Author Topic: ... a strange mint  (Read 2173 times)

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Offline Fabius Severus

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... a strange mint
« on: July 13, 2013, 02:14:08 PM »
Hi Victor,
what do you think about the strange exergus of this VIRTVS coin?
I never seen a similiar, before of this...  :o

Regards
Fabius

Offline Victor

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Re: ... a strange mint
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2013, 03:30:09 PM »
Your coin is an unofficial example. These are commonly called "barbs." Besides the mintmark, the engraver made Constantine's nose too large...it is a neat example! Below are two more unofficial issues of this type for Licinius II and Constantine II.


I have a page about these 4th century barbs.

http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/barb2/


Offline Fabius Severus

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Re: ... a strange mint
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2013, 04:02:58 PM »
OK, it's a barbaric (local) early oriental copy...
It's on sale in a Jerusalem's coin shop.

And there is this second example, a S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI with a variant: the legionary eagle is opening the wings!

Regards
Fabius
:)

Offline Victor

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Re: ... a strange mint
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2013, 04:51:02 PM »
And there is this second example, a S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI with a variant: the legionary eagle is opening the wings!

I have seen a few of these, they are interesting; but not worth much more than the regular type, except for a specialist perhaps...and of course the seller thinks it's worth much more!