I'm always on the lookout for rare & unusual portrait coins of the 1st Tetrarchy, with a special interest in the coinage of Constantius I Chlorus. After recently browsing through Peter Burbules' impressive website Akropolis Ancient Coins, I stumbled on a follis I couldn't live without. The acquisition of this follis inspired this thread. Pictured below are some different folles of Constantius I from my collection. Constantius I was one of four members of the 1st Tetrarchy formed by Diocletian in AD 293. He was born March 31, circa AD 250, in Dacia-Repensis, & died in Eboracum (York), Britain on July 25, 306. He had a distinguished military career & quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Emperor Maximian's Praetorian Prefect. He was later selected as a junior member of the Tetrarchy in AD 293. To consolidate his relationship with Maximian, he divorced his wife (concubine ) Helena, & married Maximian's daughter Theodora. To maintain control of Constantius, Emperor Diocletian confined his son Constantine to his base camp in Nicomedia with limited freedom. Diocletian's currency reform of AD 295 consisted of a gold aureus struck at the standard of 60 to the pound, a silver argenteus equal in weight & fineness to the Neronian denarius, & a new token billon coin called a nummus (collectors refer to this coin as a follis) weighing about 10 grams, give or take a gram. Diocletian's aim was to end all the provincial coinage used throughout the empire & create a uniform currency that would be accepted anywhere in the empire. Realistic portraiture was replaced by a stylized portraiture of strength & similarity. Despite the overall similarity of of the new coinage different mints had their own stylistic idiosyncrasies, & it's possible to form an interesting portrait gallery from the different mints. Constantius as Caesar, AD 293-305 (struck c. 295-296), Cyzicus Mint, 2nd Officina. Billon Nummus: 28 mm, 8.29 gm, 6 h. RIC VI 11a. A rare & unusual feature of this coin is the beautifully engraved beard fit for a Greek god. Photo courtesy of Peter Burbles, Akropolis Ancient Coins. Constantius I as Caesar, AD 293-305 (struck AD 296-297) Rome Mint, 3rd Officina. Billon Nummus: 27 mm, 10.57 gm, 6 h. RIC VI Rome 66a. An unusual feature with this coin is the Greek letter gamma being used to designate the workshop instead of a Latin letter . You would expect to see Greek letters from the Eastern mints & not the Rome Mint. Photo courtesy of Tom Callaway, AMCC 2. Constantius I as Caesar, AD 293-305 (struck circa AD 301-303) Lugdunum Mint (Lyon, France), 2nd Officina. Billon Nummus: 28 mm, 9.61 gm, 6 h. RIC 170a. Rare. Ex Freeman & Sear, June 21, 2007. Constantius is depicted in a heroic portrait with a scepter over his left shoulder & a shield over the other. Constantius I as Caesar, AD 293-305 (struck AD 296-298), Heraclea Mint, 3rd Officina. Billon Nummus: 27 mm, 8.18 gm, 12 h. RIC VI 18a. This is a rather brutish looking portrait with an interesting beard. Constantius I as Caesar, AD 293-305 (struck AD 295-299), Ticinum Mint, 1st Officina. Billon Nummus: 28 mm, 12.11 gm, 12 h. RIC VI 30a. This is an unusually heavy nummus. Constantius I as Caesar, AD 293-305 (circa AD 300), Londinium Mint (London, England). Billon Nummus: 27 mm, 8,99 gm, 7 h. RIC 22. Ex Freeman & Sear, June 21, 2007. Constantius as Augustus, AD 305-306, Ticinum Mint (Pavia, Italy) 3rd Officina. Billon Nummus: 27 mm, 10.67 gm, 6 h. Reverse FIDES MILITNM. RIC VI 55a. Scarce. Constantius as Augustus, AD 305-306, Lugdunum Mint. Billon Nummus: 28 mm, 10.61 gm, 12 h. Notice how the engraver has simplified the nose to two incisions & a dot. RIC 187a. Ex Freeman & Sear, June 21, 2007. References: Coinage & History of the Roman Empire, Volume I, David L. Vagi. 1999 Roman Coins & Their Values, Volume IV, David R. Sear. 2014 Freeman & Sear Catalog, Mail Bid Sale, June 21, 2007 CT members are welcome to post folles of Constantius I, on this thread .
