A Crispus in Iffy Packaging...

Here my two Crispus:

Billon centenionalis, RIC VII Thessalonica 125, VF, 3.02g, 18.5mm, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 324 A.D.; obverse FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left; reverse CAESARVM NOSTRORVM (our prince), VOT / X in two lines within wreath, wreath tied at the bottom and decorated with a jewel at the top, TSDVI in exergue.

 

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Since I NEVER pile on, I'll throw in my example purchased sometime last year. I think I convinced myself I needed something from the London mint

 

Constantine hired (Christian) Lactantius as tutor to Crispus, who accompanied his charge to Trier when Crispus was named Caesar in 317. So yeah, Crispus was likely a Christian, and Trier was his base of operations. Prior to that, Constantine had encouraged the Christian community there, and it was the site of one of the early churches Constantine built. I don't know if Crispus had a hand in the production of this coin, but its link to the religion of Constantine's family is pretty strong! It's not surprising that one of the earliest (if not the earliest) instance of the chi-rho on a coin came from the Trier mint, and on a Crispus coin. RIC dates it to 322-23.

 

Here's a Crispus from my collection:

Billon Centenionalis, Siscia mint, RIC 165

 

I'll add in one of my favourite Crispus coins.

 

And I'll add my favorite as well:

CRISPUS
AE3
OBVERSE: D N FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: PROVIDEN TIAECAESS Jupiter stg. l., chlamys across l. shoulder, leaning on scepter, holding Victory on globe. In field to l., palm branch; in field to r., dot A; in exergue, SMN
Struck at Nicomedia 317 - 320 A.D
2.92g, 18mm
RIC VII 32

 

T-Rex Arm!! I love it!! That's just what it looks like! LoL!

 

Oh my goodness, @John Anthony! I knew I had a Licinius with a spear over his shoulder but I did not realize he was holding it with a T-Rex arm!!! Now I’m totally falling in love with this coin I got from you. I got it because I wanted that head gear I did not yet have and for the reverse on which almost no space was left empty! I am so happy that I have a T-Rex arm!! I can not remember how much I paid for it but the price must have been right. (it IS a T-Rex arm, isn’t it?)

I should have used John Anthony’s photos. The coin looks nicer than in my shots but I can not remember when I got it and don’t have time to go searching through all the auctions. Sorry JA.

 

that was a good bargain! a early merry Crispus for you^^

 

Chi-rho on a shield? Hmmm. Maybe an echo of Constantine's vision, and probably the earliest example? Very significant historically.

 

Excuse me, you know I'm just learning about these people from the past; but, I was doing some research on Constantine and his mother, Helena because I want to write something for CT about Helena and show my coins related to her and her son and even Constantine's father.

Constantine's mother is purported to have identified the cross upon which the Christ was said to have been crucified, also known as "the true cross." It is said that there were three crosses found in the place where the Prophet Jesus was crucified and in order to find out which was the one they wanted to preserve, they brought a deathly ill lady near to each cross and when she came near to one of them - the last, I suppose, she was miraculously cured of her illness. Constantine underwrote his mom's expeditions all over the place and she built lots of churches putting all the relics she discovered in them. He apparently adored her to bits, and she him.

I didn't even know what a Chi-Rho was until I read this thread today but, having read about their relationship and how dedicated Constantine was to his mother (who converted to Christianity - I don't know from what - Paganism?), it doesn't surprise me that Constantine would be the first to make the Chi-Rho (symbolizing Christ and the cross his mother found and recovered for posterity) the symbol for his military standard, shield and such.

 

It strikes me that there is a greater variety of Crispus styles than most rulers from the period. All used the same mints but there are some nice looking Crispus coins. Here are five left facing variations.

 

Those are some attractive and interesting Crispus "lefties," Doug.

 

When I found out that the Langtoft hoards were being auctioned I set of to DNW's office and spent the best part of a full day going through all the coins and I spotted Warren's coin.
It was sold as a part of lot 85 and on the day I was convinced that I would not have been the only one to have noticed it but seemingly was
£80 I paid for 24 coins in the lot including his and my only true regret as far as coins are concerned was letting that one go.
Still it's in a good home and Warren's webpage is very educational on the subject.

 

Given what the comparitively common SPES PUBLIC type goes for these days, I dread to think what Warren's would fetch at auction. Several thousand. From 3.30 GBP to that, this coin has really come up in the world!