Hey folks, I just picked up this Phoenix. Does it look like an engraver's error circled in red? Looks like FEN to me, instead of FEL. Also, anyone want to venture a guess as to the officina letter blob, circled in blue? B?
It does look like an "N" ... I'm at work, but I'll check my example when I get home, later ... Oh => sweet coin!! (ya gotta love the good ol' Phoenix on the rock-pile, eh?)
I have two Phoenix types of Constantius II, this my first Constans. I'm not sure if any other emperors used the type. I wouldn't go so far as to call the coins scarce, but they certainly seem less common than other reverse types. Although this coin has weak legends, the portrait and phoenix are quite strong, and it was a bargain-bin find at $15. Many higher-priced examples don't look much better as far as legends go. Compare the difference in the mound style with this coin. One is a pile of slabs, the other a pile of boulders. I wonder if there is any significance to the fact that both mounds have five tiers...
Constans AE3 Siscia Mint 337-350 AD Obverse: D N CONSTANS P F AVG, pearl diademed draped and cuirassed bust right Reverse: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Phoenix radiate, standing on rocky mound, (Gamma)SIS and symbol in exergue RIC VIII: 241 Size: 19mm, 2.36g
Hi JA => hey, it is a bit hard to conclude ... my FE"L" is a bit clunky looking too ... maybe not quite as "N" looking as yours, but it does have a bit of an over-exaggerated foot on the "L" ... not sure? ... but at least you can use my example as another reference ... Cheers, brother!!
Yeah, that may be it, Jerry, but the crossbar on mine is slanted down, which makes me think the engraver grabbed the N punch instead of L. It's not a big deal - I know misspellings aren't anything uncommon.
Possibly a bit of die slippage between hammer blows or the smallest doublestrike caused by a die bounce. Errors in ancients need to be really obvious before they 'count'.
