Eyesight Assistance Small Bronze

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by kevin McGonigal, Dec 2, 2021.

  1. kevin McGonigal

    kevin McGonigal Well-Known Member

    Going through some of my odds and ends I have this smallish, Ae 3 bronze of some member of the Constantine family, coins of whom I often have trouble distinguishing one from another. The obverse has a name I can make out, CONSTANTINUS, followed by what looks to me like IVN NOBC. The reverse is almost impossible for me to make out. Dead center appears to be a small (V)OTA with an x below it. The inscription has CAESAR ????OSTD????. I weighs 3.3 grams. Can anyone help me out with what and who exactly this is? Thanks. Constantinus Obv.jpg Constantinus rev.jpg
     
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  3. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Hint: IVN means "junior".
     
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  4. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

  5. Inspector43

    Inspector43 Celebrating 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    Wild guess on my part

    Constantius II, AE follis, Thessalonica.

    FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
    CAESARVM NOSTRORVM around VOT dot X within wreath.
    Mintmark TS delta VI.

    RIC VII Thessalonica 125 var (unlisted for Constantius II)
    [​IMG]
     
  6. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Constantine II and Constantius II were brothers. Their names are so similar it can be hard to distinguish their coins if the legends are not sharp. But, this one is sharp enough. It's Constantine II ("Junior").
    CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C
    CAESARVM NOSTRORVM
     
  7. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Four IVN's we can collect
    Licinius II
    ru4465bb3002.jpg

    Constantine II
    rw5803bb2843.jpg

    Constantius Gallus
    rx7260b01595lg.jpg

    Valentinian II
    ry7720bb0837.jpg

    Each of these people also issued some coins without the IVN. Are there others?
     
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  8. Lueds

    Lueds Well-Known Member

  9. Inspector43

    Inspector43 Celebrating 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    With the added info, I guess it is:
    Constantine II, AE3, 324, Thessalonica, Officina 2
    CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C
    Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust left
    CAESARVM NOSTRORVM
    Legend surrounding laurel wreath terminating in large jewel
    enclosing VOT / . / X
    TSBVI in exergue
    18mm x 19mm, 3.01g
    RIC VII, 128
     
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  10. Inspector43

    Inspector43 Celebrating 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

  11. kevin McGonigal

    kevin McGonigal Well-Known Member

    Yes, I think that it is the one. I can make out the reverse now the CAESARUM NOSTRORUM
     
  12. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    That dot is probably an artifact left behind by a compass used to arrange the letters of the reverse inscription in a circle. It is not considered a design element or control mark.
     
  13. Inspector43

    Inspector43 Celebrating 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    Is that statement applicable to the dot in all cases? There is a coin just like this with a dot called out in the attributes.
     
  14. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Sometimes the dot is part of a mint mark. Sometimes it's a control mark. On rare occasions it's used to separate words in an inscription. And sometimes, to paraphrase Freud, a dot is just a dot.

    It's usually--but not always--clear when a dot is significant and when it's just an artifact. The fact that the reverse is laid out in such a nice circle and the dot is right in the center of it is why most collectors assume that it's not important in distinguishing different issues.
     
  15. Lueds

    Lueds Well-Known Member

    Yes, clearly seen on the coin.
     
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