Constantine, Ticinum mint Sol Invictus rev.

Hey folks. Here’s a new arrival of mine which I plan to use in a college paper I am working on. Here are some not great photos but they are OK for now.



For my paper, I’d also like to have a Constantinian coin with Christian symbology. The earlier, the better. I’m trying to point out the length of time from the battle at the Milvian, to the earliest Christian symbols on coins. Just to illustrate the historians of the time propagandizing on behalf of Constantine and Christianity as a whole. So please, if you have some of those earlier coins featuring the Chi-Rho or other symbols drop them below and perhaps I can use it.

of course, you receive full credit. And hopefully, I will too

 

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Not my coin… but I suppose this coin type including a Chi-Rho/labarum would be a topic in your paper. See the coin description within the link.

From acsearch: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=7473174

 

Good luck with the paper!

 

This is one of the types I was hoping to find. However; I was hoping someone here had one which they would like to contribute.

maybe @Victor_Clark ? No pressure though

 

Thanks a bunch ACH!!

 

here's my SPES PVBLIC



Constantine I
A.D. 327
Ӕ nummus 19mm 2.6g
CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG; laureate head right
SPES PVBLIC; chi-rho atop standard of 3 medallions impaling snake, in left field A.
in ex. CONS
RIC VII Constantinople 19

 

Mind if I use this? Where does this stack up in comparison to other Christian coins? How much earlier does it go? About 15 years after the Milvian sounds about right to me, but if there is something earlier it would help me immensely (even if it goes against my thesis)

 

This coin of Theodosius II has a clear cross on reverse. It was struck at Cyzicus. RIC-X- 134.

 

This is the considered to be the earliest coin of Constantine with an unambiguous Christian symbol (the Chi-Rho at the front of the helmet crest). It's been dated to 315 AD (a fairly well accepted date), although a few people consider it might be later. The reference number for this is "RIC VII Ticinum 36". It's not a part of everyday coinage, but rather a special issue silver medallion given out to specific honorees (high ranking members of the army, etc). The coin itself measures about 26mm in diameter, meaning that the Chi-Rho itself measures about 1.5mm across - to the naked eye it would be very hard to distinguish it from a star, so not a very bold statement!

There are only four of these known to survive. This one sold at auction for around $0.25M a few years ago, and the other three are in museums. Here's a link to the auction (NAC is the company). I'm not sure what their photo policy is, but normally these companies are OK to share for non-commercial use.

https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=2518&lot=1051

 

Valentinian I, AE3. Lyons. AD 364-375. DN VALENTINIANVS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / GLORIA ROMANORVM, Emperor walking right, holding labarum with chi-rho, dragging captive behind him. O-F II across fields. Mintmark LVGSR

 

Love it

 

There is what appears to be a Chi-Rho on the emperor's standard on the reverse.

 

It's a little later than Constantine but the symbolism is there

 

I cannot provide a coin from that specific time, not sure if this will help as it's "younger"/. Labarum with Chi-Rho but quite worn


DN GRATIANVS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / GLORIA ROMANORVM, emperor in military dress walking right, head left, holding labarum, dragging a kneeling captive by the hair, F to left, R above hooked A (symbol 4) to right. Mintmark ΔSISCVE.
RIC IX Siscia 14c, AD
367-375

Here is also a "new" one with a cross in the right field

Obv: AEL FLACCILLA AVG - diademed and draped bust right
Rev: SALVS REI-PVBLICAE - Empress standing facing, arms folded over chest, cross to right, mintmark CONSE.
RIC IX Constantinople 82

 

Here are two Arcadius. One with a cross and the other with a Chi-Rho.

 

This was exactly what I was searching for - however this one is ultra rare, and I think I would benefit more from something a little more, well, typical for the era.

I’d also hate to take an image which I don’t necessarily have rights to. That site says that some images may be liable to copyright and I don’t really want to play that guessing game.

 

the most conspicuous XP :

D.N. MAGNENTIVS P.F. AVG
SALVS DD.NN. AVG. ET CAES. , large christogram between A and ω , exergue : LSLG (Lugdunum)
26 mm

 

From Constantine I's reign I have 5 different types with Christian symbology. One is a SPES PVBLIC which is a type @Victor_Clark has already exhibited above so I will not include it here. But my other 4 (from years 320, 334, 334/335, & 336 AD) are below.

320 AD
RIC VII 168 3.d. [London]
Cross within wreath on altar...


334 AD
RIC VII 385 (385/400) [Arles mint]
Chi-Rho above she-wolf, between 2 stars...


334/335 AD
RIC VII 124 [Aquileia mint]
Cross on ground between 2 standards...


336 AD
RIC VII 394 [Arles mint]
Chi-Rho on standard...

 

CNG Allows for non-commercial uses of their images. I think they have their policy stated on their research page. It’s a good resource if you want quality images for an academic paper.

 

While shown before above, my favorite Christian symbolism coin was issued by the pagan Magnentius to curry favor with the orthodox Romans against the Arian Constantius II. The A-W shows that this coin supported the orthodox view that Christ existed from the beginning to the end and was not created by the Father. This one is from Amiens.