII Treveri 188.


Magnentius, Roman Empire, centenionalis, bronze, 350–353 AD, Trier mint. Obv: DN MAGNENTIVS PF AVG, draped and cuirassed bust of Magnentius right, A behind. Rev: GLORIA ROMANORVM, Rider on horseback spearing barbarian left. 22 mm, 5.13 g. Ref: RIC VIII, Trier 271 S.


Constantius Gallus, Roman Empire, AE2, 351–355 AD, Constantinople mint. Obv: DN FL CL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAE; bust of Constantius Gallus, bare-headed, draped, cuirassed, r. Ref: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; Roman soldier l. spearing fallen horseman; in in fields, Γ•; in exergue, CONSB. 24mm, 4.20g. Ref: RIC VIII Constantinople 107.


Julian II, Roman Empire, AE1, 361–363 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: DN FL CL IVLIANVS PF AVG; diademed, draped, cuirassed bust of Julian II r. Rev: SECVRITAS REIPVB; bull standing r., two stars above; mintmark (branch) ANT (branch). 27.5mm, 8.54g. RIC VIII Antioch 216.


Theodosius I, Roman Empire, AE2, 378–383 AD, Siscia mint. Obv: DN THEODOSIVS PF AVG; bust of Theodosius I, diademed, draped and cuirassed, r. Rev: REPARATIO REIPVB; Emperor, head l., standing facing, with r. hand raising kneeling turreted woman, and holding Victory on globe in l.; in exergue, BSISC. 22mm, 5.44g. Ref: RIC IX Siscia 26C.


Arcadius, Roman Empire, AE2, 392–395 AD, Nicomedia mint. Obv: D N ARCADIVS P F AVG; bust of Arcadius, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed, r. Rev: GLORIA ROMANORVM; emperor, head r., standing facing, holding standard and globe. Ref: RIC IX Nicomedia 46B. 21.5mm, 5.23g.

 

+1

 

I think it was @Finn235 who recommended this relatively inexpensive set for someone starting out and who has the interest...

Collecting Constantine and immediate family
- Constantius I, his father
- Theodora, his stepmother
- Helena, his mother
- Fausta, his wife
- Crispus, Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans, his sons
- Delmatius, Gallus and Julian, his nephews

@Valentinian has a page that discusses collecting themes:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/catalogs/themes.html

 

Arcadius: GLORIA ROMANORVM type.

Arcadius, A.D. 395-408
AE22, 5.7 grams, Antioch mint

Obverse: D N ARCADI-VS P F AVG
Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: GLORIA ROMANORVM
Emperor standing facing, head right, holding standard and globe

Mintmark: ANT

Reference: RIC IX Antioch 68C, pg. 294

 

Also, Decentius as Caesar, a coin I am pulling the trigger on this morning.

24mm, 5.39 grams

DN DECENTIVS CAESAR

Reverse: VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE, two Victories holding shield inscribed VOT / V / MVLT

 

The LRB period (which I also count as starting with the death of Maximinus II until the reforms of Anastasius) is interesting in that most coins in any particular series you can think to collect are either common as dirt, or stupidly rare, without a lot in between.

Personally, I collect Roman emperors by title, that is

1) As Caesar, or another junior position subordinate to the actual emperor



2) As the emperor, the big cheese himself


3) And after death, although within this category there aren't a whole lot of people, as Constantine was the last emperor to receive a posthumous series


There is some challenge to doing this set for Constantine's family, but it's doable on a budget if you exclude Nepotian and go for a budget Hanniballianus.

Some of my favorites that are inexpensive but tough to find:

Constantine II was emperor for just a short while, but his coins as such are tough to find, compounded by how common his coins as Caesar are, and how most of his coins as Augustus are nearly identical to his father


Likewise, Constans was just a child when Constantine died, and his coinage as Caesar can be tough to track down, especially the ones with two standards


And from Siscia there is a rare and short series that gives his title as DN CONSTANTIS BEA C for Beatissimo Caesar, or Blessed Caesar.


Hanniballianus is the toughest to find, except Nepotian (another nephew, who usurped power in Rome during the war against Magnentius but was quickly put down - his coins run several thousand dollars and are heavily counterfeited). With a sharp eye, it is possible to snag a Hanniballianus for under $100 - I believe this one was only $90, and I found an uglier one in a group lot earlier this year


Also as a piece of general advice, ebay is the place to go for common LRBs in good shape - this is my favorite snag for only about $35

 

Lovely reading, glad I asked.

 

I can see the logic behind using metal composition as a dividing line. You have to draw a line somewhere because there's no clear demarcation, one reign sort of melds into another.

However, I think the coins of the mid-third century are much more similar to coins issued two centuries previously than they are to the coins issued only 50 years later. Coins of this era exist in recognizable denominations and with traditional pagan iconography. A radiate of Tetricus II, for example, apart from metal composition, is very similar to coins issued generations before it. Spes still walks left, holding a flower in one hand and raises the hem of her stola with the other, just as on a sestertius of Claudius from the first century.


In contrast, coins of the Constantinian era are the product of the coinage reform of Diocletian in AD 294, and gone are the denominations of the first three centuries of imperial coinage. Moreover, they are the product of an increasingly Christian Rome, and gone are the standard depictions of the pagan pantheon.

In summary, I consider "LRBC" to refer to the bronze coinage of the period historians call the "Dominate." The coins of the mid-third century, despite their debasement, clearly remain coins of the Principate, and I don't classify them as "late Roman" for this reason.

 

When we consider the coins it seems best to split the reign of Diocletian in two making the Post Reform issues the start of the Dominate and what we call Late Roman. The first of his coins are the end of the Principate. Early coins of Diocletian are a natural continuation of earlier silver issues but his folles started what would slide downhill into the miniscule coins of the 5th century.

This comes up two other places. Octavian/Augustus ended the Imperatorial period and began the Principate; Anastasius ended the Dominate and started the Byzantine. R.A.G. Carson did a book set split this way.
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Bo...alISdQXk-vhF2coJui6rzlC0ieZzCCFhoC0hkQAvD_BwE

 

Makes sense to me! I certainly didn't think it through remotely like you did, but it just didn't seem "right" to me to consider the mid-3rd century the dividing line and count coins issued under people like Gallienus as LRBs. As you say, except for metallic composition, they're a lot more like earlier Imperial issues than they're like coins of the 4th century.

 

coins of the Tetrarchy around 300 A.D. seem nothing like Constantinian coins of around 320 A.D.