Late Roman coinage

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Campbell Miller, Sep 23, 2021.

  1. GinoLR

    GinoLR Well-Known Member

    Valens silique.jpg
    There is also this solidus. It has been once set in a jewel, unfortunately. To the left and right of CONS there should be crown symbols. Is this one minted in Constantinople?

    Valentinien I solidus.jpg
     
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  3. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    My favorite LRB is this double maiorina of Julian.
    upload_2021-11-9_22-35-50.png

    upload_2021-11-9_22-36-34.png

    I bought it because it is one of the reverses I wanted.
    Usually the dies are artistically engraved and the coins are beautiful, perhaps Julian's double maiorina is one of the iconic 4th century coins.
    This one simply amazed me because the die had no quality control.

    On the other side of the spectrum, I also bought this one from the same auction. Nothing rare or very interesting, but I liked the overall aspect plus the nice olive green color, also being my only Constans coin.

    upload_2021-11-9_22-44-5.png

    upload_2021-11-9_22-44-37.png
     
    furryfrog02, PeteB, GinoLR and 2 others like this.
  4. AussieCollector

    AussieCollector Moderator Moderator

    Lovely coin @Campbell Miller

    Not sure what you mean by late though? The Empire continued for more than a thousand years after that ;)

    Here is my late Roman:

    [​IMG]

    JOHN VIII PALAEOLOGUS, (1425-1448), silver stavraton (1/2 hyperpyron)
    Obv: facing bust of Christ Pantokrator
    Rev: Crowned bust of John VIII facing, in double circular legend
    5.36g, flan cracks, scarce, DOC-1611; Se-2563. MBC

    And more in theme with the OP, here is my late 'pre-final split' of the Roman Empire coin:

    [​IMG]

    Valens, 364-378 solidus
    Obv: D N VALENS P F AVG Laurel-and-rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Valens to right
    Rev: VICTOR-IA AVGG / TROBS Two emperors, crowned, seated facing on double-throne, holding a globe together; behind, Victory standing facing with wings spread; below, small palm branch. RIC 17e.4
    Mint: Treveri
    20mm, 4.44g
     
  5. AussieCollector

    AussieCollector Moderator Moderator

    @GinoLR - definitely minted in Constantinople. However, I couldn't find an exact match on WildWinds, even after looking at Valentinian, Valentinian II, and Valentinian III.
     
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  6. Etcherman

    Etcherman Well-Known Member

    Here's a Valens solidus that has changed hands a few times.
    valens project copy.jpg
     
    sand, Marsyas Mike, DonnaML and 3 others like this.
  7. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Here is a site on late Roman AE from the period of Valentinian (note my username) and later:
    http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/
    It has over a hundred linked pages. If you are interested in particular emperors, it has their AE type sets:
    http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/typesets.html
    If you are interested in this time period, I recommend buying RIC volume 9, even though it is very old. But, if you just want an outline of the AE issued then, those pages provide it.

    Here is a rare late Roman AE type:

    TheodosiusTESbustleft.jpeg

    Theodosius, 16 mm. 3.07 grams. 6:00
    Consular bust left, holding mappa
    GLORIA REIPVBLICE around campgate with cross-rho above.
    TES in exergue
    RIC IX Thessalonica 59b
    Dated 385 because of the consular bust.
     
  8. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    I like coins with some honest wear. Seems like its harder to find circulated Roman gold than it is the MS quality ones.
     
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  9. GinoLR

    GinoLR Well-Known Member

    I couldn't myself find an exact match, even in RIC online ! It does not look like an imitation. Maybe it is a rare variety?
     
  10. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I strongly suspect that most low end gold found over the centuries was melted and became something more current. Many worn gold coins show signs of being ex. jewelry which probably explains how they escaped the pot.
     
    Hrefn likes this.
  11. zenlib

    zenlib Member

    Yes, Carson, Hill & Kent (1978), Late Roman Bronze Coinage. I have the 1989 Durst reprint. Very handy.[/QUOTE]
    I am not sure I am posting this message correctly. Anyway, I want to thank dltsrq.
     
    dltsrq likes this.
  12. Voulgaroktonou

    Voulgaroktonou Well-Known Member

     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2021
  13. Voulgaroktonou

    Voulgaroktonou Well-Known Member

     
  14. Voulgaroktonou

    Voulgaroktonou Well-Known Member

     
  15. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    In general, I don't think that solidi changed hands frequently. They functioned as stores of value and means of payment for large scale transaction and for the payment of taxes. The tax office would receive the tax in gold coins, which were then molten down to verify the weight. After that the gold would be minted again into coins. I think often or most of the time, worn Roman gold coins have been used in jewellery at some point.
     
