First Attempt At Identifying Roman Coin

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,323
arvan Valued Member Canada 125 Posts	Posted 12/05/2017 08:53 am Hey All, I have a pretty poor quality Roman coin in my possession that I am trying to identify. I was using the site, http://romancoin.info/, to try and help identify my coin. From the site, the best guess I have is the obverse is of Constantine Jr and the reverse is of two victories facing each other holding wreaths. The only issue I see is that the text on the reverse does not seem to match up with the example. Maybe it does but it is pretty worn and I just can't match up the letters. This may be because I am new to this identification and used to crisp sharp letters on coins. I would like to draw upon some of the knowledge of other experts here on the site. What are your opinions? I would love to have information to identify this coin and learn more about it. Thanks! Report this Post to the Staff

Finn235 Pillar of the Community United States 6130 Posts	Posted 12/05/2017 10:36 am I have always found Tesorillo to be the easiest tool to use for late bronzes: http://www.tesorillo.com/aes/107/107i.htm Yours thankfully is an easy ID because the right half of the obverse legend is just "PF AVG". Constantine Jr and Constantius II's names were too long, so that only leaves Constans. Constantine II is actually uncommon as Augustus; he was too greedy and triggered a civil war that he couldn't win. IIRC, he was Augustus only for a year or two before meeting his end in battle against his brothers. Report this Post to the Staff
arvan Valued Member Canada 125 Posts	Posted 12/05/2017 10:53 am So the obverse says CONSTANS on the left and PFAVG on the right. Constans being his name and PFAVG being Pius Felix Augustus correct? For the reverse, the text on the left looks like it says VICTORIA with other characters after that I cannot make out. There also seems to be text underneath the two Victories. Curious as to what that text can be? Also where does the mint mark usually go on these coins? One last question... we know who the emperor is and what the reverse is showing, but what type of coin is this? Report this Post to the Staff
Finn235 Pillar of the Community United States 6130 Posts	Posted 12/05/2017 12:10 pm The reverse inscription is VICTORIAE DD AVGG Q NN Which stands for: Victoriae duorum dominorum augusti que nostrorum - to the victory(ies) of our two Lord Emperors. The text at the bottom is the mintmark - SMTS-Gamma: Sacra Moneta (sacred money) Thessalonika (Officina) Gamma. It just means the third mint workshop in Thessalonika. Report this Post to the Staff
arvan Valued Member Canada 125 Posts	Posted 12/05/2017 2:18 pm Wow that is fantastic. Thanks for your assistance. I find it so crazy that coins this old have such a complex identification system. There is so much to learn about these! Would you by any chance be able to suggest a really good primer on Roman coins? Something that covers the basics? Report this Post to the Staff
arvan Valued Member Canada 125 Posts	Posted 12/05/2017 4:55 pm So I think I found the match and got the RIC#. I was on wildwinds and I think this is the correct coin: Constans AE4 of Thessalonica. CONSTANS-PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right VICTORIAE DD AVGGQ NN, Two Victories facing each other, each holding wreaths and palm branches. Palm branch upright in lower centre. Mintmark SMTS Gamma. RIC VIII Thessalonica 106 Is this correct in its entirety? Report this Post to the Staff
pendrak Valued Member United States 253 Posts	Posted 12/11/2017 9:48 pm Hi- I have been away from the forum for a while and see you did not get an answer to your last question. Yes you probably have gotten the correct ID- or at least real close. However- your coin is worn in a couple of critical spots. The space between the two victories and below the wreaths, and what Constans has on his head. You will need to look close with a loop- between the victories is there a definite palm branch? Or nothing? Or a dot? Here is another link helpful in getting you to the exact RIC and description. HELVETICA'S IDENTIFICATION HELP PAGE at http://www.catbikes.ch/coinstuff/coins-ric.htm Report this Post to the Staff
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