Description
Denomination: Billon (mix of silver and copper) nummus
Period: Late Imperial Empire
Date: 325-326
Origin: Alexandrian mint
Condition: EF with surface silver remaining
Obverse: Laureate head to right. CONSTANTINVS AVG
Reverse: Camp gate with six rows. no doors and two turrets. star above. SMALB (mint mark) in exergue
Size and Weight: 19mm. 2.97g
References: RIC VII 34
Features and Provenance: Ex Gorny & Mosch
Constantine became emperor in AD 306 and is probably most famous for supposedly being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity at the age of 40 but waited until his deathbed to be actually baptised. He was probably influenced by his mother. Helena. a Greek Christian. who was later made a saint.
An accomplished army officer. he fought with his father. Flavius Constantius. in Britain. Later. after victories over Maxentius and Licinius he became sole emperor in AD 324. He was also a good statesman. restructuring the government and introducing the gold solidus. which was to become the standard Byzantine coin. He renamed Byzantium as Constantinople (now Istanbul) and it became the new capital of the empire for the next thousand years. Although he probably earnt his epithet of ‘the Great’ he was also extremely vain. and had his wife and son killed for their beliefs – so maybe not all great!
Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between
Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear
Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of legend etc present. visible and clear
Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of legend etc present. but maybe worn
Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible
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