Most articles on imitations say they copied types but did not introduce new ones. Furthermore, copies tend to be of common types in proportion to the circulating coins. Rare types are rarely found among copies. Exceptions are interesting. First here is a rare official type which the imitation resembles. 21-20 mm. 4.70 grams. Constantius II RIC VIII Rome 252 "R2". Struck "26 Sept. 352- Winter 354." VICT DD NN AVG ET CAES around two victories holding shield inscribed "VOT/XXX". The type is very rare and you might never have seen one other than this one. However, If you follow Constantinian coins you will have seen many "Two Victories" coins somewhat like this type. In the 320's Constantine minted a common slightly smaller type with two victories and "VOT/PR" on the shield. However, the immediate inspiration for this coin was the similar common type of Magnentius and Decentius which is the same size and looks very much the same but the shield bears "VOT/V/MVLT/X". When Constantius retook Rome he adapted the type to fit vota more appropriate for him. ex Malloy "Aiello Collection" March 14, 2001, lot 999. Next is a very unusual imitation. 18 mm. 2.88 grams. obverse legend ends VS PI F H C It and the portrait make it obvious this is an ancient imitation. Just about everybody's name ends in "VS' so that does not help much. The reverse legend begins VICT which fits the above type. It is a "two victories" imitation. Consider the shield. The legend is fit into a small space, but can be read: VOT X X [small and spread wide] MVLT XXX In the time period around 350 only Constantius II came near to vows for XXX. It must be an imitation Constantius II. Note that the previous official coin omitted the "X X" one might expect, but this imitation put it in properly. Inspection of RIC VIII shows no "VOT/XX/MVLT/XXX" on shield types that the imitator might have copied. It is quite unusual to find an imitation of a rare type. It is unusual to find any part of the legend on a copy do what this one did: improve on the original! Show us your "two victories" types or Constantinian imitations.
Nice @Valentinian ... This is my ONLY two Victories Coin... RI Magnentius 351-352 CE AE 2 Maiorina 2 Victories holding wreath VOT V
As you said, the type was common for Magnentius and Decentius. We might be a little surprised they corrected he Vota numbers correctly. The transition to and from Magnentius must have been a bit confusing. This seems a bit like the situation where we have the most rare Magnentius being the Falling Horseman, most common for Constantius. It comes in barbarous, too. Everything for Magnentius comes in a barbarous version. This is a Decentius FH.
another example - and an unofficial Magnentius -- VICTORIA AVG LIB ROMANOR; Victory stg. right; Libertas, holding transverse scepter in l. hand, stg. L. They support between them a plain shaft carrying a trophy. In ex. TR This is a copy of a rare type- VICTORIA AVG LIB ROMANOR. The mintmark TR means it was copying a Trier coin, but RIC does not list this type in bronze from Trier, but it does have it in gold. Perhaps an official example is out there that this coin copied. There are bronzes with this reverse from Rome.
