Constantine I



An unrecorded type for Constantine I-- an anepigraphic star reverse from Thessalonica


 

 

 Constantine I anepigraphic from Thessalonica

 

In February of 2019, someone from Serbia sent me a picture of this coin, wanting some information. I am not going to talk about whether or not the coin is genuine, since I have only seen it in this picture, which is not the best. I will only address the circumstances of a type like this being minted.

 

It is tempting to associate this issue with the star reverse struck for the commemoration of Constantinople in A.D. 330. However, from the bust style, it is from Thessalonica. Below is RIC VII Thessalonica 31 for comparison. Plus, the coin must be earlier than A.D. 330, since the bust is laurel; and Constantine was depicted as diademed by A.D. 330.

 

Constantine I RIC VII Thessalonica 31


RIC VII Thessalonica 31

 

Thessalonica also struck star reverse types for Helena and Fausta in A.D. 318- 319, so the star reverse type was not unknown at the time. Below is an example from Helena-- RIC VII Thessalonica 48.

 


Helena RIC VII Thessalonica 48


RIC VII Thessalonica 48


 

This new type is 16mm and 1.9 grams; which would indicate a half follis. This is an unusual denomination and means that this coin, coupled with the unusual reverse was perhaps meant as a donative.

 

The coinage of Thessalonica was different from all rest of the mints for a period after the 1st civil war between Constantine and Licinius. The reason must be because Constantine was in residence at Thessalonica for a while. The sources vary -- according to RIC as long as a year, while Barnes (Empire of Diocletian and Constantine) has a little over a month, but footnotes some other time frames. Starting in 318, there were distinctive bronze issues struck exclusively at Thessalonica; which must have commemorated his time in the city. Below are some examples for Constantine, though there are a variety of bust types.

 

1. VOT XX MVLT XXX (A.D. 318- 319)   RIC VII Thessalonica 30
2. VICTORIA AVGG NN (A.D. 319)   Not in RIC for the long legend
3. VIRT EXERC (A. D. 319) RIC VII Thessalonica 66 

 


 Constantine I Thessalonica 30

RIC VII Thessalonica 30


Constantine I cf RIC VII Thessalonica 59

cf RIC VII Thessalonica 59

Constantine I RIC VII Thessalonica 66

RIC VII Thessalonica 66 



page created on 27 Feb 2019


Constantine I