Thank you, Gert, for your opinion and the photo of your coin from your past.
"
VIC" was only placed at the city of
Rome mint under the control of
Constans for the AE 3 issues for a distinctive seperate
type only reserved for
Constantine II during their joint rule. True, as you and I noted, it was placed foward. It was also struck the whole joint reign of the 3 brothers.
In the case of
Heraclea, as Shawn indicated, there was already a seperate coin issue for
Constantine II as
Augustus and he wondered why they would have another? As this "title" was not ever utilized before in this format, we really do not know if placement would have significance. It is a unique circumstance. If a
hoard is uncovered and we can determine the exact time frame of striking that would
help in perhaps understanding its intention. As I suggested, maybe the
mint officials received a directive to produce a "regular" postumous coinage for their father,
Constantine the Great, for
his "venerated memory" without any detail instructions. In the Thracian mints, this happened when the two soldier/ two
standard issue was
reduced and displayed the one
standard.
Mint officials took the order literally and changed the Urb
Roma and
Constantinople types with the
reverse to one
standard! This did not occur elsewhere in the Empire. So regional communication, primitive as was, sometimes produce unintended actions. Perhaps the order suggested this issue was for Constantine's "Venerated Memory", and the
mint authorities at
Heraclea inserted "VM" to comply with the order to distinguish it from
Constantine II coins?
Since this is a
rare coin, once the error was discovered, it was dropped quickly. On the other hand if it discovered it was an issue at the end of the 3 brothers joint rule, that would provide a strong case for "
Victor Maximus" theory.
Again, this is a possibility.
Also, an examination of all known coins would be helpful. Comparing the headbands and other differences of the coins (number of dies, die links,
weights, and strike positions). A nice project that I am undertaking.
As you pointed out, it could have been also for "
Victor Maximus", the title given to
Constantine II, Jr.
The question is, why was it dropped at
Heraclea, while the issues of
Rome continued the "
VIC" title?
One final note; I'm only having fun with this coin "issue". It really does not matter what case it turns out to be.
I do
hope it is a postumous coin, just because it makes the issue so much more desirable.