The (Speculative) Story Of A Small Constantinian Hoard From Lyons

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,329
Victor Pillar of the Community United States 905 Posts	Posted 04/17/2020 10:50 pm This is the story of a small hoard, but it is a bit speculative. I purchased this group of coins because, based on patina, they seem to have been deposited together. They are all from Lyons and the two soldiers types and Constantinopolis were struck A.D. 330's. The Crispus VOT was struck a bit earlier around A.D. 324. The really interesting coin is the Sol; which was struck between A.D. 315- 316; almost 20 years before the latest coin in the group - the mintmark #10038;PLG was struck in A.D. 333- 334. The SOL coin was demonetized by the monetary reform of the VLPP in A.D. 318 and the two standard GE's were replaced by one standard type by the A.D. 335 reform when the number of nummi to a pound was raised to 196. (According to Harl's "Coinage in the Roman Economy" the number of bronze coins per pound was 108 in A.D. 318- 330 and 132 for A.D. 330- 335...see chart below) The flans had to be made smaller to make more coins, so by 335, there was only room for one standard on the GLORIA EXERCITVS types. Since there are no single standard coins in this small group, these coins would seem to have been hidden away circa A.D. 335. I bought these from a seller in France, though I do not know the actual find spot. The seller is from Ledenon; which is about 216km from Lyons. Ledenon was already a city by Roman times and is named after the Gallic deity Letinno --'the housing'. I plan on keeping these coins together. I also bought the Constantius campgate from the same seller and believe it is also part of this "Ledenon hoard". Report this Post to the Staff

sel_69l Bedrock of the Community Australia 21788 Posts	Posted 04/17/2020 11:50 pm Nicely matched group with very believable provenance. Keep all of your purchase documentation that came with them, and include in a single album page. Report this Post to the Staff
Kushanshah Pillar of the Community United States 1554 Posts	Posted 04/18/2020 01:49 am I think you are "right on the money", to coin a phrase... The reform of 335 coincides with the beginning of a period of "epidemic counterfeiting" in Gaul and Britain, symptomatic of economic crisis. Your hoard is perhaps a fair snapshot of circulation in Gaul at about that date. Thanks for sharing! Edited by Kushanshah 04/18/2020 02:08 am Report this Post to the Staff
Paul Bulgerin Pillar of the Community United States 3098 Posts	Posted 04/19/2020 12:02 pm Were older types, such as the SOL, actually pulled from circulation, or did they continue to circulate alongside the newer issues such as the VLLP? Paul Bulgerin Report this Post to the Staff
FVRIVS RVFVS Pillar of the Community United States 3442 Posts	Posted 04/19/2020 12:53 pm I think "Greshams Law" would have repeatedly come into play Bad money drives out good The declines in silver content and weight which started after the collapse of the second tetrarchy surely resulted in half of the older coin simply vanishing rather than surrendering them when ordered to do so The people on the imperial payroll weren't entirely dim The larger 10 gram folles of Diocletian (et al) must have been particularly prized by their owners even if restricted to use in 'private' transactions My own 'hoard' collection of tetrarchy folles likely came from someone keen on preserving them Report this Post to the Staff
Victor Pillar of the Community United States 905 Posts	Posted 04/19/2020 1:37 pm Quote: Were older types, such as the SOL, actually pulled from circulation, or did they continue to circulate alongside the newer issues such as the VLLP? . The hoard evidence suggests that Sol coinage stopped circulating when VLPP coinage started. "The Victoriae laetae coinage appears to be a barrier; except for stray pieces the hoards either close immediately before the Victoriae laetae coinage or start with that coinage." (RIC VII pg 13) You can look at the chart above from Harl and see why Sol coins stopped circulating-- they averaged 1.4% silver to the 2-4% of the VLPP. Sometimes you find coins overstruck on the older issues. I think that this is a Sol issue under this unofficial VLPP, though the under type is barely visible. The introduction of the VLPP was also a period of epidemic counterfeiting and I believe that many of the unofficial VLPP's were struck using old Sol coins. I did a metallurgical study of some unofficial VLPP's and they seemed consistent with Sol coins. There is also some evidence of pulling demonetized coins from circulation, from the Theodosian Code. Though the edicts were issued during the rule of Constantius II (circa A.D. 350) you can image similar laws during the time of Constantine. "We permit only money established in public use to be so conveyed...But it shall be altogether illegal for any person to buy money or to handle forbidden money" Theodosian Code 9:23:2 "everything shall be sold with the customary freedom except the coins that are usually called majorinas or common centenionalis or other moneys which are known to be forbidden." Theodosian Code 9:23:3 Edited by Victor 04/19/2020 1:39 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Paul Bulgerin Pillar of the Community United States 3098 Posts	Posted 04/19/2020 1:45 pm Thank you for those interesting and informative responses. Paul Bulgerin Report this Post to the Staff
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