The CHI-RHO monogram challenge

Monogram : a motif of two or more letters, typically a person's initials, usually interwoven or otherwise combined in a decorative design, used as a logo or to identify a personal possession.
Chi-Rho : The Chi Rho Christogram is a monogram constructed from the first two letters of Christ in Greek (ΧΡιστοs/Christos).


In 312 A.D., Constantine the Great had a vision :he saw a Chi-Rho Christogram in the sky and heard the words IN HOC SIGNO VINCES, meaning "In this sign you will be the victor." He ordered the sign of Christ on his legions standards and shields. He won a great victory and later became the first Christian Roman Emperor.
However, this legend remains disputed and the Emperor Constantine would have converted with certainty only once on his deathbed. It would seem that The Chi-Rho existed long before but was adopted by the emperor at a time when Christianity was still a minority. The victory of Constantine would have allowed to show his favor towards Christianity and to impose the supremacy of the Christian religion.
The Chi-Rho symbol has pre-Christian origins and is believed to have been revered by the pagan Greeks as representative of good fortune. Pagan Greek scribes used the symbol in the margin to mark passages they considered especially significant or relevant, with the letters Chi and Rho denoting ‘chreston’ that means ‘good’. The sign has also been found on the coins of Ptolemy III (246-222 BCE).

(Chi-Rho between eagle’s legs, acsearch pictures)

According to Sir Flinders Petrie, the Egyptologist, the monogram Chi-Rho was the emblem of the Egyptian god, Horus, thousands of years before Christ.
We can found the famous monogram on coins issued by Constantine the Great, Licinius II, Constantine II, Crispus, Constans, Vetranio, Magnentius, Decentius,Delmatius, Constantius Gallus, Jovian, Valentinian I, Valens, Procopius, Gratian, Valentinian II, Theodosius, Magnus Maximus, Arcadius, Honorius and many emperors of the 5th century and later. Here is the challenge: how many different coins can we found? Please show us your Chi-Rho babies !

My only one : Magnentius

 

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Here's my full flan Chi-Rho



Q

 

A few more

Vetranio :


Procopius :


Aelia Flacilla :


Eudoxia :


Q

 

Nice selection @Cucumbor . My apologies to all : I forgot the Ladies in my list...

 

Decentius, AE maiorina, Trier



Poemenius in the name of Constantius II

 

Here's a chi-rho without religious significance:


EGYPT. Ptolemy III Euergetes
246-222 BCE
AE35, 35.53 gm
Obv: head of Zeus Ammon right with ram's horn, wearing taenia diadem
Rev: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ; eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt, filleted cornucopia left; XP monogram between eagle's legs
Ref: Svoronos 965
Formerly slabbed; NGC ChVF*, strike 5/5, surface 4/5

 

Nice coins and write-up, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix .

My XP's:


Egypt Ptolemy III AE Tet 41mm 7.2mm thick 67.5g Zeus Ammon Eagle Cornucopia XP Chi-Rho



Egypt Ptolemy III 245-222 BC AE 34mm 31g HemiDrachm Zeus-Ammon Eagle Tbolt Cornucopia XP Chi-Rho SV 965



RI Poemenius in name of Constantius II summer 353 Trier XP RIC VIII Trier 332 R



RI Gratian 367-383 CE AE 17mm Reduced Folles Emp Stdg w Shield and XP banner labarum



RI Valentinian I AE3 364-375 CE Emp dragging captive XP std

 

Here are some Byzantine coins with the Chi-Rho:

Byzantine Empire: Justin I (518-527 CE) Æ Pentanummium, Constantinople (Sear 75; DOC 21b)

Obv: D N IVSTINVS P P AV; pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: Large chi-rho, B to left, Є to right



Byzantine Empire: Justinian I (527-565) Æ 16 Nummi, Thessalonica (Sear-178; DOC 98d; MIBE 169c; Metcalf, Copper 169-202)

Obv: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Large IS; Christogram above, A to left, P to right; TES in exergue



Byzantine Empire: Heraclius (610-641) Æ Follis, Constantinople, RY 3 (Sear 805; DOC 76b)

Obv: ddNNhЄRACLI ЧSЄT hЄRACONSTPAV; Heraclius, on left, and Heraclius Constantine, on right, standing facing, each holding long cross; cross above
Rev: Large M; Christogram above, A/N/N/O II/I across field; B below; CON in exergue




Byzantine Empire: Justin II with Sophia (565-578) Æ Half Follis, Constantine in Numidia (Sear-403; DOC I-205)

Obv: Justin, holding globus cruciger, and Sophia, holding cruciform scepter, seated facing on throne; [cross above]
Rev: Large K; A/N/N/O to left, reversed Christogram above, ςII (date) to right, CON below

 

The reigning monarch of my chi-rhos is this one, issued just a decade after the victory at the Milvian Bridge, where the soldiers allegedly painted their shields with the symbol. This coin lends some support to that story. (There are only a handful in existence.)


