Constans, AE Centenionalis

[TLP]

Constans, AE Centenionalis, 348-350, Third Group, Alexandria, Officina 3
D N CONSTAN_S P F AVG
Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust left, globe in right hand
FEL TEMP-REPARATIO
Emperor, wearing pearl-diadem, in military dress standing left, labarum in right hand, left hand resting on shield, two bound captives with crested helmets kneeling before, looking at each other
* E (?) across fields
ALEG in exergue
20mm x 21mm, 4.24g
RIC VIII, 64v

Note: This is a very unusual piece in several aspects - first, it is nearly fully silvered, which is very difficult to find from this period on centenionalii. Also, RIC specifically describes the emperor on the reverse as bare-headed, which he is not on this specimen. Normally, the emperor's chlamys is shown long and somewhat flying behind, but on this specimen it is extremely short, possibly so the right field would be available for the epsilon (?) mark (engraver's signature?)

Do you all think it's a engraver's mark, or some other type of control mark?

[Jochen]

Hi TLP!

Some remarks to your coin:
I don't think the emperor is wearing a helmet or something other on his head. It is more probably a die flaw.
The depiction of the military dress was in the responsibility of the die cutter. So I think it is nothing unusual.
The standard which the emperor holds in his hand should not be called 'labarum' because that term is restricted to banners carrying the christogram (chi-rho). On yur coin it is a St.Andrew's cross!
The meaning of the small letter(?) on the right field I don't know. But I'm leaning towards a die flaw too.

Best regards

[TLP]

Hi TLP!

Some remarks to your coin:
I don't think the emperor is wearing a helmet or something other on his head. It is more probably a die flaw.
The depiction of the military dress was in the responsibility of the die cutter. So I think it is nothing unusual.
The standard which the emperor holds in his hand should not be called 'labarum' because that term is restricted to banners carrying the christogram (chi-rho). On yur coin it is a St.Andrew's cross!
The meaning of the small letter(?) on the right field I don't know. But I'm leaning towards a die flaw too.

Best regards

After looking at the coins close hand,  the small letter on the right field is possibly a die flaw and the cross does appear to look like a St. Andrew's cross (wierd)... unless that is a die flaw too???
But he isn't bare-headed, it is a pearl-diadem that he is hearing on the reverse.

[Pscipio]

I enlarged part of the picture and made it a bit clearer in photoshop (attached) - I agree with TLP, the emperor wears a diadem on the reverse. You can see the ribbons, and the diadem itself on top of the head.

Lars