Unidentified imitations

Here are a few coins with transposed and inverted A and V, and A lacking crossbar.

Most of these have been shown before.

#1 is a Gaulic Visigothic Solidus modeled on one of Valentinian III 439-455 AD, of the Ravenna mint. The Visigothic solidi characteristically have a tiny wreath over the emperor’s head on the obverse. Also, the “C’s” at the end of the reverse inscription are distinctive, as is the overall style. MEC 170. This coin is from the sale of the William Subjack collection, Coins of the German Migrations, sold by Italo Vecchi in Nummorum Auctiones 14, lot#8, on 5 February 1999. Most of the A’s lack crossbars.

#2 is a tremisses of 1.45 grams. On the obverse, the N of Dominus Noster is retrograde. On the reverse, the entire legend is retrograde, Victory faces left versus right, and the wreath and cross are opposite to normal. A and V used randomly.
Jon. Kern to Glenn Woods, to Harlan Berk, to me.

#3 was recently discussed as probably not Ostrogothic given the crudity of style and the obvious illiteracy of the celator. Random A and V again. From Dorotheum 2015, from an “Austrian specialist’s collection.”

#4 Probable Merovingian solidus, and every A is an inverted V. From the Subjack collection.

 

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That is a great group:
1. Is clearly a Visigothic solidus minted at Toulouse. The littel pellet or courone above the Emperor's head distinguishes the coin from Italian emissions.
2. Is one of a fairly large group of undertermined imitations of Tremisses in the name of Leo. I wish I knew who made those.
3. Is in my view most likely a Burgundian solidus, minted by Gundobad.
4. Is very typical for a class of Frankish-Merovingian solidi in the name of Anastasius. I'm guessing, but these coins may have been minted at Reims.

This is a realy nice group that captures the political situation after the demise of the western part of the Roman Empire very well.

 

I very much appreciate your expert opinion, and especially your thoughts on coin #3. I now appreciate better the evidence against the coin being Ostrogothic. I have amended my tag in the envelope to reflect it.

Plus, what collector of Migration period gold would not want a Burgundian solidus?
Woohoo!