New member and first coin

Hello all! Just purchased my first coin. I wanted it to be one with a chi rho on the inverse. Can you give opinions on the authenticity of it by chance? It’s a late Roman coin with Magnentius on the face.
Thanks!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

there is no reason to doubt the authenticity...it's a fine coin.

 

Thats a nice Chi-Ro reverse.

 

I realized immediately after I posted that how poorly worded it was. I didn’t mean that Vcoins would sell me a fraudulent coin. I sincerely apologize for that. I’ve been reading threads all day talking about authenticity etc. I meant could anyone expand on the materials it’s made of or give opinions on where it was minted etc.

Thanks.

 

Your coin is made of bronze and is from Lugdunum (Lyons). That is what the reference in the listing means-- RIC VIII Lyons 160. Your coin is listed in volume 8 of Roman Imperial Coinage from the mint of Lyons and struck sometime between A.D. 350- 353.

 

Boom. Thanks for the response and patience. Very new to the hobby and learning the basics of the legends assigned to the coins. Love the history. Thanks Victor.

 

Welcome to CT

 

Thanks!

 

That's a nice example! Welcome to the dark side!

 

The large Chi-Rho on the reverse may have been an attempt by Magnentius to promote himself as the true spiritual heir of Constantine and the A (alpha) and the W (omega) on the reverse may also have been a shot at Constantius II, who was an Arian. A and W is a reference to Revelations 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Constantius II as an Arian believed that Christ had a creation point, so did not always exist, versus the orthodox belief that he always existed- Alpha and Omega. So Magnentius may have been pointing out that Constantius II was a heretic.

 

Wow! Thanks for that info!!

 

Very successful start. Welcome.

 

Welcome and congrats on your first coin. May you enjoy many more!

 

Wow, starting strong. My first coin was an $18 Gordian III ant, and then every coin after that has been trash. Lol

 

It looked like such a great example. Crisp lines, etc.

 

Nice coin, only thing wrong is trying to buy others that are as nice or nicer Welcome to CT.

 

Magnentius was particularly appealing to the Western Christians who followed the Bishop of Rome (Pope) in the orthodox position. Constantius II was educated by a tutor selected by his father but who was Arian as were many in the East. As emperor, Constantius tried to work out a compromise to unite all Christians but both sides were happier supporting a pagan like Magnentius rather than the sell out Constantius. The history of the world would have been spared a lot of ugly chapters had religious leaders been willing to look for similarities rather than differences. In 385 the very Orthodox Magnus Maximus executed Priscillian and his followers for heretical beliefs including a few which I copy from Wikipedia:
receiving the Eucharist in the church but eating it at home or in the conventicle; women joining with men during the time of prayer; fasting even on Sunday; and meditating at home or in the mountains instead of attending church during Lent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscillian
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscillianism

 

Thanks for that!

 

Very nice coin, a great start.

 

Great first coin and welcome to the forum. Only 4 months ago I was in the same position as you. During that period I learned a lot, and that's mostly thanks to the very knowedgeable members of this forum.

What is your main area of interest? If Christian themes is what you are looking for, you can't go wrong with the Byzantine Empire. Make sure you do the research first before buying though.