I can not believe how long it takes me to get close to an accurate attribution. I spent about 4 hours on these two attributions. It helped to hook up a large screen to my laptop. Part of the time I use stopping to read something or giving my peepers a break. I started out thinking these creatures on the reverse were angels. I learned that angels are always male and that Victories are always female. Thanks Sallent for your generosity. Here is the coin of Sallent and below is my tentative attribution. Obv. - CONSTANS P F AVG, laureate and rosette diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev. - VICTORIAE DD AVGG Q NN, two victories advancing towards one another, each holding a wreath; •ASIS• in exergue. RIC 185. 1.5 gr 15.875 mm Question: What is there between the Victories? I took a close up of it -Seems like a mountain or something. Maybe it's nothing. If anyone can let me know I would appreciate it.
I love how you're getting the "university education" on ancients. At the rate you're going, you'll surpass me. (That might not take long. I think @dadams has already done that.)
the reverse definitely has two victories, as angels are not depicted yet. However, years later, victories eventually did transform into angels. "This is perhaps the only case in which the transition from pagan goddess to Christian angel is perfectly clear." Mattingly, The Man in the Roman Street. pg 79 What is between them is HR in a ligature.
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/quiz.html For the benefit of anyone new or old who wants to play, I'll mention again (and again) my quiz page above. There are six group photos each with 5-10 questions. The questions were intended to be hard for people accustomed to using Google to answer all their needs but not unfair or trick. For example, question 1.1 is " If the title of the above image is "Constantine and his Sons" which coin(s) should be removed from the group? (Answer with letters A-T)" (Click to enlarge image.) To answer this question, you need to identify each of the 20 coins and ask if that person was Constantine or one of his sons. If the coin was his father, mother, sister, nephew or completely unrelated, you have found one answer. If you don't know who was a son of Constantine, this would be a good time to learn. I lost my 'key' to this quiz but will be happy to discuss any single coin or single question. I gave up on people trying to get them all. So far, I believe it is two attempts and one with almost an A+.
Your mint mark is in the exergue, the bit that includes the SIS part, for Siscia. HR is a control mark.
Good news, @LaCointessa . Going through my desk drawers today,I found a LRB with a VOTA reverse. It will be in the mail going out to you tomorrow if you want it. It was another freebie someone gave me a while back. Sadly the coin looks to be an Ex. Athena Numismatics. Although I have no proof where it came from, I recognized Athena Numismatics' fake orange desert patina on the coin from a mile away when I first saw it. If you don't like the fake patina, dip it in alcohol and see it go away. I'll let you decide. Either way, it is still the best kind of coin (free), fake patina or not, and your first VOTA coin if you want it...yes?
Well, @Sallent - Since you're twisting my virtual arm.... Thank you. Yes! And looking up VOTA was on my list for looking up this week as well. I saw that in my attribution ramblings.
