GLOR ORVIS TERRAR (424 / 425)

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.

Theodosius II standing and facing, holding a decorated standard with the right hand and a globe surmounted by a cross with the left hand. A star in the left field.

Photo of a coin sold the 17/12/2017 by Auctiones GmbH, eAuction #58, lot 249, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4638697, link to their website: https://www.auctiones.ch/. Coin resold the 28/02/2023 by Tauler & Fau Subastas, Auction 122, lot 3015. I noted the weights and diameter of the sale of Auctiones GmbH. 

Another coin preserved at the British Museum and illustrated in the RIC X, plate 8, n°232 (second photo). Link to the coin: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1852-0630-4. Museum Number 1852,0630.4, purchased from J E Sinyaki in 1852.

Variant without jewel on the diadem. This officina (all jewelry variants combined), except perhaps a coin always seems to display a decoration above the standard with 3 dots. The coin that does not display a dot above the standard has been sold the 15/05/2018 by Heidelberger Münzhandlung Herbert Grün e.K., Auction 74, lot 339, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4967583.

The letter T on the obverse is poorly engraved and looks like a . This particularity also exists for two coins, one with the officina A (see AYC #19 a var, RIC 232) and the other with the officina H (see AYC #19 h, RIC 232). I notice that it is the same engraver for the obverse. Here are some characteristic details of his style: the tip of the spear is wide, the shape of the ribbons, the way of representing the rider on the shield, the shape of the face and finally the double ear which must represent, in the imagination of the engraver, the space left by the helmet for the ears (this detail is also visible on many other coins created by other engravers). We therefore see that this man also engraved the legend and must be illiterate or not be of Roman origin. This engraver would therefore have produced dies used by at least three different officinas.