My newest coin may not even get the respect of being assigned a number in my collection. When I saw it, my heart stopped (not really) but a few seconds later I realized it was not what it appeared to be so it was only very interesting rather than earth shattering. Unfortunately, the coin is a total piece of overcleaned, abused junk that makes me want to cry even thought it is fully identifiable. Below the photo I will explain the coin but I ask those who will to look at the photo and see if you can see why I found the coin interesting in the first place and why I backed off to a lower level. For those who can have no interest in any coin this ugly - just move along. There is nothing for you here. The coin is a common FH4 Falling Horseman easily identifiable to Constantinople mint by Bruck or common knowledge of the style of this mint even if you don't see the CON in exergue. The right side obverse legend is clearly NTIVSNOBCAES and the face is clearly a portrait of Constantius Gallus. The heartstopper is that Caesar Gallus is NEVER shown with head other than bare and this coin clearly has a pearl diadem appropriate to Augusti only. The realization after seconds of deliberation is that the coin is not a unique discovery copy but just a double strike where the back of the head and diadem were provided by a die for Constantius II. The left obverse legend is garbled but would read DN CONSTAN either way. While rough you will see the AN above the diadem at the top of the obverse. Note that makes the combined legend have a double N when either ruler needs just one. As double strikes form mismatched dies, this is as well aligned as one could wish but it is still just a doublestrike and not the discovery copy for something RIC missed. Were the coin EF or even smooth VG I would love to add it to my collection as a novelty. If only it were not so ugly! Should I award it an accession number in my collection? Should I consider the $5 I paid for it money wasted? I knew the whole story before I bid and am not surprised it went for the opening number since only a real fool would buy this. The seller refunded my postage on the coin because I made another purchase from him. In smooth VG, I would have paid $50 for the coin but we already covered the 'fool' question. For comparison, below is a normal Constantius II from this mint. I'm not sure of the officina (H?) for the new coin. I do not have a normal Gallus of this 'gamma dot' issue.
I know of 4 people that would probably like? this coin enough to get it, even as is, and 2 have posted on this topic
