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Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. Æ Follis (22mm, 3.43 g, 6h). Londinium (London) mint. Struck late AD 314-early 315. Laureate and trabeate bust left / Sol standing left, raising hand and holding globe; S|P//MSL. RIC VII 78 corr. (bust type); RML 715 (this coin illustrated); C&T 8.07.022; David W. Burge, “Bourton-on-the-Water (Gloucestershire) Hoard of Constantinian Folles” in NC (1973), p. 120, no. 248 (this coin); BM 1988,0136.5. Dark green-brown patina, minor edge split. Good VF. Extremely rare. RR in RML.
From the Dr. Malcolm Lyne Collection, purchased from Galata Coins, June 1988. Ex 22 March 1970 Bourton-on-the-Water Hoard (IRBCH 1083) .
This coin has evidentially experienced some misattribution in the past lending to some confusion. C&T note in their footnote for 8.07.022 that the “BoW coin may have been misattributed.” In the cataloging for the BoW hoard there is one example of RIC 78 noted. Ultimately, this example does appear to be the BoW coin. RML correctly notes in footnote 32 that “RIC VII describes this as a cuirassed bust but it appears to be trabeate on all specimens seen.” The footnote additionally clarifies that RIC 78 contains a typographical error and that is was intended to describe the bust as left facing.
This coin was purchased from Galata Coins (which owned a portion of the BoW hoard) at the time the hoard was being dispersed circa 1988. This coin is additionally the example illustrated for the type in RML, however, RML cites the BM coin (1988,0136.5) which is the cited and illustrated example in C&T and which additionally likely served as the known example of RIC 78.
In sum, this is a laureate and trabeate bust left, not cuirassed as described in RIC VII. Burge correctly cataloged the coin as a RIC VII 78 despite the left facing aspect of the bust being erroneously omitted in RIC. This coin was evidently later sold to Dr. Lyne as part of the BoW hoard in 1988 and has now ultimately reappeared today. It is additionally superior to the BM example which appears to be the only other known specimen.
Closing Date and Time: 19 February 2025 at 14:01:20 ET.
All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.
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