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This strange coin was struck twice at different times in different mints. The second use of the flan upgraded the middle denomination of the original series to the only denomination after a change in weight standards. I suspect many coins were melted and reminted into the new series but this one took a shortcut. The top half of the illustration is set to feature the undertype. On the original obverse is the bust of Constantius II facing left. You can see the top of his head and a tip of his nose but strongest is the entire original obverse legend DN CONSTAN TIVS PF AVG. Following the AVG is a bit of the back shoulder of the portrait. On the reverse we see just the feet of the two captives (the soldier with them is missing) but underneath is the full AQP. mintmark. To the left are the small letters FE which run into the larger letters TIVSIVNN from the overstrike obverse. Beyond that, at the right, we see small letters again REPARATIO. In general the undertype won the edge lettering battle but lost the central details. The lower part of the illustration shows the same photos rotated and reversed now to feature the overstrike. On the obverse all we see is that TIVSIVNN from DNCONSTANTIVSIVNNOBC with just a trace of the final C showing if you care to see it. The reverse scene is pretty full but only MPRE from FEL TEMP RE PARATIO shows. There is perhaps a trace of one Sfrom the SIS mintmark just besides the S of the obverse name but most of the mint ID here is provided by the II in the field and the style. I like overstrikes when the details can be sorted out and identified. I bought this pretty mess at the Baltimore show in March 2012. Jumbled messes of indecipherable parts sell for less than normal coins but the dealer that had this one thought it was special and worth a premium approaching the cost of the two coins that made it sold separately. I agreed and the coin became mine. |
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