1930

Constantine I, the Great as Filius Augustorum, AD 308-3

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:10,000.00 USD
Constantine I, the Great as Filius Augustorum, AD 308-3
Constantine I, the Great as Filius Augustorum, AD 308-309. Gold Aureus (5.13 g) minted at Thessalonica. CONSTANTINVS FIL AVGG, laureate head of Constantine right, with slight beard / CONSVL DD NN, Constantine in consular robes standing left, holding globe and sceptre; SMTS in exergue. RIC 28; Depeyrot 412; Cohen 115. Sharp tetrarchic portrait. Of great rarity and importance. A few minor surface blemishes in reverse field, otherwise extremely fine. Extremely Fine.

The collapse of Diocletian's carefully constructed tetrarchic system in 307 prompted the senior emperor Galerius to call for a conference at Carnuntum in November of 308, at which the various claimants to imperial power were supposed to restore an orderly division of the empire. Constantine and Maximinus II Daia were each demoted from the rank of Augustus to that of Caesar, a proposition they found intolerable. To mollify them, Galerius proposed in 309 that they each receive the title "Son of the Augusti" (Filius Augustorum). Not surprisingly, both men rejected the meaningless epithet and resumed calling themselves Augusti. However, eastern mints under Galerius' control briefly included the title in the inscriptions of what are today rare folles and aurei. An additional feature of interest on this aureus is the small symbol in the right field, apparently a mark of value indicating the coin was intended to be struck at sixty to the Roman pound (approximately 5.4 grams).
Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000.
Ex NAC 31 (26 October 2005), lot 144; Freeman & Sear Fixed Price List 6 (2001), F158; Dreesmann Collection (Spink London, Part I, 13 April 2000, lot 129); Lanz 28 (7 May 1984), lot 761.

Our item number 152413