Constantius Gallus 'FEL TEMP' I.D.

[Daithi O]

Hi,
I was wondering if you guys could have a look at the coin below and tell me what you think?First of all,does it look genuine?The legends on both sides have been worn or corroded away(there's significant nibbling around the edge of the coin).The detail on the coin is incredibly sharp,particularly on the reverse.There's a small bit of verdigris on the 'B' of 'NOB' on the obverse side.I've also carried out an exhaustive search online(Wildwinds,Helvetica,Forum Ancient,etc.,),but can't find any parallels for it.

Constantius Gallus AE21,Antioch mint?
OBV. - DN CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES,bare-headed,draped,cuirassed bust right;A behind bust.
REV. - FEL TEMP RE-PARATIO,soldier spearing fallen horseman,bearded,with hair in braids,reaching backwards,no field marks;AN[B?] in exergue.
Standard Die Axis(180 degrees)
*Unfortunately my coin scales is not working,so can't give you the weight I'm afraid!

Any help would be deeply appreciated.
Thank you.

[Genio popvli romani]

Hardly cleaned but guenine for me (may be patina is not). The sharp style is characteristic of Antioch mint for these types(Rome also).
RIC 139 if diameter c. 20mm and weight c.4,5g Unlisted for second officina (B) and twelth officina (BI)
RIC 154 if diameter C. 17mm and weught C. 2,5g Unlisted for second officina (B) but listed for twelth officina (BI)

Nice coin anyway.  

[Daithi O]

Thanks  very much Genio popvli romani.
I haven't seen RIC 139 or RIC 154 on Wildwinds or anywhere else - where would I see an image of either online?
I'm guessing it's likely to be RIC 139 given its diameter of 21mm.,but as a 'newbie' I'm not sure what "not listed under the second or twelfth officina(BI) really means?The 'AN' in exergue would tell us it was struck in Antioch and the 'B' tells us it was struck at either the second or twelfth officina(a specific workshop),but that it hasn't been officially recorded as having come from either of these workshops thus far - am I right?It's interesting that you should say that the patina may not be right!It looks a little too dark to me - do collectors/dealers put substances on genuine coins to enhance the look or patina of the coins and is there any way I can check if this has been done,ie. can I clean a small area of the coin with something to see if this has been done in this case?
Many thanks again for your help.
Regards,
David.

[Genio popvli romani]

You are right about all you have written.  
AN=Antioch mint.
B or BI is the officina number which is done with greek numeration for Eastern mints       ... for 1, 2, 3, ....10 and   ,   ,     ,.... for the following up to 15th officina at Antioch mint at this time.
This coin has not been recorded for all officinas in Roman Imperial Coinage. That makes you coin rarer than the recorded ones.
Concerning the patina, please note it is just a feeling based on what I can see on picture and what I could have seen on real, especially the contrast between the upper and lower areas and this too brown color that you have noticed. Some non guenine patinas are just a kind of coating easy to check by removing with solvant, some others are chemical (trying to reproduce centuries of ground corrosion in a few minutes) and can not be removed this way and are harder to verify. Sometimes, these coins chemically patinated keep a particular smelling .

Please, forgive my english if all I write is not very clear.

[Daithi O]

Genio,your English is perfect!
It's good news to hear it's rarer than most other coins of this type.
I've just cleaned a tiny area of the coin with a rag and some solvent and yes,it seems to be taking that dark colour off the coin!If it was a genuine patina it wouldn't rub off as easily as that - it seems your original instinct was correct.
You've been most helpful and thanks for all your help.
Best wishes,
David.

[Randygeki(h2)]

I can't find it either. I agree with Antioch 139 and unlisted for officina "B"  Cool find!

[Daithi O]

Thanks Randygeki.