Today, two separate dealers conspired to fill my mailbox each by sending a coin from opposing sides c. 351 AD. When Constantius II appointed his nephew Constantius Gallus Caesar, Magnentius reciprocated by elevating Decentius (probably his brother) to the same rank. The Gallus is especially wanted here since it is from the Trier mint (TRP). While rough, it is detailed and has a light green patina (could be more even in color!). Trier was the last mint I got for my Falling Horseman series and this Gallus is a nice addition. The coin is huge for an AE2 half a hair under 25mm and showing the full circle of dots on both sides. RIC 354 page 167. The Decentius is from Arles (SAR) and small for its type at that same half hair over 20mm making it technically a very large AE3. The coin is smooth with a sandy patina that nicely highlights the Chi-Rho on the reverse. I believe both coins were intended to be the same denomination but the Gallus weighs a gram more than the Decentius. These things vary a lot. Decentius is a less common ruler but this is not a rare variety (RIC 185 page 217). RIC calls both scarce. I have not seen as many from Trier.
Both are beautiful coins, really like the FH. Dont see them with such a large flan and full boarder like that.
The Decentius, I find, your eyes are drawn immediately to the Chi-Rho. It steals the show. I am always a sucker for a sandy patina, especially one such as this where everything is highlighted so nicely. As for the Fallen Horseman, I always enjoy a coin when the design 'fits' and you can see the full beaded circle around the design. Awesome coins Doug.
Sweet pickups, Champ ... => I'm a huge fan of the Decentius (yah sure, I definitely admit that I am a total sucka for desert patina) ... congrats
i went looking for an LRB of minewith complete "rim dots" and couldn't find one, that' aint to shabby. they must have had some nice big flans at the mint. the decentius is sure pretty.
When I see a thin, oversize flan, I consider the possibility of a flan made by hammering flat an earlier coin. I can't prove it but the coin is a full gram too heavy according to RIC (5.85g). RIC weights are averages of what they had available to weigh so their number may not be terribly significant. There are coins of Magnentius from the mint struck not long before this so the possibility of recycling politically incorrect stock is real. I repeat: I can't prove it.
Definitely nice coins for sure. Both are well centered, preserved and a decent engraving style. I don't own a Decentius yet, but I do have a FH Constantius Gallus but it is not from the Trier mint.
Both a very nice additions. I havent seen many coins for Arles with a nice sandy patina like that one. I really like the lettering a lot of the FH. Here are a couple of my FH from Trier, both of Constantius II
Great coins, Doug. The idea that an older coin was hammered out to make room for the Gallus certainly sounds plausible when you see a coin like that. Maybe there were a handful of Licinius' folles still hanging around and they got recycled?
I much prefer the sand patina on Doug Smith's new coin. My Decentius has no Chi-Rho but it is a little bigger at 24 mm diameter.
Nice coins, In October I'll be bidding on an Arles-mint piece but not a Decentius. I am beginning to like late Empire coins but have very few of them. Last year my wife & I visited Arles, enroute from Cannes to Bordeaux Province by train. Very nice place, they have a colliseum there if I recall.
