I was looking through some duplicate coins in my CtG collection, ones that I haven't published online, when I noticed this unusual GENIO POP ROM. These coins are usually described as some form of "Genius, standing left, holding patera and cornucopia." On this coin, however, the cornucopia looks more like a sword handle sticking out of a scabbard. Probably just a quirk of the celator's particular style, but it sure doesn't look like a cornucopia to me. Is it possible that the genius is holding something other than a cornucopia, and if so, what? Constantine I ("the Great") AE nummus Treveri mint, A.D. 307-308 RIC 770 Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG Rev: GENIO POP ROM - Genius, loins draped, standing, facing left, holding patera in right hand and "cornupopia" in left. PTR in exergue; S in left field, A in right 27mm, 6.0g
Right or wrong, I see the possibility that the die cutter was not fully briefed on what was being shown but just copying a model rather loosely. This London cornucopia does have a sword look but I am not convinced that this is fully intentionally a variation from the usual cornucopia.
Exactly. As far as I know Sol never has a cornucopia. He has only the orb on most types, with the orb and whip on a few types. The whip symbolized the sun-chariot he drove across the sky. SC
I think it's just an odd-looking corncucopiae, because the bottom portion of your example -- and, even more so, @Victor_Clark's -- curves in the same way as any standard cornucopiae. A sword with that shape would be rather difficult to pull out of its scabbard!
