weight 6,04gr. | billon Ø 24mm.
officina 3 | second series
obv. Bust of Constans, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed, right,
A behind bust, surrounded by the legend DN CONSTA - NS P F AVG
rev. Constans, draped, cuirassed, standing left on galley,
holding Victory on globe in right hand and labarum (standard with ☧
on banner) in left hand steering the ship, seated Victory, A in field to left,
surrounded by the legend FEL TEMP - REPARATIO, TSΓ in exergue
Just as Constantius II favored the Falling Horseman, Constans most frequently used the Galley steered by Victory. The emperor is shown standing in the galley holding either a small figure of Victory or a Phoenix on a globe. The scene probably honors Constans′ crossing to Britain in the winter of 342 to 343 to defeat the invading Picts, as described in a now-lost book of Ammianus Marcellus. Such visit would have necessitated a winter crossing of the English channel, a type of journey that was never welcomed in antiquity. This visit was first commemorated on a bronze medallion for Constans struck circa 343, with legend BONONIA OCEANEN, which shows Constans fully armoured on a galley. Galleys had often been used on coins to symbolize the travel of Emperor. Hadrianus struck a series of large bronzes, circa 125 to 128, showing galleys.
The second series is distinguished by field marks which usually appear on both the obverse and the reverse of the two largest denominations, in the West in most cases a letter A.
Cohen 13 | RIC 122 | LRBC II, 1649 | Sear 18675
Some weakness of strike
vf
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