Rauceby hoard - Constantine's first coin

Thanks guys!

It's sad to think that this type of hoard provenance is still only one sale away from becoming "ex. Property of a gentleman". Too bad that in this day and age there isn't some type of hoard registry where people could either verify or research these things.

Even "ex. Epfig hoard" is rather meaningless since there's no way to verify it, and at the end of the day it's just a name with no story.

I particularly like your Maximinus @maridvnvm - it looks like he's gazing off into the sunset (reflected on his face), maybe imagining a more glorious future that what history had in store for him.

 

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Well, there is a way, but you might not like it. You could have it slabbed with the hoard provenance noted on the label.

 

Perhaps, but I wonder if NGC would even do it? How can you prove hoard provenance without there being a registry of individual coins or photo record for them to compare against ? (and anyways, then an anti-slabber cracks it out, and it becomes anonymous again)

At least it appears there will be an official write-up of the Rauceby hoard, so "ex. Rauceby hoard" would be more meaningful than "ex. Epfig hoard".

Anyways, I'm still alive and kicking, so it's not going to happen any time soon!

 

That's a good question. But given that these sorts of designations appear all the time, (e.g., "S.S. Central America shipwreck", etc.) I'm sure there is a process. A call to NGC customer service could probably sort that out.

I know I am in the minority, but I would pay a premium for a coin if it were NGC certified with an ex. Blahblah Hoard holder. It's like the next best thing to finding buried treasure yourself!

 

That is a fantastic coin and a great story.

I have never seen a portrait of Constantine like that one. I guess it was a matter of the die engravers not knowing how the new Caesar looked and therefore rendering a generic (albeit very naturalistic) portrait.

Below is one of my earliest Constantine coins.

Obv.: IMP CONSTANTINVS PF AVG
Rev.: MARTI PATRI CONSERVATORI
Field: S - H
Exergue: PTR
Mint: Trier
Date: 308
RIC 772a

Constantine met with Maximianus at Trier in 307, so the local die engravers knew how Constantine looked and I assume that the portrait on this coin comes close to his real appearance. On 25.12.307 Constantine was appointed Augustus, suggesting that the coin dates to 308.

 

Well, at least to some extent, this post helps in tying your coin to the hoard and adding the (virtual) paper trail -- the payment and the receipt from wiring the payment -- also adds to show the provenance connecting the dots between you and the finder.

 

The seller stated that these coins have been submitted to the PAS...I suspect that there is a bit of a backlog as the site only has a little info so far, but I would expect them all to be listed eventually.

https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/857468

 

@Heliodromus , I read this initially and came back to read it again. One of the best accounts and threads on Coin Talk of the early Londinium class of coins related to Constantine. Thanks.

 

I am expecting to have some relevant news to post in this thread soon...

 

oh man. If somebody else gets one of these first coins of Constantine, I’m gonna be crazy jealous.

 

Helio., Nice score on the early Constantine nummus . Constantine looks much older than his age on this hefty coin . Pictured below are 3 coins I've posted before but will post again since they fit this thread. The 1st coin I won from a CNG auction about 12 years ago, it's the oldest Constantine nummus in my collection. The 2nd coin has an impressive portrait with unusually fine die work on both sides. The obverse inscription layout is done with great care. The 3rd coin is the only London mint nummus I have.


Constantine I as Caesar, AD 306-309 (struck AD 306-early 307), Trier Mint, 1st Officina. Billon nummus: 9.50 gm, 27 mm, 7 h. Trace of silvering on the obverse & porosity on the reverse. RIC VI 666a. Rare. Ex White Mountain Collection.


Constantine I as Caesar, AD 306-309 (struck c. summer AD 307), Trier Mint, 1st Officina. Billon Nummus: 8.73 gm, 29 mm, 6 h. Shortened reverse inscription. RIC 719b. Ex CNG Inventory 774824, July 2006.


Constantine I as Augustus, AD AD 307-337 (struck AD 307-310), London Mint, 1st Officina. Billon Nummus: 6.57 gm, 28 mm, 8 h. C&T 5.04.033. Ex Italo Vecchi Collection.

 

The news is: I got one too!! Also from the Rauceby hoard, RIC 66, Constantine's first coin. Mine's not quite as nice as @Heliodromus's and has a more "normal" looking portrait style. It also has a lot of silvering still present, which is unusual for London coins from this period. I'm extremely pleased to own one! Definitely a highlight of my collection.

 

Very nice - congratulations!

Was that also from Rob's portion of the hoard?

 

Yup.

 

The British Museum have started (193/375) entering their Rauceby coins into their online database, but only two with photos so far, both unlisted.



The bust type and long legend (FLA VAL CONSTANTINVS NOBILI C) are both unlisted on this one. Rob had told me about the coin, but described it as with pointing fingers, which it kind of has, but I'm assuming it is just a slightly different depiction of the normally raised hand "speaking gesture", unless anyone recognizes it as a different gesture. Wow!



The obverse legend on this one (RIC 4a var) is also unlisted, and an interesting portrait not looking at all like Allectus as many do.

 

That’s an amazing gesture – – almost as if somebody else is reaching in from outside the frame.

 

Thanks so much for your post and all of the background info you provided.
That hoard speeks volumes of Englands efforts to(PAS)not only discover new finds, but making it possible for us to hold items in the hand and not worry about them being illegal to hold. The more folk out there looking for and discovering items of the past the better it is for historians giving us a view into the past.

The PAS should be copied by all countries to secure their past histories.

 

A low grade and corroded example just sold very cheaply in CNG 120 (80 bucks). Did anyone here pick it up?

 

I also recently got an example



Constantine I
A.D. 306
28mm 9.1g
CONSTANTINVS NOBILI C; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, tower on head, loins draped, r. holding patera, l. cornucopiae.
RIC VI London 66; LMCC 4.04.009

Ex Rauceby Hoard

 

Nice coin! I had it in my watch list and then forgot to bid