Just one Chlorus coin for me 11.13 g 26.2 mm Constantius I, as Caesar, Æ Nummus. Treveri, AD 298-299. FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate bust left / GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius, towered and nude to waist, standing facing, head turned left, holding cornucopiae with his left hand, patera in his right hand; B- gamma across fields, TR in exergue. RIC 196
He was on a Tet too. Constantius I (305 - 306 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Potin Tetradrachm O: ΦΛA KωNCTANTIOC K, laureate bust right. R: Homonoia standing left, raising arm and holding cornucopia, L Γ = year 3 (294/295) 8.43g 19mm Kampmann/Ganschow 121.24, Dattari 6070 Emmett 4191.2, Milne 5174 Published on Wildwinds!
the first one is not a follis-- Constantius I AD 296- 298 AR Argenteus 18mm 2.7g CONSTANTIVS CAES; Laureate head right F ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing facing, head left, holding standard and tusk; at her feet, lion standing left, head right, with bucranium to left. In ex. T RIC VI Carthage 14a Constantius I A.D. 298- 303 Æ follis 27mm 9.2g CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES; laureate head right. SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands. In ex Γ RIC VI Carthage 30a/ 32a
@Al Kowsky .....That's a wonderful looking portrait on the the first photo...Not just the beard, although that's pretty stunning!, but the overall portrayal is one of the best I've seen . Really like that brutish portrayal on your 4th photo aswell! Lovely coins!........A real diversity on the Emperors representation ....Paul
Constantius I (293 - 305 A.D.) Æ Follis O.: CONSTANTIVS NOB CES; Laureate head right. R.: SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthago standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands // Γ Carthage mint, 298-299 A.D. 8.4g 31mm RIC VI 30a, p. 427
I'm glad Mat posted that Alexandrian tet. I have always wanted one but never made it happen. My favorites are pre-reform antoniniani. Constantius was not on the scene that long before the reform so these are not as common as antoniniani of Diocletian and Maximianus. Lugdunum Antioch I am attracted to coins with wear added contrast. Follis of Lugdunum: This post-reform follis of Alexandria bears the alloy mark XXI. Relatively few mints did this. Most of Constantius' folles are as Caesar but, near the end of his life, he became Augustus on the retirement of Diocletian and Maximianus. This one with FIDES MILITVM is from Ticinum. Shortly after his death came a Rome mint fractional follis with eagle. Long after his death, Constantius was part of the 'relatives' series of Constantine I.
That Rome mint is an ex-CA . Tom's pic is way better. I have a real soft spot for Constantius. His nose was just so majestic. I can see where Constantine gets his from. Constantius I Chlorus AE Follis 294 - 296 A.D., London Mint, null Officina 11.15g, 28.5mm, 6H Obverse: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, Head of Constantius Chlorus, laureate, right Reverse: GENIO POPV–LI ROMANI, Genius standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left arm Exergue: -/-//- Provenance: Ex. eBay 2019 Reference: RIC VI Lugdunum 17a Constantius I Chlorus AE Follis 299 - 303 A.D., Carthage Mint, null Officina 9.75g, 28.5mm, 12H Obverse: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, Head of Constantius Chlorus, laureate, right Reverse: SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART, Carthage, wearing long robe, standing front, head left, holding fruits in both hands Exergue: -/-//Γ Provenance: Ex. CNG Electronic Auction 456, Lot 751 (part of) Reference: RIC VI Carthage 32a Constantius I Chlorus AE Follis 303 - 306 A.D., London Mint, null Officina 9.24g, 26.5mm, 7H Obverse: CONSTANTIVS NOB C, Laureate and cuirassed bust right Reverse: GENIO POPV–LI ROMANI, Genius standing, facing left, head surmounted by a modius, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left arm Exergue: -/-//- Provenance: Ex. Ancient & Medieval Coins Canada Auction 1, Lot 143, Ex. James Pickering Romano-Britannic Collection, Ex. CNG Coins Reference: RIC VI Londinium 37a, Cloke & Toone 3.01.024
That's an outstanding sub-collection, @Al Kowsky! Real stunners there! I have just a couple. Constantius I, Caesar, 293-305. Roman billon follis, 9.95 g, 26.6 mm, 11 h. Trier, AD 296-97. Obv: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right. Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae; A/Γ//TR. Refs: RIC vi, p. 183, 218a; Cohen 61; RCV 14035. Constantius I, Caesar, 293-305. Roman billon follis, 9.83 g, 26.3 mm, 5 h. Antioch, AD 300-301. Obv: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right. Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera from which liquid flows, and cornucopiae; K/B-V//ANT. Refs: RIC vi, p. 620, 55a; Cohen 89; RCV 14069.
Nice and interesting thread. Here's mine like yours @Al Kowsky . It's listed as a rare Follis. The coin was also minted at Lyon- France ( Lugdunum). Ric VI - 150 B.
Andres, That's a wonderful high grade nummus with an exceptionally strong & scarcer reverse type than my example ! Your nummus like all the others on this thread from the Rome Mint, except mine, have officina letters in Latin.
Mat, I'm glad someone found an Alexandrian Tet of Constantius, & a strong VF example too, thanks for posting !
Paul, Thanks for the kind words . That nummus I got from Peter stopped my in my tracks ! I had a much better photo of the Heraclea nummus taken before getting it slabbed that I can't find anymore .
Doug, That's a wonderful group of Constantius coinage ! I especially like the XX I example from Alexandria . Your Ticinum example is the same type as mine but from a different officina .
C.A., Thanks for the extended provenance on the Rome Mint nummus ! I like your London Mint examples. There is a certain charm with the London Mint coinage that's hard to put into words ....