Ancient Imitations

Roman Imperial: Constantine and Licinius - Imitative Issues

Note: Many times imitative types have retrograde letters and most times the legends are meaningless. I have added notes to each piece with a potential link to series and mint each imitates, where possible.

	Imitative issue of Constantine I, AE3, Trier Mint Type NOISITI_NIISYNC Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust left VSONNI_LNTIIVG Campgate with six rows, three turrets, no doors, no star above, top and bottom rows empty blocks 17mm, 2.77g Ex Tatiana & Slavey Art Numis, October 2005 The style of the campgate arch is very much like the style used at Trier, however, three turrets from Trier is unexpected for their normal issues.
	Imitative issue of Constantine I, AE3 CONZNI_INIZNNS Laureate head right CONZN_NZNNC Laureate head right 18mm, 1.85g Note: A very interesting piece as there are not any dynastic Constantine bronzes this coin imitates. Some letters retrograde in legends.
	Imitative issue of Constantine II as Caesar, AE4 CONSTANTINVS IVN N C Laureate head right GLO-E_X_E Two soldiers standing facing each other, spears in outer hand, inner hand resting on shield, two standards between them 12mm, 0.99g Note: A very interesting piece - the obverse legend is spelled correctly and the portrait is of excellent style. The reverse legend has been greatly shortened, but the devices are also carefully done. Although the exergue is too mushy to determine, the flan is nearly the correct size for the die, even at a diminutive 12mm. This piece imitates the GLORIA EXERCITVS series in RIC VII.
	Imitative issue of Constans as Augustus, AE4, "Lugdunum" CONSTANS-P F AVG Rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right COR_IA EXER_IHT Two soldiers standing facing each other, spears in outer hand, inner hand resting on shield, labarum with plain banner between them 14mm x 15mm, 1.37g RLC in exergue Note: The obverse legend is spelled correctly and the portrait is of excellent style. The reverse legend is a little off, but the devices are carefully done. This piece imitates the GLORIA EXERCITVS series in RIC VIII.
	Imitative issue of Licinius I, AE3, Siscia IMP-NIVIS AVG Helmeted, cuirassed bust right VIIT-EEPIICI Standard inscribed VI / O between two captives .SIS. in exergue 16mm, 1.88g This piece imitates the VIRTVS EXERCIT series in RIC VII
	Imitative issue of perhaps Constantine II as Caesar, AE3, Thessalonica IIIISII-IIINO Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust left NIONONHNINOIII Legend surrounding wreath enclosing V / XX TST in exergue 16mm x 17mm, 1.70g This piece possibly imitates the CAESARVM NOSTRORVM series in RIC VII
	Imitative issue of perhaps Constantine II as Caesar, AE3, Thessalonica NISN-. NNO (all retrograde) Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust left NNONONTNNONN (some retrograde) Legend surrounding wreath enclosing P / + + TST (S retrograde) in exergue 17mm x 20mm, 2.33g This piece probably imitates the CAESARVM NOSTRORVM series in RIC VII
	Imitative issue of Constantine I, AE3, Thessalonica CNNSNN-INCNCNN Laureate head right INONONN-NNNONN Legend surrounding wreath enclosing V / XX TST in exergue 18mm x 20mm, 2.04g This piece imitates the D N CONSTANTINI MAX series in RIC VII
	Divus Constantine I, AE4, Uncertain Mint (No legend) Veiled head of Divus Constantine I right (No legend) Quadriga right, carrying Constantine with hand of God from above 13mm, 1.67g Note: This specimen falls into a very fuzzy area of coinage, usually referred to as "minimi". The style on the coin looks official, but the flan is drastically undersized. There is no filing on the edges and the flan was intentionally prepared at this size.
	Anonymous Issue during the reign of Constantine I, AE4, c.335, "Lugdunum, Officina 1" VRBS-ROMA Helmet with plume, bust of Roma left in imperial mantle (No legend) Victory standing facing on prow, head left, scepter in right hand, left hand on shield PLG in exergue 13mm x 14mm, 1.12g Note: This specimen falls into a very fuzzy area of coinage, usually referred to as "minimi". The style on the coin looks official, but the flan is drastically undersized. There is no filing on the edges and the flan was intentionally prepared at this size. Also, this specimen mules two contemporary types - the obverse should show Constantinopolis or the reverse should be wolf and twins. An excellent addition to any Late Roman collection for more research.
	Imitative issue of Constans as Augustus, AE4, Siscia IIVIOIILIIIIPIAV Pearl-diademed, cuirassed bust right VICT[OR]_IA AVGG Victory walking left, wreath in right hand, palm in left Corrupted Christogram in left field ASIC in exergue 13mm x 14mm, 1.25g Note: This piece imitates RIC VIII, 177
	Imitative issue of Constans as Augustus, AE4, Rome CONZTINII P F AVG Bare head, draped, cuirassed bust right IIVIIIEOCVH_CI Two Victories standing facing each other, wearing what appears to be graduation caps and gowns, presenting wreaths inward M in middle field IHC in exergue 15mm, 3.01g (2mm thick) Note: This piece imitates the VICTORIAE DD AVGGQ NN series in RIC VIII
	Imitative issue of Constantius II as Augustus, AE Half Centenionalis D N CONATA_NTIVS... Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right ...MP-RAIIIRATIO Soldier standing left, holding shield and spearing fallen horseman, shield on ground at right 17mm x 19mm, 2.33g This piece imitates the FEL TEMP REPARATIO series in RIC VIII
	Imitative issue of Constantius II as Augustus, AE2, "Sirmium" D N CONSTAN_TIΛZ PE VΛC Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right CONCORD-HILITVN Constantius standing facing in military dress, head left, labarum in each hand with Christogram on banner, * above BZIRN in exergue 20mm x 22mm, 3.55g This piece imitates RIC VIII, 33
	Imitative issue of Constantius II, AE4, Lugdunum for mint type? . N CONE_IA AVG Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right S[PES-R]EIPVB Virtus, helmeted in military dress, standing facing, head left, globe in right hand, reversed spear in left CNC in exergue 11mm x 12mm, 0.74g This piece imitates the SPES REIPVBLICE series in RIC VIII
	Imitative type of Magnentius, AE4, January 19, 350-August 18, 353, "Lugdunum", Officina 1 [D N] MAGN[ENTI]VS P F AVG Bare head, cuirassed bust right, B behind head [VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE] Two Victories standing facing each other, holding between them wreath inscribed VOT / V / XX RPLG in exergue 13mm x 14mm, 0.64g RIC VIII, 144B for type Note: This is a really interesting imitative piece which comes close to the original issue - the differences being a "B" on the obverse field, which should be an "A" and the wreath inscription should be VOT / V / MVLT / X
	Imitative issue of Theodosius I, AE3, Thessalonica D N THEODO_SIVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right [GLORIA RO_]MANO Emperor advancing right, looking back, labarum in left hand, dragging captive with right Pellet in right field TEP in exergue 15mm x 17mm, 1.99g This piece imitates the GLORIA ROMANORVM series in RIC IX

