Here's one from Nicomedia that seems a bit different from the OP's series 2 and 3 examples, above. Here, Helena is wearing a band-like diadem decorated with what appears to be various jewels: Helena, Augusta AD 324-329, issued under Constantine I. Roman billon Æ 3 centenionalis, 2.97 g, 18.3 mm. Nicomedia, AD 325-326 Obv: FL HELENA AVG, diademed and mantled bust right with necklace. Rev: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE, Securitas standing left, lowering branch, raising robe with right hand; ΝΜΓ in exergue. Refs: RIC 129; RCV 16620; LRBC-I 1100; Cohen 12.
@maridvnvm Thanks for putting up that coin from Trier, Martin, it is from the first series in 324-325, and I don't yet have an example. The coin from Constantinople is more of a mystery, since Constantinople had only one series for these, from two officinae and an example for each is shown. Now I'm curious to see if officina A also has this more basic hairstyle as well, or is it confined to B. Stay tuned. @RomanCollector Another interesting variant. Since only series two used the three letter mintmark, this has to be a variant of that design plan. But what was the prime version and what was the variant? Stay tuned, we need to see more. Thanks for showing it. @Bing After the Helena from Doug I wondered who would be first to bring us the late parallel to it for Theodora. Here it is. **NOPE TOTALLY MISSED IT ** Only two mints possible, Trier and Constantinople. Can you tell which it is? I do know that Trier was not as careful in the treatment of the mintmark, so have a suspicion, but you may be able to angle it around to see something. As for the Helena, can you read a mark? I don't think we've seen enough obverses to nail it down that way. Anybody?
I shouldn't have been so lazy, and indicated my catalog entries. Here they are: HELENA AE4 OBVERSE: FL IVL HE-LENAE AVG, draped bust right wearing ornamental mantle, necklace and broad hairband REVERSE: PA-X PV-BLICA, Pax standing left holding branch and transverse sceptre Struck at Trier, 337-40 AD 1.36g, 13.91mm RIC 90 HELENA AE3 OBVERSE: F L HELENA AVGVSTA, diademed bust right REVERSE: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE, Securitas standing left, lowering branch with right hand, raising hem of robe with left hand. Struck at Alexandria 327-328 AD 1.4g, 18mm RIC 38A
@lrbguy , I'm glad you posted this thread. From the topic, I finally figured out your username is not IRB (like "URB" as in "urban") guy, rather L-R-B guy. I must admit, I was wondering what "IRB" referred to! In some fonts there is little or no distinction between a capital I and a lower-case l. You can look at the first letter in this post where I typed your username and see the distinction I was not making, but it does look like an I. I am sorry to say that as I write I am still pronouncing it in my head as "IRB". I will try to switch over to "L R B" -- three letters. Your posts on Helena and her hairstyles are superb. I love it when someone goes into details and organizes them so well. To get back on track, here is a Helena from Antioch: 18-17 mm. 2.08 grams. FL H ELENA AVGVSTA SMANTB • RIC 61 "r4, 324-5" Bought from Frank Kovacs in 2004.
Ah, perfect. I messed up on getting one of those last year. You get to fill in the blank on my notes index page. You probably noticed the reference to it in my Antioch writeup - followed by no coin. Glad to be able to see it. It's strange that only this configuration of field marks was used for Helena, when Fausta got this as well as a wider separation of star and crescent.
Well, I already put this in the other thread... but this one is so fun I'll repost and add my other more turtley looking Helena...let's see if I appropriately ID'd them. The 1st one came to me identified as Theodora. And that was when I 1st started collecting, so it took me some time to realize it wasn't whom I'd bought it as. Helena Augusta, AD 324-328/30. Æ Follis Heraclea mint, 2nd officina. Struck AD 329-330. Diademed and mantled bust right, wearing necklace / Securitas standing left, holding branch; SMHB·. RIC VII 85. Helena AE Follis (Constantinople 337-341, posthumous issue, - Diademed and draped bust right / Pax standing left, holding branch and scepter (RIC 33 / C. 4)
This is one Helena thread! Sorry. Siscia series 3 I guess.. Helena, Mother of Constantine I. AE Follis, 325-330 AD O: FL HELENA AVGVSTA, Pearl-diademed and mantled bust right, wearing necklace. R:SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE, Securitas standing left, holding branch pointing down; ∙ΓSIS in ex., Siscia mint, RIC 204. 20 mm, 2.6g
Great post. I am saving this for when my 3 year old granddaughter is older. Maybe, just maybe, it'll help her create an interest in ancient coins. We need any hope we can get.
Here's another example of the later commemorative series with Pax reverse. Can't tell for sure whether this is part of the "Tiny Neck" or the "Balloon Head" varieties:
I have one of those posthumous PAX PVBLICA reduced centenionales of Trier, like @Bing , but it has a different hairstyle from his: Helena, Augusta AD 324-228/30, Roman billon reduced centenionalis, 1.24 g, 13.4 mm. Trier, AD 337-340. Obv: FL IVL HELENAE AVG diademed and draped bust, right. Rev: PAX PVBLICA, Pax standing left, holding olive branch and transverse scepter; in exergue TR S Refs: RIC viii, p. 144, 78; LRBC I 119; Cohen 4; RCV 17492. Bing's looks more like this one of @zumbly 's from Constantinople.
A truly stunning post. Thank you Irbguy for taking the time to do this, and to everyone else for posting such lovely coins. I only have one Helena, which thanks to this post, I can now say appears to be: Series 4: Same as series 3 except for a pronounced loop of hair in front over diadem. RIC 218 (ΓSISdbl-crescent) 328-29 Or is that an Epsilon rather than a Gamma at the start of the mintmark?
@Marsyas Mike Thanks to you and others for the kind words and reception of this listing. We'll keep adding to it. As for the officina, interestingly only two officinae are listed as having produced this series for this coin type. I showed gamma, and (to my eye) you showed epsilon. Nice!!
Very informative thread, thank you @lrbguy ! Here's my only Helena Helena, AE3 Heraclea mint, 5th officina FL HELENA AVGVSTA, draped and diademed bust right SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE, Helena standing left, holding branch and raising her dress. dot SMHE dot at exergue 2.9 gr Ref : Cohen # 12, LRBC # 879 Q
Unless I am looking at things wrong, it appears that the Epsilon version (just like mine?) is on Wildwinds? There's even the same hair loop (again, so I think). Siscia RIC 218, E Helena AE follis. Siscia. AD 328-329. FL HELENA AVGVSTA, diademed, mantled bust right, wearing necklace / SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE, Securitas standing left, lowering branch in right hand and raising hem of robe with left. Mintmark Epsilon SIS double-crescent. RIC VII Siscia 218; Sear 16610.