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  16. Voulgaroktonou

    Voulgaroktonou Well-Known Member

    What a nice Valentinian; wonderful posts, photos, and comments! My graduate training was in 4th-5th c. Latin literature, so moving into the late empire in the 1970s seemed a natural progression from my earlier Roman and Greek. Trying to narrow down my favorite late Roman coins is like trying to pick a favorite among my dogs. Can’t be done…

    So here are a few:

    Constantine I. Constantinople, 327. Ae, 2.77 gr. 19 mm. 4h. RIC 19.
    Constantine II. Siscia, 337-40. Heavy Miliarense, 4.47 gr. 25 mm 6h. RIC 47
    Constantius II. Constantinople, 351-5. Siliqua, 3.46 gr. 22 mm. 12h. RIC 102.
    Constantius II. Antioch, 337-47. Solidus, 4.46 gr. 22 mm. 5h. RIC 7. Ex Edward Gans 5 Aug. 1956.
    Julian II. Trier, 360-3. Siliqua, 2.25 gr. 17 mm 12h. RIC 365.
    Julian II. Lyons, 360-3. Siliqua, 2.08 gr. 17 mm. 6h. RIC 212
    01.jpg

    A few others…

    Julian II. Arles, 360-3. Siliqua, 2.05 gr. 17 mm. 7h. RIC 309. Ex 1887 East Harptree, Somerset Hoard.
    Gratian. Trier, 378-83. Solidus, 4.50gr. 21 mm. 6h. RIC 49b. G. de Falco, 16 Nov. 1958.
    Theodosius II. Ravenna, 407. Solidus, 4.38 gr. 21 mm. 1h. RIC 1311
    Valentinian III. Ravenna, 430-40. Solidus, 4.38 gr. 22 mm. 12h. RIC 2018.
    Marcian, Constantinople, 450-7. Siliqua, 1.41 gr. 18 mm. 12h. RIC 528. Leu 15, 28 Feb. 2021, lot 2222.
    Basiliscus and Marcus, Constantinople, 475-6. Semissis, 2.22 gr. 18 mm. 4h. RIC 1028
    02.jpg

    As @Aussie Collector pointed out, the empire lasted another thousand years after the time of the first Constantine. So here are my 2 Constantine XI 1/8 stavrata….

    And for any autograph hunters out there, here's one you might enjoy, although I much doubt you'll find a copy to acquire: the signature of Constantine XI Palaeologos, 1448-1453, the last emperor of the Romans. This is from a contemporary chrysobull, or imperial decree. The wording follows very closely the inscriptions found on his stavrata and that of his immediate predecessors.

    + Κωνσταντίνος εν Χριστώ τω Θεώ πιστός βασιλεύς και αυτοκράτωρ των Ρωμαίων ο Παλαιολόγος :+

    Constantine, in Christ, God, faithful emperor and autocrat of the Romans, the Palaeologos.

    Also, photos of my 2 eighth stavrata of Constantine XI. They were published in Simon’s article in Revue Numismatique v. 33 (1991) pp. 134-142. They are Bendall 110 and Bendall 129 respectively.


    Constantine XI. Constantinople. 1449/53. Eighth Stavraton. 0.63 gr. 12.7 mm. hr. 11. Sear -; DO 1789. Bendall, “The coinage of Constantine XI” (Revue Numismatique 1991, pp. 134-142), #110 (this coin).

    Constantine XI. Constantinople. 1449/53. Eighth Stavraton. 0.63 gr. 13 mm. hr. 12. Sear -; DO 1789. Bendall, op. cit.#129 (this coin).
    Constantine XI signature and coins.jpg
     
  17. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Not many of us can say that!

    What a wonderful group! Splendid!
     
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  18. Voulgaroktonou

    Voulgaroktonou Well-Known Member

    Nicest thing about it, Warren, is that's how I met Susan. It was in a Greek class, reading the Medea!
     
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