i resently aquired two gold coins, but am having trouble identifying them: the first is about the size of a us nickel, it apears to have a man holding some kind of spear or staff and the letters _IONYCON_ (THAT I CAN MAKE OUT OUT) on one side and the bust of a man on the other. the second is about 1/2- 2/3 the size of a us dime, on one side is the bust of a male figure, very small lettering along the edge, the other side has what apears to be an oreboris (snake eating its tail) with about 4 lines of sybols or lettering in the center. if any one knows what they are or where i can find the information on how to identify them please let me know.
IOVIS CONSERVATOR (Jove or "Jupiter" the Conservor or "savior") is usually accepted as the reverse ("tails") with the bust on the obverse. Can you post a scan here for us to look at? How do know they are gold coins? You compared them to US silver coins. How do they look or feel against a Sovereign or a Mexican 2 Pesos? If you cannot read any of the lettering on the heads and so little on the tails, that does not speak well for them. Gold coins tended not to circulate much, so most of the ones we have tend to be pretty sharp. The Jove Conservators are usually bronze coins (or debased silver) from the late 200s AD, either the time of the Military Anarchy or the opening of the Constantine Dynasty. It is hard to tell without something to look at. Michael
