Costantine in quadriga, Lugdunum mint.

[Nikko]

A few days ago, i bought this intruding and rare coin.

It should be RIC VIII Lyons 12, but this coin is attested with a H6 bust  (only head velied).
Howerver, it looks clear to me that it is a D6 bust (veiled, drapped and curised).

I think that there is a lack of precision in RIC description but i cannot find other other pctures of this coin to prove it.

[maridvnvm]

I must say that this is the first of this type that I have seen from Lugdunum.
Regards,
Martin

[Nikko]

Thank Martin, if this is the fist one you have ever seen, i have to think it's rarer than i suppose.

It could be an unlisted variant but i belive that an error in the description is much more likely.

The only way to solve these doubts  is finding other specimens.

[Vincent]

A truely rare issue and there are examples of the other type AETERNA PIETAS to compare it to from this mint, one from www.lunalucifera.com/Roman/6Constantinian/Constantine.html.
Clearly, this coin has a vieled head only.
Thanks for sharing it, I doubt I will ever see another again!

[Nikko]

Thanks Vincent I'm really proud to show this coin.

Posthumous coins with Constantine in quadriga were minted at Trier and Arles too and in these cases the bust is clearly veiled, drapped and cuirased.

So it looks odd that in Lyon the bust was simply veiled and this is why i suppose there is an error.

Cuold anyone control how this coin is described in Bastien's "Le monnayage de l'atelier de Lyon" (De la mort de Constantin à la mort de Julien : 337-363) and in the Failmezger's book?

Best regards
Nicola

[curtislclay]

Bastien calls all Lugdunese busts of Divus Constantine "veiled, draped and cuirassed r.", some additionally with laurel wreath.

He found no RIC 12 with S in field, just RIC 17, palmPLG in ex. but no S in field:

his no. 23,  officina P like yours, five spec. recorded, BM, Berlin, 2 in Oxford, Gautier;

his no. 26, officina S, three spec., 2 in Vienna and 1 in a hoard.

[Nikko]

Well, it does seem that the description was wrong.

Many thanks Curtis Clay!

I have another question about the obverse legend of Bastien no. 23: is it DIVO CONST-ANTINO AVG or DIVO CONST-ANTINO P?

Very best regards!
Nicola

[curtislclay]

Always DIVO CONST - ANTINO AVG on his 23 and 26 = RIC 17. Bastien writes in a footnote that RIC's P for AVG is probably a printing error.

[Nikko]

Very interesting!

I think that RIC 12 doesn't exist because RIC authors  recorded a specimen of this exact type in Oxford and it should be same coin reported by Bastien as no 23 without S in centre.

In my coin, the centre of the reverse isn't clear but there aren't traces of a S.

[Nikko]

Watching this coin i probably undestand why RIC authors wrote that this type had a S in field.

The hand of God resembles a S.