Constantine I - Aquileia bust with Trabea or just stylized Cuirass

[KostasAlexander]

The MARTI CONSERVATORI issues for Constantine I at Aquileia are usually pretty scarce in their own right, but I picked this one up because it looks like the portrait is wearing a consular trabea (which would be unrecorded for the issue - along with officina S which was unlisted as well). When looking into this a little bit I did notice that there are some issues from Aquileia that have very decorative cuirasses, where I can see enough similarities where I am unsure. The first image is the coin I just purchased (I think with a trabea), the second image is from Lech's website for the unlisted issue with a cuirass (I agree this is a cuirass) and the third image is one that Nikko just posted in the group lot he just acquired and it kind of looks like a hybrid between the two. Feedback would be absolutely appreciated.

http://www.notinric.lechstepniewski.info/6aqu141_s.html

 

 

 

[Victor]

I think it is cuirassed. It shares too many similarities with other cuirassed types. It's almost exactly like the other example, except the right shoulder decoration is just a bit more elaborate with one having wavy line with single dot versus yours with wavy line and triple dot.

[Lech Stępniewski]

I agree with Victor - the bust is probably cuirassed. But sometimes it is hard to be sure. There are many examples of busts (especially from London mint) which were problematic even for Bruun: consular robe?, elaborate cuirass?, elaborate cuirass resembling drapery?

BTW, are you sure that the officina letter is S? I am inclined to say that it is rather distorted P, because of one tiny element.

Your coin

Another MARTI from officina P

[Heliodromus]

I also think it's cuirassed. Here's one of mine for comparison where the shoulder pteruges (cf "epaulettes") seem to rule out a trabea.

 

Lech may be right about the officina.

There seems to be an officina assignment in use at Aquileia at this time, based on seniority.

The majority of the coins fit the pattern:

P for Constantine
S for Licinius
Gamma for Maximinus

I've been inclined to regard coins outside of this pattern as mules, or perhaps they belong to the beginning/end of this period of production.

Ben

[Lech Stępniewski]

There seems to be an officina assignment in use at Aquileia at this time, based on seniority.

The majority of the coins fit the pattern:

P for Constantine
S for Licinius
Gamma for Maximinus

It would be a nice simple pattern but I always treat simple patterns with suspicion. On the other hand, this simple pattern suggests that Aquileia mint was at that time in a terrible mess and mules were incredibly common.

[Heliodromus]

Yes, the more "mules" I see, the more I suspect they may not be mules! 

But, still, the pattern is there by majority of coins, so it suggests a period when officina assignments were in place, and a shorter period when they were not. Perhaps when Constantine first took control of Aquileia there was less control.

[KostasAlexander]

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Totally agree with the officina P. The corrosion is kind of in an S shape which is why my mind went in that direction.