I purchased this coin recently in a group lot. Although it's in very nice condition (much better-looking than my lousy photos indicate) it's nothing special, just a small and quite common coin of the Late Roman Empire. Still, I got a lot of enjoyment from researching the coin, hunting up references, deciphering the mintmark, learning what all the abbreviations mean, and the history behind them. Perhaps being a more common coin spurred me to dig into the history a bit deeper to find something more interesting about it. Anyway, here is the coin and a brief summary of what I learned from it: Constantine I (the Great) AE3. Gallia, Arelate mint. A.D. 321 Obverse: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG, laureate head of Constantine I right Reverse: D(ominus) N(oster) CONSTANTINI MAX(imus) AVG(ustus) clockwise along edge, VOT(is), dot, X X within laurel wreath; mintmark P [crescent] A below (Arelate mint) 2.7 grams, 18.5mm Reference: RIC VII Arelate 233 From the Kermit C. Smyth collection. CNG eAuction 515, lot 795/6 Roughly translated, the reverse inscription reads "Our Lord Constantine, the Greatest, The Exalted and Venerable One," and the words in the wreath: "Vows for twenty (X X) year's rule." "Constantine the Great, after overcoming Maxentius, assumed the superlative MAX., which was afterwards conferred on Constans, and Valens." - A Dictionary of Roman Coins, pub. 1889 (Constantine defeated Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312, nine years prior to this coin's minting.) "The word VOTA (or VOTIS, often abbreviated to VOT) is very common on late Roman imperial coins, usually associated with Roman numerals. This has nothing to do with voting but rather refers to a custom of public vows for the health of the emperor, accompanied by sacrifices, performed on important anniversaries." - Coinweek, Dec. 7, 2020 online article Please let me know if there's something I need to correct in my descriptions! Also, feel free to post your own fun "boring" coins or whatever else you find relevant!
I never liked these reverses. However, it just means the type is a sleeper of sorts, and allows for affordable pickups of excellent obverses.
I find they have a certain appeal. Maybe it's just the balance and symmetry of the design, or maybe it's just a nice change from the usual god/goddess reverse types.
I can see your point. I feel that way with any reverse with wreaths. It's been done so much on all U.S. & World Coins, they're ho hum.
Just adding to your thorough description I understand that there are: "vota suscepta" = vows for the future and "vota soluta" = vows fulfilled I think that the XX on your coin are vota suscepta, for the next twenty years, and not for the past twenty years. Constantine the Great is thus saying that he will be D(ominus) N(oster) CONSTANTINI MAX(imus) AVG(ustus) for the future 20 years. Since his reign started in 306 AD and the coin was issued in 321, he couldn't be giving vows for the past. On the other hand, for the decennalia and vicennalia festivals vota soluta were celebrated, see https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Decennalia
I have owned this coin for many years and while I have shown many of my coins over the years I cannot be certain that I have brought this coin out for show. Stratonikea Ar Hemidrachm 133-129 BC Obv Head of Zeus right laureate. Rv Eagle standing right wings open within shallow incuse square. Meadows 77 1.25 grms 12 mm Photo by W. Hansen The overall fabric of this coins shows a strong Rhodian influence thought the types are completely different. There is one issue of this coin where a magistrate using the Roman name Caius is recorded. I suspect that this whole coinage is a silent testament to the increasing power of Rome throughout this region at this time.
