Constantine I as Caesar PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Rome mint

[Nikko]

My coin of the year!

I would to share and to discuss about this unlisted coin I recently bought. Well, I'm not sure it's really a coin...

D: CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
R: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTI
Rome (?) mint
somewhere around ROME 165

5,2 gr 24 mm

[Victor]

Congrats...it's pretty awesome.

[Heliodromus]

Interesting type, Nikko !

The only thing I've seen like it is this piece in the British Museum - 21mm 6.73g.

I'd agree with Rome and your dating - probably issued by Maxentius.

The size and weight for your piece (unlike BM one) is around what Maxentius was using for bronze at that time, but given lack of mintmark it's certainly something special, maybe better described as a medallion.

[Nikko]

  Thanks all!

They are of course special strikes with a great style, an unlisted bust type and no mintmark.

Actually, we can distinguish three different emissions with this reverse type struck by Maxentius for Constantine  as Caesar at Rome.

1) AE fraction or "half follis" (about 2,5 gr), two specimen known. The reverse legend is PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS
http://www.notinric.lechstepniewski.info/6rom-165.html

2) AE medallion or "reduced follis" (about 5,2 gr), one specimen known. The reverse legend is PRINCIPI IVVENTVTI

3) AE medallion or "reduced follis" (about 6,7 gr),one specimen known. The reverse legend is the shorter PRINCIPI IVVENTVT

I suppose the AE fraction comes first, whit its full, long reverse legend. It might be an earlier issue. ROME 125 has the same size and reverse type, but it has been minted for Severus II.

2 and 3 have some stylistic and metrological analogies with the CONSERVATORES VRB SVAE type of reduced follis (6-7 gr) and could be a later emissions.

[Heliodromus]

Hi Nikko,
I am following the interesting discussion on nummus bible, but my french really isn't good enough to post there.

I'm pretty sure that your coin was issued by Maxentius, not by Severus II, based on style. There is a strange early "angular" style for Constantine at Rome, which then quickly changes to a style looking more like Maxentius. I'm guessing this style change happened when Maxentius took control. Your coin has this "Maxentian" style.

Regards,
Ben