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 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,325 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Today spur of the moment I went down to the local coin show, that is usually very,very thin on ancients. I nearly left empty handed when I saw this sitting in the back of a box of mix worlds and some over priced 3rd century denarii. A large 4th century bust, of a face so familiar to me. Hallelujah, I could clearly read, IMP CCONSTANTINVS PF AVG and the reverse reads GENIO POP ROM with PLC in ex. I don't really see large Constantine Coins often so I felt I needed to spend the $25 dollars for this...Nicely detailed with a thick black and green Patina.  I haven't done any leg work on it, so I figure I would leave it to the masters.  Maybe you guys can tell me how I did or how much I lost...  27.4 mm x 6.98 g I think I have an RIC number for it but I want to see what you guys come up with. Edited by Ancientnoob
08/18/2013 11:15 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
OK buy for $25, for a 27mm bronze of this period, despite the thick green patches on it. Don't remove the green, or you will almost surely find corroded metal underneath.
Better the devil you don't know, than the one you might find out about, in this case.
If there were no verdigris patches, in this condition, and with full details, (as this one is), $40 or more would have been an OK buy.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
I think you did pretty good  Reminds me that I need to go back to my local coin show for ancients. Haven't been there in a long while. |
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
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Valued Member
Netherlands
409 Posts |
According Dane's spradsheet it must be:
RIC VI Lyons 255 S 307-308 Follis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3446 Posts |
I probably would have done the same thing. I rarely leave a show empty handed if I can avoid it. This type is very interesting as it shows Constantine differentiating the way he is portrayed on the follis from the rest of the crowd. Sear 15921 Lugdunum AD 307-8. Around the time the follis was introduced (AD 294) the Imperial portraits take an unusual almost cartoon like turn. What exactly they were thinking has always been something of a mystery to me. Constantine returned to a somewhat 'normal' looking Imperial profile before heading off in his own direction with the upturned gaze and the somewhat holy looking demeanor.
The color is beautiful and I would leave well enough alone.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
That's a very attractive patina. Hopefully it is somewhat stable. Perhaps a coat of Verdicare would help protect it?
$25? I would have snatched it up too.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Id say its a fine price. Sometimes they slip through the net on ebay and can go as low as $10, but its not often and I've never taken the opportunity. Western mints always made such nice coins in this period. The really big ones never make it to the uncleaned lots unfortunately! |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2100 Posts |
Constantine the Great Ae Follis Obv:â€" IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:â€" GENIO POP ROM, Genius standing left before lighted altar in turreted crown, left shoulder & loins draped, holding patera & cornucopia. Minted in Lugdunum (//PLC) Reference:â€" RIC VI Lugdunum 255. Bastien XI 470 (122 examples cited) The 122 examples cited by Bastien shows that the RIC rating of Scarce is probably wrong and this makes the coin Common instead. I bought myself one of these last week. I paid a bit more for mine than you did for yours. I think you did well but then I have a real soft spot for Lugdunum issues.  Martin |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
201 Posts |
Nice example, the first coin I ever purchased was a Constantine GENIO POP ROM, it was in horrible condition but Antioch mint which I discovered afterwards was rare.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5155 Posts |
Martin- Rare, Scarce or Common, doesn't really matter to me (in most cases) but what matter is the coin is HUGE for the 4th century, which can be relatively categorized as "chunky" for the period. You may have paid a bit more than I but your coin is much nicer in many regards, you have most of the finer details front and back. You really don't notice what is missing until you see a nicer one, right?
Eddop- Thank you for the correct attribution!
FR- It will be left alone.
All-Thanks for checking out my coin.
Question: So now I am seeing this described as Billon and as Bronze, Is it really bad billon that there is no distinction between bronze, what you "Romans" say?
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2100 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
and the Martin has spoken...  |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Really nice find, well worth what you paid for it. I like the contrast between the green and dark patina, plus it being an AE1 makes it an all around excellent find.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
that's a pretty nice lookin' coin really, I can't leave a coin show without buying something...that is a nice something.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
651 Posts |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 1,325 |
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Posted 08/18/2013 10:58 pm
