constantinus? Grafiti and halved

[snorkelpaleis]

I recently acquired this coin in a small lot. The lot consisted of 9 coins in bad grades, but I thought this particular coin was odd.

The coin is from constantinus and deliberately(?) altered on the reverse and obverse. Also I think that the coin was halved in the same time, as the patina is the same on the edge as on the obverse and reverse of the coin.

Am I seeing things that aren't there or are there more coins known in the same era with this kind of alteration / grafiti?

[SC]

Interesting.  How big is it?  The reverse seems to be GENIO POPVLI ROMANI.  Not a type you often see halved.

The damage does look contemporary but no idea why it would be damaged. 

SC

[stultus]

I have seen some coins like this from different periods. I do not think that it is graffiti or the portrait was deliberatly damaged. It seems to be used as an underplate. These deep etches are not made easily. Can you judge whether the coin was deliberatly cut or was it broken because of deep etches?

[snorkelpaleis]

Interesting.  How big is it?  The reverse seems to be GENIO POPVLI ROMANI.  Not a type you often see halved.

The damage does look contemporary but no idea why it would be damaged. 

SC

Thanks SC, I can now attribute it more correctly:

obv:  [       ]CONSTANTIVS N[  ]
rev:  [GENIO POP]VLI ROMANI

[ ]TR in exe

weight:  5,17g
size:  27mm x 15mm

I have seen some coins like this from different periods. I do not think that it is graffiti or the portrait was deliberatly damaged. It seems to be used as an underplate. These deep etches are not made easily. Can you judge whether the coin was deliberatly cut or was it broken because of deep etches?

Thanks stultus. If I google underplate I get a lot of pictures of plates for food, my english isn't that good or maybe it is a translation thing but is this coin used for food?

I have posted a picture of the edge, it doesn't seem broken due to deep etches in my opionion but I am no expert in breaking coins 

I hope the picture is clear enough to see something on it. 

[stultus]

Sorry for underplate, I did not pick the right word from the dictionary. I wanted to write a piece metal put under the object someone working with not to damage the table.
It seems to be an accidental break to me not a deliberate cut. I think it was broken during or after it was used as a tool. Some of the etches are are partly off flan and there is a very deep etch right on the brake and it is parallel with its direction.
I have read, but do not remeber where, that someone thought for damnatio memoriae as the portrait was damaged mostly. On the other hand ther are usually similar marks on the reverse as well. The portrait is damaged mostly as it is in the middle.
The marks were probably made by a cold chisel (I hope I use the correct word) when cutting a piece of metal (eg. wire). If it was cut on a soft surface (like wood) the cut would not be nice and the end of the wire would bend.

[snorkelpaleis]

Ah thanks, now I understand it. But why would they use a coin and not another piece of metal? Maybe the coin was worthless, maybe the worker was underway and didn't have anything else..... Or maybe another explanation. All room for speculation and fantasising I guess  

Thanks

[SC]

How ancient coins were broken has always been a mystery to me.  And I have never found a study of this.

Medieval hammered coins are easy to cut with shears, ancient coins less so.  I have seen some Roman coins that were clearly cut with shears but that does not seem to be the case for all.

To start with the most extreme example, imagine halving a sestertius or large Ptolemaic AE......

Are heating and/or cooling involved??

Who knows...

SC