Hello all! At the Denver Coin Expo early this month, I acquired my first ever campgate! The details were so nice I just simply couldn’t turn it down. I think it’s a Constantine I bronze. I just went through Constantine I coins on WildWinds and came to an ID. I compared this to the ID on the flip and they matched. Now I was curious if you all agreed with me! I came to: 324-325 AD Constantine I AE Follis RIC VII 264 Arles, France OBV: Laureate head of Constantine I facing right / CONSTAN-TINVS AVG REV: Six-rowed campgate with two turrets on top and a star above, mintmark below / PROVIDEN-TIAE AVGG P*AR The flip says it’s also Sear 16243, but WildWinds doesn’t mention the Sear number. Is this ID correct? Thanks!
That's a nice example of an iconic type. Yes, it is RIC VII, p. 263, no. 264; Sear 16243. Sear 16243 is not as specific a reference and includes those coins catalogued in RIC as nos. 264, 265, and 280.
Go to WildWinds and do a "control f" or however you get up the search function. Type in sear 16243 and it will be found. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constantine/i.html
Nice Campgate. One of my favorites. I have 3 working in my current cleaning projects, plus the ones I have finished.
Soren, Nice score, your coin has a rich patina . Pictured below is the last camp-gate I added to my collection.
Looks like a good ID to me! Also a great camp gate! Here is the first Roman coin I ever got. Got it in trade with @Jwt708 for some military pogs when I was deployed back in 2015. I was admittedly intimidated for quite some time but once I got hooked...it was all over haha.
That is very good to know. Thank you. I have a clarifying question since I am not fully familiar with RIC: When you say "p. 263, no. 264," is the p. the page number and the variety is 264? Or is it one of two varieties 263 and 264? Thanks in advance.
Wow! I forget how responsive the Ancients forum here on Cointalk is! Thanks for all the great information everyone. Thank you! I did the search function for "gate," but didn't think to do it for "16243" lol. That's quite exciting. It really is quite an extensive series of issues with this design. Awesome! I like the crisp detail on the gate itself. Is it bronze?
Thank you both Those are some awesome coins you're sharing. Great story @furryfrog02 and awesome hoard coin @Al Kowsky.
It's RIC 264 for the Arles mint listings. It happens to be on page 263. But there is more than one RIC VII no. 264, so you have to specify by giving the mint or the page number. For example, there's an RIC VII 264 on p. 325, which is among the Rome mint listings.
My first campgate, and my SECOND ever Ancient coin was also a campgate. Specialists who are above my pay grade sometimes pursue all sorts of obscure little features - open doors, turrets, levels of the gate, and other features allow one to specialize.
I love the camp gate series. I'm not too worried about little details like open gates or turrets, but since they are so common I rather like to see them in great condition and with superbe busts. Here is one of my favourites. Constantine II Mint: Trier
a recent example Constantine I A.D. 318- 319 19mm 3.1g CON-STANTI-NVS AVG; cuirassed and helmeted bust left, spear pointing forward and shield on left arm. VIRTVS AVGG; camp gate with closed doors with arch and three turrets with circular decorations, across fields P-R In ex. RP RIC VII Rome 178
