Constantine I. Follis, assignment

[Laurentius]

Hello

Short question. How would you classify the following example?

As:

https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constantine/_trier_RIC_vII_053.jpg

or:

https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constantine/_trier_RIC_VI_862.jpg





Or would both possibilities apply?

4,52g, ∅ 23mm

br Laurentius

[Callimachus]

My volumes of RIC have different descriptions of the reverse:

Vol VI, page 226, #862: MARTI CON-SERVATORI  Mars, helmeted, stg. r., r. leaning on reversed spear, l. resting shield on ground.

Vol VII, page 168, #53: MARTI CON-SERVATORI  Mars helmeted in military dress, stg. r., cloak spread, holding vertical spear reversed, resting l. hand on shield.

Based on this, I would say you have RIC 862 from RIC vol. VI.

Below is a picture of a coin from my collection that shows a "spread cloak" -- and your coin does not have it.

[Callimachus]

Below is a photo of my Trier RIC 862.
3.80 gm., 23.5 mm.           
RIC #862; PBCC #155a; Sear #15981.

Purchased from CNG in 1997. So I would trust their attribution.

[Laurentius]

@ Callimachus

Ok, thank you very much for the explanation. You have a very nice one
of RIC 862.
Also probably one of the last depictions of Mars on coins, in connection
with the "Constantinian shift".

br Laurentius

[Callimachus]

Maybe, jut maybe, I am wrong.
The WIldwinds description (not the RIC description) for RIC 53 says "cloak spread across upper chest."
The upper chest of Mars on your coin is different from the upper chest of Mars on my coin. Maybe CNG was wrong all those years ago.
The Wildwinds pictures you linked to also are different.
Let's hope someone else can add to this.

[Lech Stępniewski]

Your coin is RIC VI TREVERI 862

RIC VII TRIER 53 looks like this coin:



The cloak is an important difference. But the more important difference is weight and the most important difference is diameter.

It is worth to remember that during this TF/PTR issue follis/nummus was significantly reduced: from 1/72 Roman pound to 1/96 (from ~4.5 g to ~3.4 g). RIC VI TREVERI belongs to 1/72 part and RIC VII TRIER to 1/96 part. However, these coins were minted in al marco mode. 96 coins weighted 1 pound but one flan may have been significantly different from another. As a result, in one batch of coins, there could be coins having 4 g and those having 3 g. But the diameter of the DIE was nearly constant. ~22-23 mm for RIC VI TREVERI and ~19-20 mm for RIC VII TRIER

The diameter of the flan of your coin is practically the same as the diameter of the die, i.e. pearl ring, so this 23 mm proves that this coin comes from the earlier part of TF/PTR issue

And I am pretty sure that this RIC VII TRIER 53 on Wildwinds is in fact another RIC VI TREVERI 862.

[Callimachus]

And I am pretty sure that this RIC VII TRIER 53 on Wildwinds is in fact another RIC VI TREVERI 862.

Me too. Dane ought to be notified.
Thanks for explaining the differences of the diameter.

Lech Stępniewski:
The WIldwinds description (not the RIC description) for RIC 53 says "cloak spread across upper chest."
Could you please comment on this WIldwinds description, and the differences seen above on the two specimen of RIC 862 with respect to the chest of Mars?
Thank you.