Trier, issued 322-323
My notes: Constantine hired (Christian) Lactantius as tutor to Crispus, who accompanied his charge to Trier when Crispus was named Caesar in 317. So Crispus was likely a Christian, and Trier was his base of operations. Prior to that, Constantine had encouraged the Christian community there, and it was the site of one of the early churches Constantine built. I don't know if Crispus had a hand in the production of this coin, but its link to the religion of Constantine's family is pretty strong! It's not surprising that one of the earliest (if not the earliest) instance of the chi-rho on a coin came from the Trier mint, and on a Crispus coin.

The next earliest chi-rho I have isn't quite as rare, but still very rare:

Constans, RIC VII Arles 384 (R5), issued 334

In general chi-rhos from Constantine's lifetime are hard to get.

Another favourite of mine is this double centenionalis of Magnentius, later (by the Byzantines?) carved down into a solidus weight:

 

Constans. 337-350 AD. Æ (16mm). Siscia mint, 1st officina. Struck 347 AD. Obv: Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: Victory advancing left, holding wreath in each hand; Christogram (Chi Rho) to right; ✴ASIS✴in exergue. RIC VIII 181.

 

VALENTINIAN II
AE4
OBVERSE: DN VALENTINIANVS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, Victory advancing left, holding trophy on shoulder and dragging captive beheind her. Chi-Rho in left field. Mintmark CONS
Struck at Constantinople, 388-92 AD
0.9g, 12mm
RIC 86a

ARCADIUS
AE4
OBVERSE: D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, diademed, draped bust right
REVERSE: SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Victory advancing left, trophy over shoulder in right, dragging captive with left, chi-rho left field, ALE Gamma in ex
Struck at Alexandria, 392 AD
1.1g, 13mm
RIC IX 20c
Listed in Wildwinds

 

The usual suspects:

 

That's a fantastic Procopius, @Roman Collector - both the shield and the "mushroom" are superb.

 

Constantius Gallus Reduced AE2, 351-355 AD (22mm, 5.39g) Siscia mint. D N CONSTANTIVS IVN NOB C: Bust of Constantius Gallus, bareheaded, draped, cuirassed, right; A behind bust / FEL TEMP - REPARATIO: Constantius Gallus, draped, cuirassed, standing left on galley, holding Victory on globe in right hand and standard with Chi-Rho on banner in left hand; steering the ship, seated Victory; III in left field. Star above right, BSIS in exergue.



Johannes AE4 423-425 AD Rome mint. DN IOHAN-NES PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, Victory walking left, trophy on shoulder, dragging captive behind her. Chi-rho in left field. Mintmark RM.

 

CHI-RHO:


RI Verina wife of Leo I AE2 20mm 457-475 Victory inscribing CHI RHO - RIC X 656 R3 R



RI Constans 337-350 AE3 19mm Thesalonika mint Reparatio stdg CHI RHO banner



RI Delmatius 335-337 CE Quarter Folles CHI RHO banner flanked by 2 soldiers Sear 3131



RI Magnentius 351-352 CE AE 1 CHI RHO

 

It always surprises folks to learn that Constantine himself didn't have the Chi-Rho feature on many of his own coins during his lifetime--the monogram seemed to appeal more to his sons and challengers seeking to claim his legacy. This coin is a rare exception: a coin of Constantine struck during his lifetime featuring the chi-rho on a standard between soldiers. RIC VII Arles 394. 336 A.D., a year before his death.

 

TIF, I'm glad to see one of my coins ended up in your collection , see photo below. I sold that coin long ago at auction, probably Great Collections, & it sold for cheap .

 

Well how about that!! I'll make a note about the pedigree . Thanks for letting me know. It's a gorgeous coin! I think I did pick it up from a GC auction. (Edited: yep, GC, 2015)

 

I think I only have one Chi-Rho, and its not easy to make out


Genoese Caffa, 1360s?
AE Pul, 17.29mm x 1.3 grams
Obv.: Christogram countermark, from Genoese Caffa
Rev.: ? anonymous Jujid
Ex Andy Singer

Caffa was the entry point for the Black Death into Europe - see my post here (although I think I have since taken a better picture of the coin, and now have the counter mark orientated correctly...)