Heritage World Coin Auctions
CICF Signature Sale 3032 10-12 April 2014
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Constantine II (AD 337-340). AV solidus (22mm, 4.48 gm, 5h). Antioch, AD 337-338. CONSTAN-TINVS AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constantine II right, right shoulder raised, seen from front / VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM, Victory seated right on shield and cuirass, holding and inscribing large oval shield VOT XXX, Cupid standing before her supporting shield, SM ANS• in exergue. RIC VIII 14. Depeyrot 4/5. Rare! Impressive strike on a broad flan, with considerable mint luster. NGC (photo-certificate) MS 5/5 - 3/5.From The Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection. Ex Neil S. Phillips Collection (Spink London, 7-9 October 1997), lot 386. When Constantine I the Great died in AD 337, his three surviving sons, Constantine II, Constans, and Constantius II, divided the empire between them. Despite his seniority, Constantine II emerged with only Britain, Gaul, Germany and Spain under under his control, perhaps the poorest and least populous regions of the Empire. Incensed at this treatment, Constantine insisted on his own seniority and demanded more territory from his brothers, leading Constans and Constantius to form an alliance against him. A three-way conference in June of AD 338 failed to resolve their differences. In April of AD 340, Constantine launched an invasion of Italy while Constans was away in the Balkans. Expecting little or no resistance, Constantine must have been shocked when his army was ambushed by a strong force near Aquileia. During the skirmish, a chance arrow struck Constantine, killing the 24-year-old emperor. Constans' soldiers threw his body into a nearby river, but it was later retrieved and given an honorable burial.
Estimate: 4000-5000 USD
Constantine II (AD 337-340). AV solidus (22mm, 4.48 gm, 5h). Antioch, AD 337-338. CONSTAN-TINVS AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constantine II right, right shoulder raised, seen from front / VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM, Victory seated right on shield and cuirass, holding and inscribing large oval shield VOT XXX, Cupid standing before her supporting shield, SM ANS• in exergue. RIC VIII 14. Depeyrot 4/5. Rare! Impressive strike on a broad flan, with considerable mint luster. NGC (photo-certificate) MS 5/5 - 3/5.From The Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection. Ex Neil S. Phillips Collection (Spink London, 7-9 October 1997), lot 386. When Constantine I the Great died in AD 337, his three surviving sons, Constantine II, Constans, and Constantius II, divided the empire between them. Despite his seniority, Constantine II emerged with only Britain, Gaul, Germany and Spain under under his control, perhaps the poorest and least populous regions of the Empire. Incensed at this treatment, Constantine insisted on his own seniority and demanded more territory from his brothers, leading Constans and Constantius to form an alliance against him. A three-way conference in June of AD 338 failed to resolve their differences. In April of AD 340, Constantine launched an invasion of Italy while Constans was away in the Balkans. Expecting little or no resistance, Constantine must have been shocked when his army was ambushed by a strong force near Aquileia. During the skirmish, a chance arrow struck Constantine, killing the 24-year-old emperor. Constans' soldiers threw his body into a nearby river, but it was later retrieved and given an honorable burial.
Estimate: 4000-5000 USD