My friend DC, now nearly 90 years old, collected early Christian types from the fourth C. AD. He went to shows decades ago when hoard coins were available to pick from large bags with thousands of coins. Over the years he found these two oddities. 15 mm. Chi-rho reverse on an ancient imitation. My guess is that it is overstruck on a Constantine II GLORIA EXERCITVS, with the reverse chi-rho over the obverse with the bottom of the original bust at 2:00. On the obverse as shown I think I can see an exergual line from 2:00 - 1:00 with SAR (Alelate) below. Found in the county of Norfolk. You have never seen anything like this, nor have I until I saw this one. It is hard to say what a once-in-fifty-year imitation is worth, but I am asking [$145] Here is the second oddity. 15 mm. Christian overstrike on a undertype of Constans/VICTORIAE DD AVG Q NN, palm branch between victories, RIC Trier(?) 209. Large cross on reverse. It is surely an imitation, but may be the earliest cross type (as opposed to adjunct symbol) of all Roman coins. I am speculating, but think what you know about types with crosses. This coin is quite a bit earlier. Found in the county of Norfolk in 1990. [$175] You will probably never see another one anything like this. What would you rather have? A unique early Christian coin or a common $175 coin anyone can buy one like today? More ancient-coins can be found here: http://augustusmath.hypermart.net/coinlist.html
