This coin has a few things going for it. First, it is a lovely coin with an interesting bust of Constantine. Next, it has plenty of silvering left (as a result it was not easy to photograph). Also, the coin was struck in London. Lastly, it is a plate coin from "The London mint of Constantius and Constantine (LMCC) by Cloke and Toone." I purchased this coin from one of the authors. If you ever get the chance to interact with Lee Toone, I believe you will enjoy the experience. He was kind and he shipped the coin very quickly. Please post your plate coins. Constantine AE Follis. Obv: Helmeted, Laureate cuirassed bust right; CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG Rev: 2 Victories standing facing one another, holding Vota shield inscribed VOT-PR in 2 lines on altar, with altar decoration. PLN Mintmark Ric 170, Helvetica 3d (cross within wreath) Plate coin 9.01.022 in The London mint of Constantius and Constantine (LMCC) by Cloke and Toone. Purchased from Lee Toone June 2021
Nice coin! These London cross/star on altar types are tough to get in nice condition. Sticking with the Constantine theme, here's a 1/8 nummus fraction of Constantine as caesar, RIC VI Trier 746, issued to celebrate his 1st imperial anniversary on 7-25-307. It measures 14mm and weighs in at 1.3g. The reverse type is PLVR NATAL FEL, many happy birthdays, with his natalis imperiii being the birthday being celebrated. Not much to look at, but not a common type. This is ex. Dieter Alten collection, and is plate coin 6.14 from Carl-Friedrich Zschucke's "Die Bronze-Teilstück-Prägungen der römischen Münzstätte Trier". Zschucke was Dieter Alten's friend and would later publish Alten's impressive Trier Beata Tranqvilitas collection, with his friend as posthumous co-author, and subsequently donated the collection to Berlin.
Orfew, Nice score with a great provenance ! Last year I scored a nice looking nummus of Constantine as Augustus, from the London Mint. My coin isn't a plate coin but it came from the esteemed collection of Italo Vecchi. What is the weight & diameter of your coin ? Do you know what the P.R on the shield means ? Constantine I as Augustus, AD 307-337 (struck AD 307-310), London Mint. Obverse: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG. Reverse: GENIO POP ROM, in exergue PLN. AE Nummus: 28 mm, 6.57 gm, 8 h. C&T 5.04.003; RIC 103. Ex Italo Vecchi Collection.
I think the conventional wisdom is that VOT PR stands for Vota Populi Romani, or vows of the Roman people for the prosperity and survival of the state and the emperor.
Gavin, Thanks, that does make sense . I'm assuming Orfew's coin was struck to commemorate Constantine's 1st set of vows ? If that is the case then the coin pictured below must represent his 2nd set of vows ?
I really don’t know enough to answer that question authoritatively. His decennalia was in about 316, and his vicennalia was in about 326. So what’s he observing circa 321? 15 years? Or an early vicennalia? Or are some of these coins so continuously struck that they aren’t tethered to any particular votive observance? I would lean toward the latter. But Victor Clark would know more. It’s a good question. My version of the OP coin:
The VLPP were not issued for a specific anniversary, but may have been celebrating all the imperial consulships or perhaps just merely generic public vows.
Nice pickup, @Orfew. The Trier mint quarter follis below was struck when Constantine was caesar. I don't have the reference in question, but it was sold as ex Guiseppe Mazzini Collection and is apparently a plate coin in his Monete Imperiali Romane. CONSTANTINE I, as Caesar AE Quarter-Follis. 1.82g, 16.7mm. Trier mint, AD 306-307. RIC VI Trier 750; Mazzini 748 (this coin). O: FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NC, laureate, cuirassed bust right. R: VO/TIS/X in three lines within wreath. Ex Giuseppe Mazzini Collection (1883-1961)
Those little 1/4 folli/nummi from Trier are quite scarce. This mangled little beast, with Constantine as Augustus, below is my only example. I found it in a batch of uncleaned coins many years ago: Treveri (Trier) mint, A.D. 307-308 RIC 791 Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG Rev: VOT/X/AVG/N, within wreath No mint mark 13 mm, 0.8 g.
