7-623

RIC VII, CONSTANTINOPLE [before 102], CONSTANTINE II, UNLISTED FOR RULER, 1½ solidi [FORGERY]

   

OBVERSE

CONSTANTINVSIVNNOBCAES [CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES]; bust r., laur., cuir.

REVERSE

VIRTVS-CAESARVMNN [VIRTVS CAESARVM NN]; prince stg. r. between captives sitting on ground, sceptre in r. hand, parazonium on l. arm, spuring captive to r. with foot. CONS in exergue.

NOT IN RIC

UNLISTED FOR RULER. Not listed in Depeyrot. RIC lists this type only for Delmatius. Note however that this type (made in gold and also in silver and bronze) is a dangerous modern forgery. See Ilya Prokopov's analysis from FORVM ANCIENT COINS ("Dr. Ilya Prokopov's Fake Ancient Coin Reports"):

"The medallion is made by a comparatively new technology from an unknown studio. Bronze matrixes made from paraffin positives are cast. Then they are put in steel rings with long handles attached perpendicularly. This is done in order to not deform the bronze matrixes and also to work manually with them. On a solid base they put a metal lead and in it they put the obverse matrix then they put the reverse but with some space between so that the coin core can fit between them. The core already cast is being heated to a certain temperature and is placed between the two matrixes. Then with a big hammer it is hit and a coin or medallion is being struck.

Indications helping to recognize these:
1. If you have equipment for metal analyzing - the gold surface has many bronze traces.
2. The core edge is often additionally processed so some traces could be seen.
3. On the edge you can see knots left from the casting process of the core.
4. Traces of additional processing on images and inscriptions.
5. The matrix defects are result from its casting so they are transmitted to the struck surface. Similar defects are not typical for the genuine matrixes."

Coin could be noted as forgery before CONSTANTINOPLE 102.

See also:
CONSTANTINOPLE [before 102], CONSTANTINE II, UNLISTED FOR RULER, 2 solidi [FORGERY]
CONSTANTINOPLE [before 102], CONSTANTINE II, SILVER VERSION [FORGERY]
CONSTANTINOPLE [before 102], CONSTANTINE II, BRONZE VERSION [FORGERY]

NOTES

AV medallion of 1½ solidi. Weight 6.53 g. Coin sold on Rauch auction 81 (lot 718) in November 2007 for EUR 14,000; sold on Rauch auction 90 (lot 955) in June 2012 for EUR 32,000.

Other specimens:

- sold on Emporium Hamburg auction 100 (lot 627) in November 2022 for EUR 36,000; weight 6.74 g; diameter 22 [click for picture];

- from FORVM ANCIENT COINS ("Dr. Ilya Prokopov's Fake Ancient Coin Reports"); weight 6.55 g [click for picture].


NOT IN RIC © 2004 Lech Stępniewski