IMP XXXXII COS XVII P P (type I - II, A) (441 / 450)

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.

Constantinople seated left on a throne, holding a spear with the left hand and a globe surmounted by a cross with the right hand. A shield behind the throne and a star in the field to the left.

Coin sold on 20 April 2018 by Bertolami Fine Arts, Auction 44, lot 517, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4942249, link to their website: https://www.bertolamifineart.com/uk/index.asp. Already sold on 11 November 2015, Auction 19, lot 804, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2733803.

A coin of low weight and imitative style. However, given the various legend variants seen on official coins, I classify this coin as an official coin with a degenerate legend. Apart from the letter D of THEODOSIVS, the letter M from IMP does not have a slash. ( IIIP instead of IMP) And the style of the portrait, the coin respects the legend and the design. The helmet is a little flatter, the knee is nicely rounded and the drapery is natural, which corresponds to type II but the legend ends before the shield (type I). The CONOB mark is correctly registered, whereas even undeniably official copies sometimes contain the error of the reversed N. I think we need to reconsider these "imitative" coins if their weight is equivalent or nearly so to that of the official coins, which are supposed to weigh 4.45 grams. Their quality in copying the legends and the design (including the way the face is oriented to the right) makes too many elements susceptible to error without the help of an experienced person. I don't rule out the possibility that they are unofficial strikes, but the undeniably official coins show too many mixtures with degenerate styles in places and too many corrections for the official mint not to have been composed of apprentice barbarous engravers. These styles and errors, moreover, continue throughout the coinage of subsequent emperors, including in the Byzantine period after 491.

"Transitional" type from I to II. This coin shares common characteristics of type I and others of type II. The RIC X does not list any CONOB mark for its group I (n° 285 and 286), corresponding to this type II. As a reminder, type I shows:

- A reverse legend, usually ending before the shield. No legend punctuation on either side. A square, upright throne, the right leg being a triangular protuberance, rigid drapery, and a vertical scepter. This corresponds to type III of RIC X. Variant A is the same as RIC X: elongated and long shield, variant B: small and round.

Type II (corresponding to RIC 285 and 286) shows:

- A mint mark with large letters (difficult to compare via photos and not a criterion I necessarily consider for this type II), no punctuation on the reverse and sometimes one on the obverse, a throne occasionally tilted backward, smaller figure with flatter helmet, natural and tight drapery with vertical or slightly backward tilted scepter, the legend ends at the level of the shield which is small and round.

Here is the description given by the RIC for its Group I, which therefore corresponds to my Type II. To clearly identify a Type II, I use the following criteria: smaller figure, natural drapery with the right knee rounded, and legend ending at the level of the shield. Regarding the position of the legend, this criterion may sometimes be disregarded, as some coins have legends that end before or at the level of the shield. There are also two sub-variants: a long, elongated shield or a small, round shield. Whereas RIC X only list a small, round shield.