Constantine the Great SOLIs

What follows are four Constantine the Great "SOLI INVICTO COMITI" bronzes, in order of decreasing quality.

Constantine the Great AE-3 (20mm, 3.89g), Trier, Gaul (present-day Germany), officina (mint workshop) A, c. 317 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VII Trier 131. This is the same coin as the first one on the previous page of this site. This specimen is in FDC, or fleur-de-coin, condition, with this piece as close as possible to being free of visible defects caused by die wear, strike, circulation wear, scratches and other damage, and corrosion. Even the styling is superb, with the face of Constantine rendered as a distinct individual and Sol's chlamys and privates carefully executed.

Constantine the Great AE-2 (22mm, 4.5g), Ticinum, Pavia (present-day Italy), c. 312-313 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VI Ticinum 131a. On this variety, Sol is facing right, not left, and looking backward. This specimen has an attractive earthen, or desert sand, patina, with the contrast between the reddishness of the fields and the darker devices and legends attractively bringing out detail. Unlike the above specimen, Constantine is portrayed formulistically, and the obverse legend reads "CONSTANTINVS PF AVG" rather than "IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG" and translates into "Constantine Dutiful Augustus" rather than "Imperator Constantine Augustus."

Constantine the Great AE-2 (21mm, 2.6g), Rome, c. 315 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VII Rome 33. Here's another Constantine the Great SOLI bronze, also with contrasting patina, only the coin is more worn and corroded. This is a typical "pick bin" coin, often available at coins shows in a bag with many similar coins that you pick through to find pieces you want. The cost can be anywhere from about $3 to $20 per coin depending on the particular dealer.

Constantine the Great AE-2 (22mm, 2.4g), Rome, c. 315-316 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VII Rome 40. This specimen is in poor condition. The previous owner bought it as an uncleaned coin and soaked it in olive oil for a year. Sometimes nice enough coins result from cleaning uncleaned coins, but in this case what resulted was a near slug, with the obverse particularly ill defined. This piece, however, illustrates well what can happen to metal from being buried in the soil for 17 centuries -- the corrosive effects of time.

Constantinian Bronzes

Other Constantine SOLIs

Constantine VLPP Imitatives

Julian II Copies

Other glomworthy coins:

First Coins

Athenian Owls

Alexander the Great Coins

House of Constantine

Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

Draped Bust Coins

Medusa Coins

Thracian Tetradrachms

Other coin sites:
Coin Collecting: Consumer Protection Guide
Glomming: Coin Connoisseurship
Bogos: Counterfeit Coins
Pre-coins

Note: All of the coins illustrated on these pages that are in my possession are stored off site.

	What follows are four Constantine the Great "SOLI INVICTO COMITI" bronzes, in order of decreasing quality.


	Constantine the Great AE-3 (20mm, 3.89g), Trier, Gaul (present-day Germany), officina (mint workshop) A, c. 317 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VII Trier 131. This is the same coin as the first one on the previous page of this site. This specimen is in FDC, or fleur-de-coin, condition, with this piece as close as possible to being free of visible defects caused by die wear, strike, circulation wear, scratches and other damage, and corrosion. Even the styling is superb, with the face of Constantine rendered as a distinct individual and Sol's chlamys and privates carefully executed.


	Constantine the Great AE-2 (22mm, 4.5g), Ticinum, Pavia (present-day Italy), c. 312-313 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VI Ticinum 131a. On this variety, Sol is facing right, not left, and looking backward. This specimen has an attractive earthen, or desert sand, patina, with the contrast between the reddishness of the fields and the darker devices and legends attractively bringing out detail. Unlike the above specimen, Constantine is portrayed formulistically, and the obverse legend reads "CONSTANTINVS PF AVG" rather than "IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG" and translates into "Constantine Dutiful Augustus" rather than "Imperator Constantine Augustus."


	Constantine the Great AE-2 (21mm, 2.6g), Rome, c. 315 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VII Rome 33. Here's another Constantine the Great SOLI bronze, also with contrasting patina, only the coin is more worn and corroded. This is a typical "pick bin" coin, often available at coins shows in a bag with many similar coins that you pick through to find pieces you want. The cost can be anywhere from about $3 to $20 per coin depending on the particular dealer.


	Constantine the Great AE-2 (22mm, 2.4g), Rome, c. 315-316 AD, Sear 3868, RIC VII Rome 40. This specimen is in poor condition. The previous owner bought it as an uncleaned coin and soaked it in olive oil for a year. Sometimes nice enough coins result from cleaning uncleaned coins, but in this case what resulted was a near slug, with the obverse particularly ill defined. This piece, however, illustrates well what can happen to metal from being buried in the soil for 17 centuries -- the corrosive effects of time.