Hello everybody, I recently acquired several small uncleaned ancients from www.ancientcoins.ca. After a couple of months in olive oil these two coins came out the best. I am really new to ancient coins and am wondering if anybody here could help ID these two for me. Coin 1: It appears to be Constantine ( the somethingth). I can read the following letters on the obverse: NSTA and then possibly NSPFA... On the reverse of the coin there appears to be two soldiers standing holding spears with something between the two of them. I cannot read any of the lettering on this side. Oh, and the coin has "coin-turn" orientation. https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/rieb/web/Coins/roman%201.jpg https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/rieb/web/Coins/roman%201%20rev.jpg Coin 2: First thing I noticed this coin has "medal-turn" orientation. I cannot read any of the letting on the obverse. The reverse has ANNO running vertially down with some crosses or Xs next to something.... https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/rieb/web/Coins/roman%202.jpg https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/rieb/web/Coins/roman%202%20rev.jpg Thanks in advance for any of your help and suggestions! - Jake
For coin 1 I think the coin is a Constans (son of Constantine) and reads like this: AD D N CONSTA (break) NS P F AVG / rosette diademed & draped bust right / GLORIA EXERCITVS, 2 soldiers standing to either side of one standard. I think that its 'SMNS' in ex. (that is the letters under the figures on reverse.) If you are able to figure out exactly what the letters are under the reverse figure then we could tell exactly where it come from...hard to tell from the pic...looks like it might be SMNS...which means its from Nicomedia a rather common coin
Its very hard to tell in the condition but I think coin 2 is very much like the one below which is a Justinian AE Decanummium yours looks to have 2 X to the right of the large I with a cross above I which means 20 years in reign...there looks to be something below the XX but cant tell what it is...mint is below the large I...under the line on reverse but cant tell what that is either and cant tell what the inscription is on front but if it is Justinian (and I think it is) it should read as follows: D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVG diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right Reverse: Large I, cross above, ANNO to left, regnal year to right Mint in EX: ?
Thanks for the help Drusus! I really appreciate it since I am just starting off in the huge world of ancients. Hope I can return the favor someday, - Jake
Looking at coin #2 again I think I can make out the last two letters of the mint mark. They are: IK Is this a possibility and if so what is the mint? Thanks, - Jake
