Victoria Laetae Series - Imitative Mints

VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP

Imitative or "barbarous" coins from this series are plentiful and range from extremely crude to nearly official in appearance. I'm also placing here the examples described in RIC footnotes as "irregular" or "semi-barbarous". On p. 224, Appendix to Trier, RIC describes and lists a number of "irregular" coins for the purpose of "illustrating the wide range of varieties known".

Imitative Overstruck on Official Flan


Undetermined, AE Follis, Siscia Imitative Type
...PVVVVVVVGVVG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right, * design on helmet field
VVDVVVDVVVV...
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed I on altar with X and pellets in the diagonals pattern
DVVD (upside down) in exergue
20mm x 22mm, 2.51g

Note: This example overstruck on an official Imperial follis of the following type:

Constantine I, AE Follis, Rome Mint
...NVS P F AVG
Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right (portrait outline visible)
SOLI INV...
Sol, radiate, standing left, raising right hand, globe in left, chlamys across left shoulder (all obliterated)
R | F across fields (parts of both letters still remain)
R*.. in exergue
RIC VII, 19
London Types

Constantine I, AE3, 319-320, London
IMP CONSTAN_TINVS MAX AG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC
Two Victories, standing facing each other, inscribing shield with VT | VV above altar with diamond pattern
PLN in exergue
19mm x 20mm, 3.30g
RIC VII, 154 for type
Ex Bruce Rafferty, eBay, May 2006

Constantine II?, AE3, 320, London
C...VN NOB C
Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right
VICTOPIA...PINC
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VT / PV on altar with wreath
PLN in exergue
16mm x 17mm, 1.58g
Ex Moneta, South Shore Coin Show-Milwaukee, April 2009

Note: The only issues from London in the VLPP series with a radiate bust type are left facing. I cannot be certain what type and of whom the obverse is copying with so much of the legend off the flan.
Siscia Types

Undetermined, AE3, Siscia Imitative Type
PRIINIPIPII-IIEIIII
High-crested helmet, four vertical pellets in crossbar, cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand over shoulder, shield with outer band with pellets, shield design of rows of pellets
BRIIIO-OHP-PHPIPIO
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed PP / ++ on altar with single pellet pattern
SIS pellet (retrograde) in exergue
16mm x 17mm, 2.06g

Note: This example still has intact surface silvering.

Undetermined, AE3, Siscia Imitative Type
VVPOVP-VPOVVVOVHPV
High-crested helmet, three vertical pellets in crossbar, crescents on helmet fields, cuirassed bust right
POVDP-VOV-OPVBHP
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed IVB / OO / OIO on altar with X and pellets in the diagonals pattern
OAIA (?) in exergue
17mm x 18mm, 2.03g
Ex Steve Santore Collection, January 2006

Constantine I, AE3, Siscia Imitative Type
IMP CONSTANTINVS MAX AG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VICTORI LAETAE PIIC PERP
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VOT / PR on altar with single pellet pattern
pellet SIS pellet (retrograde) in exergue
17mm x 19mm, 3.43g

Constantine I, AE3, Siscia Imitative Type
IMP CONSTNTNVS P F AVG (S's retrograde)
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VCTORIAE LATAE PIIC PERP
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VT / PR on altar with X pattern
pellet SIS pellet (retrograde) in exergue
18mm, 3.09g
Ex Ancient Coins Canada, VCoins, June 2008; Supposedly found in Germany

Note: This example has much intact surface silvering.
Trier Types

Constantine I, AE3, Trier Imitative Type, Officina 1
IMP CONSTA_NTINVS AVG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VICTORIAE LAETAI PRIN
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed I / PR on altar with X pattern
PTR in exergue
16mm x 18mm, 2.35g
 
Constantine I, AE3, Trier Imitative Type, Officina 1
IMP CONSTAN_TINVS AV
High-crested helmet, plain crossbar, cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand over shoulder
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VOT / PR on plain altar
PTR in exergue
17mm x 19mm, 2.37g

Constantine I, AE3, Trier Imitative Type, Officina 1
IMP . CONSTA_NTINVS AG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VICTORIAI LAITAI PRINC
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VOT / PR on altar with diamond pattern
PTR in exergue
16mm x 17mm, 2.46g

Note: In RIC Trier Appendix, an example with the exact same reverse legend is noted, but with D5l bust in Staatliche Münzsammlung, Munich.
 
