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Constantine II. AD 337-340. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.46 g, 5h). Antioch mint. CONSTAN TINVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VICTO RIA AVG, Victory advancing left, holding grounded trophy and palm frond; *|LXXII//SMAN•. RIC VIII 3; Depeyrot 1/1; Biaggi 2007 (this coin). Underlying luster. In NGC encapsulation 6559106-002, graded AU★, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Very rare.
From the Willamette Valley Collection. Ex Heritage 3085 (5 August 2020), lot 30058; Dimitriadis Collection (Heritage 3032, 10 April 2014), lot 23659; Dreesmann Collection (Part I, Spink, 13 April 2000), lot 157; Ceresio [I] (26 September 1987), lot 339; Leo Biaggi de Blasys (1906-1979) Collection.
The LXXII in the right field indicates that 72 solidi were struck from a pound of gold, one of the few times a statement of value can be found on Roman gold coinage.
Flavius Claudius Constantinus, second son of Constantine I the Great, was about one year old when he was first proclaimed Caesar in AD 316, along with his adolescent half-brother, Crispus. The younger Constantine was one of three sons from his father’s marriage to Fausta, whose intrigues on behalf of her boys eventually led to the execution of Crispus in AD 326, followed by her own death a few months later. Thus at the age of 10, Constantine II found himself both motherless and senior heir to the Roman Empire. His brothers Constans and Constantius II were soon also raised to the rank of Caesar, though as eldest Constantine retained preeminence. He underwent years of military and governmental training, primarily at the Western provincial capital of Trier on the German frontier, accompanying his father on several campaigns. In AD 335, the elder Constantine redrafted the succession, bringing in two nephews to create an unwieldy five-way split of the empire. But when Constantine died in AD 337, the three brothers arranged for the execution of the nephews and 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. Due to the brevity of his reign, his gold coinage is much rarer than that of his namesake father or his more successful brothers.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 123 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 23-24 May 2023. This lot is in Session Three, which will begin 24 May 2023 at 9 AM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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