Constantine SOLI INVICTO COMITI variations

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Gavin Richardson, Nov 18, 2020.

  1. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    I am working on a project in which I survey the SOL STANDING reverse variations for Constantine’s coinage struck between 310 and 319. Nearly all of these coins bear the legend SOLI INVICTO COMITI. I am not concerned with the “dual bust” type with this legend.

    So what am I considering a significant variant? That’s a good question, and one I'm still working on. Admittedly, my approach has not been strictly uniform. Typically, the variant will involve an attribute, like a whip or globe or captive. I am not considering posture differences, such as which of Sol’s legs is bent, except for the rare “Sol facing” reverse from Ticinum. I am also not looking at line breaks in the legend, nor control marks, with the exception of the Latin cross that appears in the left field of some Ticinum issues. It’s been suggested (by @Valentinian and others) that this mark is evidence of a Christian die engraver at Ticinum and thus is something more than a simple control mark.

    I am not concerned with obverse variations, though if someone has a really interesting obverse (e.g., Constantine wearing trabea) I would love to see it. @VictorClark had a SOLI INVICTO COMITI coin with Constantine making the “imperial gestus.” Very cool.

    All this is to say that if folks on this board are aware of any variations I haven’t thought of, or if you have some interesting or attractive coins of this type, I’d love to see them. Have I listed them all? Am I missing anything?

    Here’s a quick illustration of the reverse variants I note so far:

    MOST COMMON TYPE: SOL HOLDING GLOBE, WITH RAISED HAND.
    (Struck at London, Trier, Lyon, Ticinum, Aquileia, Rome, Ostia, Arles, and Siscia):

    upload_2020-11-18_19-16-14.png

    SOL ADVANCING WITH GLOBE. LUGDUNUM:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-16-27.png

    SOL ADVANCING WITH WHIP. LUGDUNUM:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-16-37.png

    COMITI AVGG NN. LONDON:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-16-48.png

    CROSS (?) CONTROL MARK. TICINUM:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-17-0.png

    SOL WITH GLOBE AND WHIP. TICINUM:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-17-8.png

    SOL FACING. TICINUM:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-17-17.png

    SOL HOLDING VICTORY ON GLOBE. ROME:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-17-26.png

    SOL WITH CAPTIVE. ROME. (THESE WERE STRUCK AT AQUILEIA TOO.):

    upload_2020-11-18_19-17-37.png
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    And of course the half follis SOLI INVICTO from Trier:

    upload_2020-11-18_19-20-58.png
     
  4. Caesar_Augustus

    Caesar_Augustus Well-Known Member

    I have that addiction too!

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    Very nice! I think that last one must be a recent purchase? I had my eye on one very like it.
     
  6. Caesar_Augustus

    Caesar_Augustus Well-Known Member

    It appears I've sold that one actually. Late September. It's now at a new home! :) Here's one with a front-facing Sol and some killer abs.

    Constantine the Great
    AE Follis
    [​IMG]
    312 - 313 A.D., Ostia Mint, 1st Officina
    4.50g, 22.0mm, 6H

    Obverse: IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG,
    Bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, right

    Reverse: SOLI INV-I-CTO COMITI,
    Sol, chlamys flying out, standing front, head left, raising right hand and holding up globe in left hand

    Exergue: -/-//MOSTP

    Provenance: Ex. Navi eBay 2018

    Reference: RIC VI Ostia 89
     
  7. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Constantine I 28.jpg
    CONSTANTINE I
    AE2 Follis
    OBVERSE: Constantine I AE3. 315-316 AD. IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust right
    REVERSE: SOLI INVICTO COMITI, Sol, radiate, standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding globe, right hand raised, S-F across fields, MLN in ex.
    Struck at London 315-16 AD
    3.1g, 20mm
    RIC VII 43
    [​IMG]
    CONSTANTINE I
    AE Follis
    OBVERSE: CONSTANTINVS PF AVG; Laureate, cuirassed bust right
    REVERSE: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol standing slightly left left, radiate, nude but for cloak over shoulders and left arm, raising right hand commanding the sun to rise, globe in left hand, T - F divided across field, PTR in ex
    Struck at Treveri 310-313 AD
    4.4g, 25mm
    RIC VI Treveri 872, p. 227
    Ex JAZ
    Constantine I 24.jpg
    CONSTANTINE I
    AE3
    OBVERSE: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right
    REVERSE: SOL INVICTO COMITI, Sol, radiate, standing left, raising right hand, globe in left, chlamys across shoulder
    Struck at Trier 313-15 AD
    3.78 g, 18-19 mm
    RIC VII Trier 42
     
  8. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Here's one with Sol holding Victory on the globe:
    [​IMG]
    Rome mint, A.D. 316
    RIC 49 (var.)
    Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
    Rev: SOLI INV-I-CT COM D N - Sol raising right hand, holding Victory on globe in left
    RT in exergue; star in left field, dash in right
    20 x 18 mm, 3.0 g.

