This is a very common coin in ancient Roman coins but I just love the portrait and craftsmanship on this one . CONSTANTINOPOLIS. 335 A.D. at Antioch mint in ancient Syria as a city commemorative for Constantinople in ancient Turkey when Rome ruled it as part of the Roman Eastern Empire. 2.9 grams 17 mm maximum diameter. obverse; CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Laureate, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Constantinopolis left, sceptre over shoulder. reverse; No legend, Winged Victory standing on a Galley prow, holding a sceptre and resting left hand on shield. Mintmark; SMANI. (Antioch mint
I definitely want one of these to go with my VRBS ROMA. I just haven't found the right one to buy yet!
I wrote a short article about the type here: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/CON/CONSTANTINOPOLIS.html Later I expanded it greatly here: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/CON/Founding.html to cover related types as well. The founding of Constantinople was a major historical event. I conclude that page with "Even very common coins are interesting. The fact they were common proves they were important--and therefore historically significant--in a way that rarities are not. When Michael Grant was president of the Royal Numismatic Society he devoted a presidential lecture to "Very Common Coins" and their relevance for understanding propaganda and the pattern of Roman coinage. The foundation of Constantinople had an immense influence on the ancient and medieval world. There are few types more historical than CONSTANTINOPOLIS. Imagine what such an important type would be worth if it were combined with great rarity! Rejoice that, instead, it is one of the most common ancient coins of all." CONSTANTINOPOLIS Helmeted bust left, laureate, of Constantinople, holding scepter in left Victory left, wings half spread, right foot on prow, holding scepter in right and resting left on shield. Palm branch in field left. TRS in exergue, for the Trier mint, second officina. 18 mm. RIC Trier 563. Struck AD 333-34. Failmezger 363 (this type, earlier and larger) and 369 and 377 (later and a bit smaller).
That's a beautiful example of this historically important type. The portrait on it is fantastic. Here are another nice Constantinopolis and a Roma to accompany her: City Commemorative under Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE 3, 331–334 AD, Cyzicus mint. Obv: CONSTANTINOPOLI; bust of Constantinopolis, laureate, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak, l. holding spear in r. hand. Rev: Victory, winged, draped, standing l. on prow, holding long sceptre in r. hand and resting l. hand on shield; in exergue, SMKE. 18mm, 2.49. Ref: RIC VII Cyzicus 92. Ex Forvm Ancient Coins; ex @TheRed collection; ex AMCC 2, lot 256 (their picture). City Commemorative under Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE 3, 330–337 AD, Thessalonica mint. Obv: VRBS ROMA; bust of Roma, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak, l. Rev: She-wolf, standing l., suckling twins; above, two stars; in exergue, SMTS∈. 18mm, 2.25g. Ref: RIC VII Thessalonica 187/229.
Wonderful coin! @Valentinian has a great page on this type but I can't seem to find the exact link to it.. but the site is here: http://augustuscoins.com/ The site is so, so great - it's amazing but it needs a main page with organized links as it can be confusing and many will not be able to find some of the excellent content available. His quote about these types stayed with me... this is not the exact quote - but just what I recall: "these coins are common, they are common because they were important and for that reason struck in great numbers".. I love the type and the amazing event that they celebrate.
Lest this confuse anyone: These coins were issued along with the two soldiers reverse coins that bore portraits of the rulers. The early ones had two standards between the two soldiers and a higher weight; later coins had only one standard between the soldiers and a lower weight. The Commemoratives of both kinds were issued in both weights but have no easy tip as to which they are. Each mint was a bit different and there is variation between individual coins so it is not safe to set a hard line for weight to separate the two. Still, we always must give a weight if we are to separate the two groups. In hand, it is more obvious than in photos. The two standards coins just strike you as bigger than the later, one standard ones. Nicomedia 2.6g accompanied the earlier, two standards coins Alexandria 1.8g accompanied the later, one standards coins We tend to favor nice, big coins but a collection really should include one of each.
Cupla mine: RI Commem Urbs Constantinopolis Victory Commem RI Commem AE 17 Constantinopolis 227-340 Victory Alexandria RIC VIII 17 Left
Lovely example, @bcuda ! Here's my most photogenic example of the type: Constantine I, AD 307-337. Roman billon reduced centenionalis, 2.51 g, 17.1 mm, 6 h. Trier, AD 330-331. Obv: CONSTANTINOPOLIS, laureate, helmeted and mantled bust, left, holding scepter over shoulder. Rev: Victory standing left on prow, holding scepter and shield; TRP• in exergue. Refs: RIC vii, p. 215, 530; LRBC I 59; RCV 16444; Cohen 21.
These tend to feel sort of regal to me, hope inspiring for the future of the empire, no matter how short lived it actually ended up. Nice pieces of art. Constantine I, AE3 Constantinople Commemertive, 337-347 AD, Antioch Mint Obverse: CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS, bust of Constantinopolis left, wearing laureate and crested helmet, necklace and ornamental mantle over left shoulder, holding scepter. Reverse: Victory standing left, foot on prow, holding transverse sceptre and resting left hand on shield with central boss, Star (or dot?) in top right field (?). Exergue: SMANI. Reference: RIC VIII Antioch 38
I was lucky and picked up one very recently. Beautiful coin; I think it may be from Antioch (the mintmark), but I'm not for sure on that. It is the first one I've seen--- I just don't get around much!... (sorry, small tongue in cheek humor). it measures 17 mm and weighs 2.5 grams.