Constantine I, AE3, Trier Imitative Type of RIC VII, 208a, Officina 1
IMP CONSTANTI_NVS AVG
High-crested helmet, no crossbar, helmet design of rows of pellets, draped, cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand over shoulder, mappa in left hand
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PARP
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VOT / PR on plain altar
PTR (retrograde) in exergue
17mm x 18mm, 2.71g
Ex M Geary, eBay, July 2004

Note: This is the only example I've seen imitating the billon argenteus type.

Constantine I, AE3, Trier Imitative Type, Officina 2
CONSTAN_TINVS MAX AG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VICTORIAE LAETAE...
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VOT / PR on altar with diamond pattern
STR in exergue
16mm x 17mm, 2.92g

Constantine I, AE3, Trier Imitative Type, Officina 2
IMP CONSTAN_TINVS MX AVG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VICTORAI LTAE N PRNC P
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VOT / PR on altar with X and pellets pattern
STR in exergue
17mm, 3.06g

Constantine I, AE3, Trier Imitative Type, Officina 2
IMP CONSTANv_TINS MAX AVG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VICTORIA LAIIITA PRINC PIC
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed VOT / PR on plain altar
STR in exergue
18mm, 3.10g
Ex Ancient Coins Canada, VCoins, December 2005
Generic Types - Not attributable to imitating a specific mint

Undetermined, AE3, Undetermined Imitative Type
DNSNNNNHHNCNNNI (some retrograde)
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
NN7-NZ-IONICCC (some retrograde)
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed X and crescents on column
7UIIUI in exergue
18mm x 19mm, 3.16g

Undetermined, AE3, Undetermined Imitative Type
II II II II II II II
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
T H H N N H H I
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed : cornucopiae on altar with X pattern
+ N + in exergue
16mm x 17mm, 2.22g

Undetermined, AE3, Undetermined Imitative Type
NNNNNNINNNN (some retrograde)
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
NN-I-IN-NIINN (some retrograde)
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed PR / PR on altar with diamond and pellet pattern
. N N . (retrograde) in exergue
17mm x 18mm, 1.56g

Undetermined, AE3, Undetermined Imitative Type
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIO
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust left
IIIIIII-II-IIIIIII
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed O / P on altar with X and pellet pattern
II in exergue
17mm x 18mm, 2.39g

Constantine I, AE3, Undetermined Imitative Type
IID COIIIEIOOOIIIOOOI
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
IIDCONIOIIOHOOO...
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding a shield inscribed DI / AD on altar with X and pellet pattern
Exergue off flan
16mm x 17mm, 2.73g

Undetermined, AE3, Undetermined Imitative Type of VLPP Series
COIIIIOOIIIOIIIOIIOIOC
Laureate, cuirassed bust right
OOIIIIIOIIIOIIIIIOO
Two Victories standing, facing each other and holding cross on altar with X and pellet pattern
+IIIIIII in exergue
17mm x 18mm, 2.00g
Ex Midwest "Coins of Christianity" Collection

Consignor notes: Obviously, a Christian engraver placed the cross on this coin to replace the official plaque pledging the Vows of the People to Constantine and the Empire.

Undetermined, AE3, Undetermined Imitative Type
DDUUII..
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand over shoulder, shield in left hand, large pellet in left field
(No legend)
Two soldiers (?), helmeted, standing, facing each other and holding a shield, figure on left holding a spear in right hand pointing down forward, right figure holding a throwing axe in left hand pointed behind, no altar present, X in upper field, two lined exergue with row of center pellets
17mm x 19mm, 2.29g
Ex Ancient Coins Canada, 2005

Note: This coin perhaps is not imitating this series, but it is the closest series I know to the very unusual reverse scene