This is one of the most interesting and challenging Late Roman bronzes I've had. It appears to be an imitative type, overstruck on an official Imperial coin. The letters in the legend in the overstrike are black in the photo and the host coin letters are red. Notice the great difference in style of the two fonts - the overstrike are straight, thick lines whereas the host coin shows fine lines with serifs. Also note the obverse of the host coin is under the reverse side of the overstrike. This piece is 14mm x 15mm and 1.36g, thus an AE4 sized module.

The host coin is:

Valentinian II, AE4, 383-392
[D N VA]LENTINI[ANVS P F AVG]
Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
[SALVS REI_]PVBLIC[AE]
Victory advancing left, trophy on shoulder, dragging captive

Possible mints and dates for this issue from Valentinian II are:

Alexandria (383-392)
Antioch (383-392)
Aquileia (388-392)
Constantinople (383-392)
Cyzicus (383-392)
Heraclea (383-392)
Nicomedia (383-392)
Rome (383-392)
Thessalonica (383-392)

Looking at the obverse of the overstrike, Victory's head is visible and looks directly at the third letter in the overstrike coin legend. Victory's wing is also visible, which is the flat top of the emperor's head. The captive Victory is dragging is aligned with the emperors portrait such that it appears he has a very large nose, but is actually the body of the captive sticking out from the emperor's forehead and the legs and arms make up the oversized bridge of the nose and eye socket. On the overstrike reverse, the top of Valentinian's head is visible and corresponds to the visible host legend.

The overstrike appears to be a VIRTVS EXERCITI reverse type with emperor standing facing, holding spear and leaning on shield, being crowned with wreath by Victory, standing left. From Late Roman Bronze Coinage, Part II by Carson, Hill and Kent, this reverse type was officially minted:

Alexandria - Arcadius, Honorius (AE3, 395-408)
Antioch - Arcadius, Honorius (AE3, 395-408)
Constantinople - Arcadius, Honorius (AE3, 395-408)
Cyzicus - Arcadius, Honorius (AE3, 395-408)
Heraclea - Arcadius, Honorius (AE3, 395-402)
Nicomedia - Arcadius, Honorius (AE3, 395-408)

The overstrike has an obverse legend of D N and the third letter has a curved back, making it C, G, O, Q or U. If this were an official coin of a later emperor, we could rule out U, since the Romans used V instead. There are no later emperors with a title beginning with D N Q. Since the host coin was minted in 383 at the earliest, that leaves us with:

C - Constantine III, Constantius III
G - Galla Placidia, Glycerius, Gratian
O - Honorius

Based on the information we have on official issues, we can rule out Constantine III, Constantius III, Galla Placidia, Glycerius and Gratian. None of them officially issued this reverse type. We are left with just Honorius, which would then require the obverse legend to be the seldom used D N ONORI_VS P F AVG. The only documented legend for the VIRTVS EXERCITI type for Honorius is D N HONORI_VS P F AVG.

The question becomes, why would an official Imperial coin play host to an imitative type? Or, is this a crude style of an as yet undocumented official coin of a later Roman emperor? Perhaps it was overstruck as a form of damnatio? Maybe it was reused by some peoples outside the Roman Empire? The overstrike looks as though the die may have been bigger than what the AE4 module could hold, possible making the overstrike from an AE3 sized die.

The most plausible explanation is the host coin was demonetized and was reused locally, employing a barbarous version of a non-demonetized type - especially since the official issues directly follow each other chronologically. This practice appears to have been somewhat widespread as I've seen a number of examples with imitative/local strikes on official issues from various mints.