And with a “Nerva nose” yet ..... RIC VI, Londinium, No. 14a, Constantius, Caesar of the West: CT (Cloke & Toone), No. 2.01.010 (3), c. AD 296-303, Rarity: C FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI Laureate, cuirassed, bust. Small head on a tall neck. Reminiscent of Carausius/Allectus Mint "long neck" Antoniniani Maybe the work of former Carausius/Allectus Mint die engravers? 9.8 gm.
Wow, that is one strange-looking coin . Does the style look okay for the place and era? Edited to add a somewhat similar although not quite as long-necked example from CNG's archives: https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=160876
Not normal. Sutherland in RIC, Volume VI, (ii), Unmarked II folles, notes: “ ..... both (a) and (b) include coins of noticeably rough worksmanship, sometimes with orthographic errors. Style is occasionally reminiscent of the stiff, tall-necked portraits of Carausius and Allectus from their ‘C’ mint.”
I don't have one with a long neck, but I do have one with no neck at all. CONSTANTIUS I CHLORUS AE Follis. 9.36g, 28.7mm, Ticinum mint, AD 300-303. RIC VI 46a. O: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right. R: SACRA MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOSTR, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia; TT• in exergue.
Going through ACsearch for coins of Londinium, most seem to share a certain style independent of exact portrait style and neck length. Have you found this to be true, @jamesicus? I'm a novice at assessing such things. The flans seem generous in size and the fields perfectly, flat for instance. Many have beaded borders when are entirely or almost entirely on flan, as is the case with your coin. The lack of mintmark clue notwithstanding, are you and other experienced collectors usually able to spot a Londinium coin by style alone?
jamesicus, here's one I pulled out of the moth balls for comparison, see photo below. It's also a London Mint issue depicting Constantius I, c 300 CE, 8.99 gm, RIC 22. His neck looks like a normal length but is very thick. He's also sporting that typical long beak nose.
I did have this one originally allocated to this issue but seeing yours I am not so sure that the neck is long enough. but it is so much longer and narrower then the later issue
I have always been of the opinion that the skilled and non-political staff of any mint formerly serving a defeated opponent would most likely be transferred to similar duties with the new administration. We should be more on the look out for signs of this in obvious places. This is certainly one as is the Pescennius Niger staff to Septimius Severus Syrian mints (my prime interest). Certainly the head mintmasters might have been executed but skilled diecutters are harder to find than middle managers.
