Hey guys. new here. just came across an ancient Roman coin and I'm having trouble identifying it. I have found similar coins with the same characters on the rear but the symbols vary. Tried to post pics prior but was having issues. Going to try again.
I know you guys really love coins, but you really shouldn't be dating one. Please find a real, live human to date instead.
If you date that coin, it should pay its own way. I think your coin is unofficial. It is what is called a barbarous imitation. It was minted about the same time as the regular issue, but it's not from an official mint. Most likely it's from an area near the borders of the Empire, where there was a shortage of official coins. They are very common for this particular type. Some collectors make a specialty of studying them. Here's another example from my collection, imitating a coin from the Siscia mint: Unknown mint, 4th century A.D. Barbarous imitation of Constantine the Great, VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP reverse type. Obv: Gibberish - Bust, left, in high-crested helmet, spear over right shoulder, shield over left. Rev: Gibberish - Two Victories, facing each other, holding inscribed shield over altar. 17 mm, 2.1 g. . . . and the official coin that it is imitating: Siscia mint, A.D. 319-320 RIC 95, variant Obv: IMP CONSTANT-INVS AVG Rev: VICT[dot] LAETAE PRINC PERP - Two Victories, facing each other, holding shield inscribed VOT/PR over altar ΓSIS[star] in exergue; S in altar. 20 x 18 mm, 3.2 g.
Welcome to CoinTalk! Ancients are awesome and there are many affordable coins from all parts of history. John
Wow. That is alot of confusing info. Guess I should have been a historian. I noticed that coin looks like mine except the image is reversed on the front. Any particular reasoning for this? When you have a coin like this from an unofficial mint does it make the coin less valuable? And what gives it away? Sorry about the endless questions but man that's very interesting
The 'value' question is the most difficult thing to answer. There are people who like the coins and pay extra for ones they like better (generally the wildest style in the finest condition) while there are many people who would not touch them with a ten foot pole. The two below found a home with me for being cheap ($5 and $12) but having no possible claim on being official. Some of us hate to see beginners asking the value question simply because it is impossible to give an answer without knowing who is buying, who is selling and, most significantly, which of the two is in a hurry to make the transaction. You are the important one here. You pay what you want to pay and walk away when you don't. That sets a price for you. We have no price guidebook that states one coin is worth twice the price of another but simply the fact that there are a given number of coins and a given population of buyers at any time and place.
Yeah I guess I really wasn't asking what the value is but more or less what the value comparison is between official and unofficial and why. But you pretty much answered my question regardless. Thank you.
There are official coins of this type with Constantine facing either way, right or left. There is no particular significance to the direction he is facing on this type. Whoever cut the dies on your coin was apparently using the right-facing variety as a model. One of many different examples of this coin with a right-facing bust: Siscia mint, A.D. 318-319 RIC 53 Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG Rev: VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP - Two Victories, facing each other, holding shield inscribed VOT/PR over altar BSIS in exergue 19 x 17 mm, 3.3 g. Here's another: Lugdunum (Lyons) mint, A.D. 320 RIC 79 (var.) Obv: CON-STANTINVS AVG Rev: VICTORIAE LAET PRINC PERP - Two Victories holding shield inscribed VOT/PR above altar P[2 captives]L in exergue 19 mm, 3.2 g.
