An uncommon coin of a very common emperor

Constantius II is, without a doubt the emperor with the easiest to find and most numerous coins of all. They can be found for literal pennies on the pound, and are largely grouped into a few categories, all of which are very common: FTR (horseman, hut, phoenix, two captives), two soldiers, VOT wreath, campgate, two victories.

One of the most uncommon reverse types in the bronze AE3 module of this very common ruler is, somewhat surprisingly, the single victory left reverse.

The victory walking left is very common on silver and gold coins, but rather tough to find in bronze.

My (rather attractive) example has an oddly shortened legend of just VICT AVG, despite having plenty of room for more letters.


There are a few other types of Constantius II that aren't very common - please post up yours!

 

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Very nice! I have a couple of low end examples from this Emperor...





These actually aren't too bad - my photography "skills" don't really do these any favors. Especially for the second coin - which has a much sharper strike than shown... awful photo.

 

Neat find. Here are two less common types :


CONSTANTIUS II
AE3, Holed. 2.27g, 18.3mm. Antioch mint, AD 324-325. RIC VII Antioch 60 (R2). O: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: CONSTAN / TI • VS / CAESAR in three lines; SMANTΔ / • below.


CONSTANTIUS II
AE4. Scarce type, and very rare with Constantius as Caesar. 1.28g, 15.4mm. Rome mint, AD 337. RIC Rome VII 403 (R5). O: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: SECVRI-TAS REIPVB, Securitas standing facing, looking right, leaning on column, legs crossed, holding sceptre; R-leaf-S in exergue.

 

Interestingly, this reverse iconography was used about 20 years earlier at Thessalonica on a small series of coins of his father and brothers:

Constantine I ("the Great")
A.D. 307-337
Thessalonica mint, A.D. 319
RIC 59
Obv: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG
Rev: VICTORIA AVGG NN - Victory advancing left with wreath and palm branch
•TS•Γ• in exergue
19 mm, 2.5 g.

 

The VICT AVG reverse was also struck for Constans. This type seems to be celebrating the defeat of their brother, Constantine II, in A.D. 340.





Constans
circa A.D. 340
14mm 2.1gm
D N CONSTANS P F AVG; pearl-diademed head.
VICT AVG; Victory walking left holding wreath and palm branch.
In ex. SMANA
RIC VIII Antioch 66

 

Figures.

Sheesh! What a family.

 

This one is pretty scarce...



Constantius II, AD 337-361
Æ15, 1.5g, 6h; Trier mint, AD 337- 340
Obv.: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS AVG; Laureate, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VIRTVS AVGG NN; Soldier standing holding spear and resting hand on shield // TRP
Reference: RIC VIII Trier 74, p.144

 

Constantius II
350 AD
AE Centenionalis
Mint: Siscia
Obvs: DN CONSTANTIVS PF AVG. Diademed, draped, and cuirass bust right. * behind, H before
Revs: HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS, H to left. Emperor standing left with labarum inscribed with Chi-Rho, being crowned by Victory.
20x21mm, 5.04g
Ref: RIC VIII.291


Constantius II
Mint: Siscia
347 AD
AE 4
Obvs: CONSTANTIVS PF AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Revs: VICTORIA AVGG, Victory with wreath in each hand. Chi-rho right, *ΔSIS*
15x17mm, 1.40g
Ref: RIC VIII 180


Constantius II
Mint: Antioch
324 to 325 AD
AE Follis
Obvs: Laureate, draped, and cuirass bust left.
Revs: CONSTAN TI•VS CAESAR SMANTS in four lines. Star above, dot below.
16x18mm, 2.32g
Ref: RIC VII 60; LRBC 1327

 

Spes is pretty hard to find also...



Constantius II, 317-361 AD
AE16, 2.63g; Constantinople mint:
Obv.: DN CONSTANTIVS PF AVG; Diademed draped cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: SPES REIPVBLICE, Constantius in military garb, standing left, holding globe and spear // CONSΓ
Reference: RIC VIII 149 (page 461).

 

I don't think the Phoenix types are that common, and there are two variants - the Phoenix bird standing on a globe, or the bird standing on a pile of rocks. Here's mine:

Constantius II (337-361AD)
AE3 - 2.73 gram - 17 mm

Antioch mint, struck 348-350 AD

Obverse: DN CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, cuirassed and draped bust right

Reverse: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Phoenix, radiate, standing right on globe, star in right field, ANB in exergue

Reference: RIC VIII 129 var

 

though RIC VIII describes the reverse as a soldier standing holding spear and resting hand on shield, on many examples, it clearly shows that the figure on the reverse has a bare right breast, so it must actually be Virtus herself.

My first thought is that yours is also unofficial.

 

Thank you for that clarification!

 

there is a third type that is very rare-- phoenix on what looks like a rocky nest



picture from Failmezger's "Roman Bronze Coins from Paganism to Christianity"

 

Had this slightly unusual Spes coin that I ended up selling for like $7. Should have kept it.

 

Here is the rarest FEL TEMP REPARATIO type, emperor, nimbate, riding right spearing two kneeling foes.
Constantius II
RIC VIII Rome 184 (= Rome 153). Sear V 18222.


The condition and details on the reverse are outstanding. I had concerns that the patina was applied, but several experts assured me they thought it was original. If so, it is wonderful.

The varieties of FEL TEMP REPARATIO types make a good collecting theme that can be pursued with a modest budget. This type, and one other FTR type not shown yet in this thread, are far more difficult to find in good condition than the others. I am patiently waiting for the other type to be shown.

 

This is RIC VIII Rome 252, issued by Constantius II in late 352 AD, having taken control of Italy while in pursuit of Magnentius to their final battle in southern France a few months later.

Obv: DN CONSTANTIVS PF AVG
Rev: VICT DD NN AVG ET CAES (VOT XXX)

The type is identical to one Magentius had been issuing from Rome and elsewhere, except that the "AVG ET CAES" now refers to Constantius and Gallus rather than Magentius and Decentius, and Constantius (now in his 15th year) is offering vows for his 30th anniversay (VOT XXX), while Magnetius had been hoping in vain to make it to his 5th (VOT V MVLT X).

 

Hmmm. Is this what you are referring to?

Constantinople mint


Antioch Mint

Sure wish I hadn't sold these. There's also a version from Thessalonica with only one captive.

 

There are several Falling Horsemen that are not exactly common and not available by the pound. One is any FH coin of Amiens.


One of my favorite types is the large Chi-Rho issued for Constantius II after the mint at Trier was recaptured from Magnentius. What makes this type 'special' is the alpha and omega (A-W) stating that Christ was God from beginning to end as opposed to being a later creation as believed by the Arian heretics. Pagan Magnentius had issued the type to point out to the Western Catholic population that Constantius II was Arian and, therefore, worse than a pagan. These are found with a rosette or pearl diadem.


My last coin is like the OP but a different workshop (SMANI). ex Frank Robinson 2001 $27

Tory was into types but not much into mintmarks. This is 413cCS. 413a and 413b were both my coins but the 413c belonged to Tory. Did you buy it when his collection went on sale? At the time I did not realize the type was special or it would have got an enlarged photo which we put on the disk that accompanied the book. My crop is loose since the idea was to make the coins correct size on the plates. Small coins got reduced a lot and only what we considered 'better' were enlarged on the disk (I assume you have a copy of it???).

 

No, I didn't buy it...I'm not interested enough in the type to pay a premium...and yes, I have the disc.

 

Here's another Emperor and captive type of Constantius II with the VIRTVS AVGVSTORVM reverse from the Siscia mint: