UPDATE: I was informed my initial post was incorrect and that this coin was in fact minted by Constantine I, with a bust of his son Constantine II, and not minted by Constantine II as I earlier claimed. This is a London Mint coin. Post your Constantine II, or any Constantine I coin you want...or any London coins.
Hmm...seems like the coins I posted in the other thread may have fit better here. Well, I do have more but not from London. Here is my latest addition to the "sons of Constantine" Constantius II, AD 337-361 Æ15, 1.5g, 6h; Trier mint, A.D. 337- 340 Obv.: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS AVG; Laureate, cuirassed bust right. Rev.: VIRTVS AVGG NN; Soldier standing holding spear and resting hand on shield In Ex.: TRP Soldier standing there? Yes please! I have a few of the two soldiers standing...sure maybe it's Virtus but maybe it isn't. My understanding is this is a rare reverse type.
Sallent, this coin is RIC VII 292. It was minted in London in AD 323-324 while Constantine the Great was still very much alive and had a lot of killin' left in his system. Also the bust represents the likeness of the younger Constantine, not his father. It is a very nice example and I really love the London Mint, thank you for posting it!
As an aside, my first coin from Roman Britain was a London Mint Constantine II of this type that my grandmother bought for me for my birthday in my teen years. I still have the coin and think of her every time I look at a Constantine II from London!
Where did you get your hatred for Constantne? Wow! Voltaire, I see. Coins of Constantine II we see are 95% from the lifetime of Constantine I since Constantine II died very shortly after his father. As the oldest of Fausta's three sons, his coins as Caesar are more numerous than those of his brothers but their longer lives after becoming Augustus make their coin more numerous for the time after Constantine I died. London mint coins are very popular in the English speaking hobby. Some of them are really nicely done. Constantine II as Augustus coins can be hard to tell from those of his father. Looking up specific ones in RIC is a good idea. They came from the time of the common two soldiers, ONE standard type. If there are two standards, an AVG coin must be the father's. One standard can be either and requires more research. Remember coins from the lifetime of Constantine I are found in RIC volume VII while those after he died are in volume VIII so check both books before giving up. Some coins for all three boys even use the title MAX they inherited after dad died. This is Alexandria mint with MAX for Constantine II.
CONSTANTINE I AE3 Follis OBVERSE: CONSTANTINVS AVG, helmeted, cuirassed bust right REVERSE: BEATA TRANQVILLITAS, Altar inscribed VOT/IS/XX, surmounted by globe with plain vertical lines and diagonals between horizontal lines, three stars above, PTR in ex. Struck at Treveri 321 AD 2.9g, 18mm RIC VII 303 CONSTANTINE I AE3 Follis OBVERSE: IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG, helmeted, cuirassed bust left, spear over far shoulder REVERSE: VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP, two Victories standing facing holding shield inscribed VOT/PR on altar decorated with diamond (Helv. 2a), PLN in ex. Struck at London 319-20 AD 2.8g, 20mm RIC VII 159 CONSTANTINE II AE Follis OBVERSE: CONSTANTI-NVS IVN NC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left REVERSE: BEATA TRAN-QVILLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VOT / IS / XX, three stars above, PLON in ex. Struck at London 323-324 AD 2.5g, 19mm RIC VII 284
His jealousy got Crispus killed, and then went Fausta (more deservedly so), and Licinius was murdered after Constantine promised him mercy, and little Licinius II (a mere boy) was needlessly killed too. Constantine ushered Christianity and showed great intolerance for the pagan religions. And while we can praise the merits of Christianity till the cows come home (I'm a Christian too), it sadly had one negative side effect: the destruction of Europe's very rich pagan legacy and the destruction of large parts of our ancient culture, literature, and traditions due to the intolerance of the early Christian fathers.
I tried, but it's just too hard for me to pass judgement on someone from a distance of 1600 years. I'm just gonna show some coins, k ? A Constantine Jr campgate... A Constantine I with Victory as his personal cheerleader... A Vota in wreath type, by Paganism's last great hope, Julian the Apostate... really a bit of an anti-climax after all those vows .
I started collecting Constantine after I found one of his scarcer coins in a batch of uncleaned coins. I also liked the facts that: a) he was one of the few Roman emperors whose name I was familiar with at the time, and b) his bronze coins were relatively inexpensive. Since I started collecting his coins I've read just about anything about him that I could get my hands on, including both popular and academic biographies. Although I might not go as far as Sallent in expressing my dislike of him, I have to admit that the more I learn about the man the less I like him. I'm seriously thinking about switching my collecting interest to someone (or something or some place) else, someone that I admire rather than actively dislike.
@gsimonel Extreme dislike for an Emperor has never kept me from buying a coin or two. I dislike Domitian, Elagabalus, and Maximinus Trax too, but I have coins for all of them.