Constantinus I campgate with mirror writing on reverse

[tjaart]

Hi all,

I recently won this coin as part of a lot. The main reason I bid on it was the single unofficial one on the lot. Initially I did not realise it, but when it arrived, it turned out that the entire reverse legend and exergue is written in reverse. Almost as if the engraver realised he had to carve in reverse but flipped the reverse image once too often.

Constantine I ?
Laureate bust, CONSTAN-TINVS AVG
Campgate, 6 layers, 2 turrets, star above, retrogradeG retrogradeGVA retrogradeEAIT- retrogradeN retrogradeE retrogradeDIVO retrogradeR retrogradeP
retrogradeL retrogradeR crescent A retrogradeP
Barbarous, seems to imitate Arles 286 with a PA crescent RL mintmark. Entire reverse legend is mirrored/inverted from a real one.
18mm, 2.9g

I've seen individual letters reversed but never really a full side of a coin.

T

[tjaart]

And while checking that my new retrograde letter images are working, I realised that a coin I have from the Grassmoor hoard, actually has a mirror obverse!! I just never realised it.

Constantine I 307-333AD
Laureate bust left, retrogradeGVASVretrogradeNIT - retrogradeNATSretrogradeNOretrogradeC
Campgate, 5 layers, 2 turrets, star above, VINTS -?
dot AN retrogradeL dot
Barbarous, Grassmoor hoard
19mm, 2.7g

[Victor]

And while checking that my new retrograde letter images are working, I realised that a coin I have from the Grassmoor hoard, actually has a mirror obverse!! I just never realised it.

You have forgotten this topic...it was only six years ago! 

Here is an interesting coin from the Grassmoor Hoard, it is number 170 in CHRB 12. It seems to be copying a campgate from Arles with a reverse of VIRTVS AVGG, the mintmark is very odd, but probably copying ARLP. The obverse legend is also mirrored, because the engraver forgot what would happen when the coin was struck.

https://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com/index.php/topic,430.msg1144.html#msg1144

[tjaart]

True! I remember the post but forgot about the mirroring It seems that the lack of sleep is getting to me. At least it is fun to rediscover such treasures in your collection :-D