Author Topic: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak  (Read 1006 times)

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Online Victor

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Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« on: July 03, 2017, 02:36:19 PM »
here is a SOLI INVICTO with Sol facing and spread cloak, several noticed it and it bid up to $228.00


Constantinus I. AE-Follis Rom Sol
 
Kaiser: Constantinus I., 307-337 n.C.
Nominal: AE-Follis.
Stadt: Rom.
 
Vs.: IMP C CONSTANTINVS PF AVG   Bel. Buste des Kaisers nach rechts.
Rs.: SOLI INVICTO COMITI   Sol steht nach rechts und blickt nach vorne, holt Globus und hebt die Hand, R Q.
 
Erhaltung: fast vorzuglich, sehr gutes Portrait und hochinteressanter Revers mit nach vorne blickenden Sol, braune Patina, sehr selten.
Maße:  4,93g,  23mm. Kamp.: 136.180.

Offline Gavin

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2021, 04:13:23 PM »
Just revisiting this interesting "SOL FACING" coin. It must be much, much rarer than the SOL FACING coin from Ticinum. Does it have an entry in NOT IN RIC? I see Victor has simply referenced it as "cf. RIC VI Rome 332."

Offline Heliodromus

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2021, 06:31:30 PM »
That one is standing right, head left.

Here's a facing one from Vienna. They attribute it as RIC 117, and RIC refers to this Vienna specimen in a footnote, but really RIC 117 is described as "Sol standing left", so this should be a separate type not a footnote, as least for consistency with how Ticinum is catalogued.

Online Victor

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2021, 07:13:11 PM »
the coin I posted has the head left; but the face is facing. :D This is similar to the depiction on the Ticinum coin below. The distinction between these two and the Vienna coin is the Vienna has the head fully rotated forward, evidenced by the lack of ties, which you can see on the Ticinum and first Sol.

They attribute it as RIC 117, and RIC refers to this Vienna specimen in a footnote, but really RIC 117 is described as "Sol standing left"

They apparently made a mistake and should have footnoted it for 332 instead of 317 (I noticed that they also superscripted over B.M. instead of Vi.), but, yes, it should have had its own RIC number like Ticinum.

Note also that RIC VI lists Ticinum 133 as "Sol stg. facing, head facing" which is another error, as Sol is standing right.

Offline Lech Stępniewski

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2021, 09:52:40 AM »
the coin I posted has the head left; but the face is facing.

So where are the Sol's rays from the left side of the head? How Sol can turn his face en face when his head is turned left? God's power? This "face facing" is for me like a famous "Face on Mars"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cydonia_(Mars)#%22Face_on_Mars%22
You see something which actually does not exist.

Online Victor

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2021, 09:57:12 AM »
or you are trying too hard to interpret what the engraver did and make it conform to what you say it must be. Some see something that doesn't exist and others refuse to see things in front of their face.

I also actually had the coin in hand under magnification.

I believe the engraver was doing something like the picture below, head sideways, with clear ties visible (ponytail) but yet you see the full face.


Offline Lech Stępniewski

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2021, 11:08:05 AM »
I believe the engraver was doing something like the picture below, head sideways, with clear ties visible (ponytail) but yet you see the full face.

Even then the rays should be visible all around the head. Just like on Ticinum variety. I believe that engraver acted in an indecisive manner and was not sure what he actually had done.

Online Victor

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2021, 11:14:44 AM »
Yes, exactly, I believe that it was the engraver that did this on his own whim and used artistic license; maybe confused or maybe he merely copied the normal type but changed his a bit...who knows now; but we have seen that happen more than once on coin designs.

Offline Gavin

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Re: Constantine I SOL from Rome...facing and spread cloak
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2021, 02:57:17 PM »
I would agree with Victor that this is an attempt to carve a “Sol facing“ die. Alas, some artists are more gifted than others.