When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
No Fieldmarks/Officina
RIC IX Arles 21
This is an extremely rare issue for Theodosius I, minted in Arles/Arelate (although at this time the city was once again called Constantina, hence to TCON mintmark) before the assassination of Gratian by Magnus Maximius, which would occur in AD 383
The obverse looks ‘normal’ so to speak, with a very stern portrait of Theodosius I and the second half of the obverse legend visible and intact; the reverse, however, is for lack of better words quite ‘bizarre’, indeed that was sold to me many years ago as a ‘barbarian imitation’, likely based solely on the details of the reverse
That said, this is NOT a ‘barbarian imitation’ in the least, despite the reverse details; the obverse portrait is well done and quite obviously from an official die, granted I do see how one would think this is an imitation, for the reverse is not well engraved in the least, but I can absolutely understand why one would call this an imitation
As of the time of this listing, there are unfortunately not many examples known with which to compare out specimen, the \'double edge sword\' of a coin being so very rare; OCRE lists six examples, although as usual they show but ONE with accompanying photos, the plate coin being in the collection of Münzkabinett Wien, with the remainder in the British Museum Collection as well as one found by metal detectors in the UK and reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme
The reverse legend of CONCORDIA AVGGG stands to highlight the concord and harmony between the three Augusti, whom at this time were Gratian, as Senior Augustus, Valentinian II, technically next in line for seniority although a very small child, and finally Theodosius I, who was the son of the famed Count Theodosius or Comes Theodosianvs, the man sent by Valentinian I to Britain in the AD 360\'s to put down \'The Great Barbarian Conspiracy\'
Over the coming weeks I will be adding more fixed price listings of Late Roman Bronze Coins so please check back with me.
If there is any specific type you are looking for let me know. I have an extensive Late Antique collection with AE and some AR issues dating from the mid 3rd Century AD to the 8th Century AD
I strive to make accurate impressions of the coins I list, thus my listings tend to have a multitude of photos, taken under different light sources and from different angles, as there is nothing worse (in my opinion) than purchasing a coin and having it arrive looking nothing like the photo!
Please feel free to make an offer on any coin I have listed, I will listen to any and all offers, so do not be put off by the price, I do list my coins slightly higher, however this is simply to ensure that I do not have any issues with people buying \'cheap coins\' and not knowing what it is they are actually looking at.
Thank You
