This is without the smallest portrait head I've ever seen on a coin. Most LRBs i've seen have a portrait head that fills up a significant portion of the obverse field, but this is absurd. I can't see enough on the obverse lettering to tell what the emperor is. I'm hoping the stupidly small head may help narrow things down. AE14 Obv: tiny bare head right, DN----AVG Rev: VOT V within wreath. Diameter: 14mm
I knew Arcadius was fond of making tiny coins! Upon close inspection, there's definitely DN ARCAD, which seals the deal. THANK YOU
Aracadius. AE4. 14 mm. 0.93 grams. Struck 378-383. DN ARCADIVS PF AVG VOT/V in wreath CONΓ in exergue RIC IX Constantinople 62b Type 29 on this page: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/type29.html Sear V 20868 The head is quite well done given its tiny size. The coin is only 14 mm and the head is a small fraction of that.
I have always been amazed at the clarity the the Ancient die-makers had on such minute surfaces. The details they created were incredible. When I saw this Human portrait, I was amazed at its realism. CILICIA uncertain city Early-mid 4th C BCE AR Tetartemorion 5mm 0.17g Persian king running dagger and bow - Crowned hd Achaemenid king CNG E239 Troxell Kagan 4
I am always amazed, also. There were comedies from that time where it was mentioned folks carried their coins to market in there mouths, perhaps between cheek and gum... I have about a dozen Tetartemorions around this size. Amazing coins they made until they realized AE, in a larger flan, could be used to represent value. Have some fun and use the Search function and look up “Tetartemorion”. Several folks here have some amazing examples of some incredibly tiny works of art.
