CONCORDIA AVGGG (403 / 408)

Bust of Theodosius II facing, cuirassed, wearing a helmet with crest and a pearl diadem. Holding a spear passing behind his head with the right hand and a decorated shield with a horseman slaying an enemy, with the left hand.

Constantinopolis seated on a throne with her head to the right, holding a scepter with her right hand and a globe surmounted by a victory with her left hand. Her right foot placed on a prow.

Photo of a coin sold the 22/08/2019 by Roma Numismatics Limited, E-Sale 61, lot 1013, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6194672, link to their website: https://www.romanumismatics.com/. One coin with the same dies has been sold the 18/10/2016 by Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, eLive Auction 42, lot 352, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3402197.

Variant with jewel on the diadem and shield with a unique decoration (point under the soldier). It's the first time I've seen such an obviously intentional point on this kind of shield representing a horseman slaying an enemy. It must be the representation of the weapon of the soldier on the ground. This copy sold the 04/12/2015 by Teutoburger Münzauktion GmbH, Auction 98, lot 1010, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2786761; shows a dot under the soldier which also probably represents a weapon, but not in the same manner and size as on the coin illustrated here.

This series is characterized by a large bust. Unlike other series, RIC X had not referenced bust size variants for this series with star and legend CONCORDIA AVGG. As for Zeno, we notice a finer portrait on the first years (397 / 402), while the portraits of the following series will become wider and Theodosius II will look more to the right even if mixtures exist from 402.