    Are you looking for different legends, such as these?
    [​IMG]
    London mint, A.D. 310-312
    RIC 153
    Obv: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
    Rev: COMITI AVGG NN - Sol, with whip and globe
    PLN in exergue; star in right field
    24 x 22 mm, 4.4 g.

    [​IMG]
    Rome mint, A.D. 317
    RIC 80
    Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
    Rev: CLARITAS RE-PVBLICAE - Sol, advancing left, raising right hand and holding whip in left
    RQ in exergue; A in left field
    21 x 18 mm, 2.7 g.
     
  9. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    That’s a great CLARITAS! For some reason I thought that legend was only struck for his sons.
     
    Caesar_Augustus likes this.
  10. Caesar_Augustus

    Caesar_Augustus Well-Known Member

    Yes good catch! Nice coin @gsimonel.
     
  11. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    While completely outside your area of interest, I would appreciate hearing if anyone reports a coin that is a reverse die link to my coin below either before or after the clash. I would like to hear of any die clash on this RT type since it is obviously unlikely that another would show up with the doublestriking here that might make die ID harder.
    rv4770bb2051.jpg
     
  12. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Yes, I think they are much more common for his sons. I had one for Constantine II for many years. When I finally saw one for Constantine I, I snatched it up right away.
     
    Gavin Richardson likes this.
  13. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    Yes, after seeing yours I checked around VCoins and a few other places. Did not see one listed. RIC rarity ranges from R3 to R5. In this case, I think RIC is right. Pretty darn rare.
     
  14. Victor_Clark

    Victor_Clark all my best friends are dead Romans Dealer

    The CLARITAS was only the second example from Rome that I have sold in the last few years...one example from London also.
     
    Gavin Richardson likes this.
  15. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Yes, I think I probably got my example from you, Victor.
     
  16. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    That's a fascinating project! Do you plan to eventually publish the type catalogue (online or in print), or is this simply for your private research?

    All of my Sol Constantines are the commen type, yet they show and interesting variety of bust types and control marks:

    Rom – Konstantin der Große, AE3, Soli invicto comiti, London.png
    Constantine the Great, Roman Empire, AE2, 312–313 AD, London mint. Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol, radiate, chlamys draped across r. shoulder, standing l., raising r. hand and holding up globe in l. hand; in field l., star; in exergue, PLN. 23mm, 2.77g. Ref: RIC VI Londinium 280.

    Rom – Konstantin der Große, AE3, Soli invicto comiti, Rom.jpg
    Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE3, 312–313 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol, chlamys draped over l. shoulder, standing l., raising r. hand and holding globe in l. hand. 20mm, 2.96g. Ref: RIC VI Rom 323a.

    Rom – Konstantin der Große, AE3, Soli invicto comiti, Rom, Beizeichen (neu).png
    Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE3, 313 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r, Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol, radiate, chlamys draped across r. shoulder, standing l., raising r. hand and holding globe in l. hand; in fields, R–F. 19.5mm, 3.41g. Ref: RIC VII Rome 2.

    Rom – Konstantin der Große, AE3, Sol, London mit Beizeichen.png
    Constantine the Great, Roman Empire, AE2, 316 AD, London mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS P AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol standing l., radiate, chlamys draped across r. shoulder, raising r. hand and holding up globe in l. hand; in fields, S–P; in exergue, MSL. 20.5mm, 3.06g. Ref: RIC VII Londinium 76.
     
  17. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    Those are all wonderful examples. I like how each mint has a unique approach, especially London. I am writing up the project. Nothing like a comprehensive catalog. Just a discussion of the variety of types and their contexts. It might find a published home one day. It might not. But I have learned a lot in the process.
     
    Orielensis likes this.
  18. thejewk

    thejewk Well-Known Member

    Licinius Comiti AAVVGG.jpg

    Although this one is for Licinius, there are Constantine coin from London with the same reverse, with the legend COMITI AA VV GG, contemporary with the above COMITI AVGG NN issue. Quite rare though, and I've not managed to find one for sale yet.
     
  19. thejewk

    thejewk Well-Known Member

    Also check out the London mint coins with Sol riding a quadriga towards the viewer. Superb but again quite rare! RIC 81-84, or LMCC 8.07.027-.032 are the references for these issues.
     
    Gavin Richardson likes this.
  20. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    Yes. My fourth coin above is a London issue like your Licinius. But I don’t think I have one with the first legend you referenced.
     
    thejewk likes this.
  21. sky92880

    sky92880 Well-Known Member

    Ostia mint A.D.316,
    RIC 49
    Obv. IMP C CONSTANTINUS P F AVG
    Rev. SOLIIN-VI-CTOCOMITI
    Sol, radiate, standing left, raising right hand, globe close to body, chlamys across
    shoulder v.jpg a.jpg

    MOSTP in exergue
    3.69 gr 21 mm
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page