RIC VII, NICOMEDIA [before 117], CONSTANTIUS II, UNLISTED REVERSE [Three palm branches]

OBVERSE	ANEPIGRAPHIC (no legend); head r. with plain diadem, looking upwards.
REVERSE	CONSTANTIVSCAESAR [CONSTANTIVS CAESAR]; three palm branches stg.; star above. N in exergue.
NOT IN RIC	UNLISTED REVERSE. Not attested for this issue. RIC lists similar issue from Nicomedia minted for Constantius II only (NICOMEDIA 187 and unlisted NICOMEDIA [before 187] (p. 633). Note that reverse with three palm branches is attested for three Caesars (Crispus, Constantine II and Constantius II) and five mints (Rome, Ticinum, Thessalonica, Nicomedia and Antioch), but dating of these issues in RIC is inconsistent and disputable. According to RIC ROME 379 and 380 (p. 343, Constantius II and Constantine II) were struck in 336-7; TICINUM 184 (p. 383, Constantine II) was struck in 324-5; THESSALONICA 195 (p. 526, Constantine II) was struck in 335; NICOMEDIA 187 (p. 633, Constantius II) was struck in 336-7 and ANTIOCH 70A (p. 720 ["Addenda and Corrigenda"], Crispus) was struck no later than 326. Presence of Crispus' coins (ANTIOCH 70A and unlisted NICOMEDIA [before 117]) suggests rather earlier date, c. 325. See also the new and exhaustive study on this subject: Lars Ramskold, "Constantine's Vicennalia and the Death of Crispus", Niš and Byzantium XI, 2013. Coin should be listed before NICOMEDIA 187. See also: ROME [after 379], CONSTANTIUS II, UNLISTED BUST TYPE AND REVERSE LEGEND NICOMEDIA [before 117], CRISPUS, UNLISTED REVERSE NICOMEDIA [before 117], CONSTANTINE II, UNLISTED REVERSE NICOMEDIA [before 117], CONSTANTINE II, UNLISTED REVERSE

NOTES

Siliqua. Weight 3.03 g; diameter 21 mm. Coin sold on Numismatik Lanz auction 112 (lot 893) in November 2002 for EUR 1,500. Other specimens: - sold on Pecunem (Gitbud & Naumann) 10 (lot 736) in December 2013 for EUR 1,600; ex Lars Ramskold; sold on Leu Numismatik web auction 25 (lot 2803) in March 2023 for CHF 800; weight 3.22 g; diameter 20 mm [click for picture].