Constantine I MARTI CONSERVATORI from Trier

[Victor]

Someone just sent me a picture of this rare type from Trier. No measurements though.

more examples-
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/notinric/6tre-885.html

[Genio popvli romani]

A nice example !

On Lech's page, the last specimen has a Constantine's bust that looks (despite the poor condition) like  to have been struck in an Italian mint.

[Victor]

a Constantine's bust that looks (despite the poor condition) like  to have been struck in an Italian mint.

Yes, the nose looks very "Italian"

[Genio popvli romani]

Yes, and also the tie of the wreath on the back of the head which has its end rounded unlike trier specimens.
Note also that it has the short legend CONSTANTINVS P F AVG.

[Lech Stępniewski]

Note also that it has the short legend CONSTANTINVS P F AVG.

What a slip! Thanks for correction.

Now I am also convinced that this type is from Italian mint. But what mint? Ticinum or Aquileia?

Is there an easy way to distinguish these unmarked folles?

[Victor]

Is there an easy way to distinguish these unmarked folles?

Bastien wrote two articles in the 1970’s for the SOLI INVICTO COMITI double headed types that proved, based on style and die linkage, that examples were struck from Ticinum and Aquileia. I would expect that the same criteria could be applied to the MARTI coins. I have the articles somewhere and will try to see if there were any diagnostics for telling the mints apart, though it is in French, which I struggle with greatly.

 Pierre Bastien, "Une emission de folles sans marque a Ticinum en 312" Schweizer Münzblätter 20 (1970)

 Bastien, "Folles sans marque emis par Constantin en Italie"  Schweizer Münzblätter 24 (1974)

[Lech Stępniewski]

Bastien wrote two articles in the 1970’s

Thanks Victor. I know these articles - they are now easily available on the net.

https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/volumes?UID=smb-001

Also Gautier could be helpful ("Constantin Ier DOMINVS NOSTER et INVICTVS AVGVSTVS : deux nummi exceptionnels frappés à Aquilée en 312 ap. J.-C.")

[Genio popvli romani]

Is there an easy way to distinguish these unmarked folles?

I am not familiarised with the pre-313 Aquileia and Ticinum coinage but I assume that the first step would be to compare the obverse busts with the conventional SIC and MC issues and - if possible - find some particular points.

[Genio popvli romani]

So, Lech, how did you arbitrate ?

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/notinric/6tic-115_unm2.html

[Lech Stępniewski]

So, Lech, how did you arbitrate ?

To be honest? I just looked through many coins from the same period minted in Ticinum and Aquileia and realized that it is stylistically more Ticinum than Aquileia. But it is still a kind of guess. I need something more solid. Probably only die-links will dispel my doubts.

[Genio popvli romani]

Probably only die-links will dispel my doubts.

Yes in deed, the only "real proof".