Unlisted Arles Campgate from (supposedly) the Grassmoor hoard?

[tjaart]

Hi all,

I recently purchased the attached campgate as:

Constantius II (337-361)
as Caesar (324-337) under Constantine the Great
obverse - FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
reverse - PROVIDENTIAE CAESS - Camp gate with 2 turrets, star above
S TR P - Trier Mint - 1st Workshop.

The reason was that I think the mintmark is wrong. I read it as follows:

Constantius II
Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right, FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
Campgate, 6 layers, 4 turrets, star not visible??, doors open, VIRTVS CAESS
PARL in exe. Arles mint.

When looking at Helvetica's Campgate sheets, I cannot find a PARL with a bust right nor a PARL mintmark for Constantius II. Is this a possible unlisted campgate? I haven't been able to afford RIC VII yet so any help/suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks!
Tjaart

[Victor]

This coin is not listed in RIC nor in Ferrando's L'atelier monétaire d'Arles: de Constantin le Grand à Romulus Augustule (313-476); but I believe that your coin is most likely unofficial. The official coins with PARL mintmark have S in the left field and F in the right field of the reverse.

[tjaart]

Thanks for the quick reply Victor. I already own one unofficial campgate from the Grassmoor hoard and this would be a nice addition. I would have never thought it was an unofficial issue given that everything about the coins looks official to me. There are no spelling mistakes or strange bust styles.

On a different note, would it be possible for someone to provide me with a scan of the full article on the Grassmoor hoard?

Thanks again!

Tjaart


-- Edit by Victor -- here is a picture and link to the topic of the other Grassmoor hoard coin, which was also unofficial-

http://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com/index.php?topic=430.msg1144#msg1144

[Victor]

There is no mention of this coin in the Grassmoor hoard report. It also sounds like from the coin description in your first post that the seller probably sent you the wrong coin.

I would have never thought it was an unofficial issue given that everything about the coins looks official to me.

Sometimes unofficial coins from this period look very close in style to official coinage. Bastien said this about imitations of the 318 reform and the Magnentian period..."the forgers sometimes engrave portraits of a quality close to that of the originals and some reverses cannot be distinquished from those of regular coins" 

Bastien, Pierre “Imitations of Late Roman Bronze Coins, 318-363.” ANSMN  30 (1985) : 158

[tjaart]

Thanks Victor, I appreciate the reply. I'll file it under a very good unofficial campgate.

I realised the seller had the wrong description and since I couldn't find a description I thought it was unique and thus bought it.

Thanks!

Tjaart

[leetoone]

I think it might be #412 in the hoard report where it is classed as irregular and weighing 2.07 g with a 1 o'clock orientation.

[Victor]

I think it might be #412 in the hoard report where it is classed as irregular and weighing 2.07 g with a 1 o'clock orientation.

That might be the one Lee, but I don't see a dot on the coin. Plus, since the coin in question was not the same as the Trier one described by the seller, this coin may not have even come from the Grassmoor hoard.

[Lech Stępniewski]

I agree that it is probably an unofficial issue but very close to official style and therefore worth to note. What is the weight of this coin?

[leetoone]

I think I can see a "blemish" where a pellet might be thought to be. Also the patina is the same as most Grassmoor coins. The weight and orientation will be the deciding factor, I suspect.

A few dealers bought batches of Grassmoor coins when they sold fairly cheaply at auction last year and there are still quite a few around at the moment. Regarding the incorrect listing - either a mistake by cutting and pasting the previous coin's description or lack of knowledge.

[tjaart]

Hi everyone,

Thanks very much for the info so far. It is really interesting. I just had a chance to weigh the coin.

2.1g, 16mm, 1 o'clock die axis.

If there is a need I will take new photos as well. I had a closer look and cannot see a pellet next to the mintmark. Upon closer inspection, it appears the mintmark is PNRL and not PARL.

Thanks!
Tjaart