Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Triton XXV 11-12 Jan 2022
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Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. AV Solidus (19mm, 4.44 g, 6h). Ticinum mint. Struck AD 324. CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate head right / VICTORIB AVGG ET CAESS NN, Victory seated right on cuirass and shield, holding shield inscribed VOT XX, trophy and captive to right; SMT. RIC VII 110; Depeyrot 17/12; Biaggi –. Lustrous, a couple of minor marks and very faint scratches, small edge scuff at 12 o'clock. EF. Extremely rare – the third and finest known and the only one in private hands.
Ex Roma XII (29 September 2016), lot 1020.
This coin is one of three known to us and the only one in private hands, with one being owned by the British Museum and the other by the St. Petersburg Museum. It celebrates the vicennalia of Constantine I and also serves to celebrate his numerous victories over the preceding years such as his defeat of the Franks, Goths, Sarmatians, and Licinius at Adrianople, where Constantine attained sole rule of the empire. While the solidus was meant to mark a joyous occasion in Constantine's reign, his vicennalia brought with it only grief. He executed his eldest son Crispus due to the instigating of his wife Fausta, who sought to have only her sons inherit the throne. Upon his discovery of her treachery, Constantine also executed Fausta herself. So despite the intention that the vicennalia would celebrate his boundless successes and assumption of sole rule, it turned into a period of mourning for the family that had been closest to him.
Ex Roma XII (29 September 2016), lot 1020.
This coin is one of three known to us and the only one in private hands, with one being owned by the British Museum and the other by the St. Petersburg Museum. It celebrates the vicennalia of Constantine I and also serves to celebrate his numerous victories over the preceding years such as his defeat of the Franks, Goths, Sarmatians, and Licinius at Adrianople, where Constantine attained sole rule of the empire. While the solidus was meant to mark a joyous occasion in Constantine's reign, his vicennalia brought with it only grief. He executed his eldest son Crispus due to the instigating of his wife Fausta, who sought to have only her sons inherit the throne. Upon his discovery of her treachery, Constantine also executed Fausta herself. So despite the intention that the vicennalia would celebrate his boundless successes and assumption of sole rule, it turned into a period of mourning for the family that had been closest to him.