IMP XXXXII COS XVII P P (type II, B) (441 / 450)
PFAVG 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.
Marks
Photo of a coin sold on 14 August 2021 by Leu Numismatik, Web Auction 17, lot 3022, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8418964, link to their website: https://leunumismatik.com/.
Variant with the legend featuring dots on the obverse. Type B shield (small an round). The RIC 286 references only one shield: small and round, therefore corresponding to my type B which itself corresponds to type III of the RIC X (from n°321). the type I (corresponding to my type type II here) of RIC does not classify any shield variant (only a small and round one, whereas the example illustrating the n°285 is large).To be clear, I classified RIC type I as type II and type III as type I because I noted an evolution in the strikes and a probable shift in the mint, showing strikes gradually progressing from CONOB to COMOB and whose design variations, partly referenced in RIC X, are indicators of changes in this mint.
The coin is of type II even though Constantinople displays a height like that seen on type I. This is the only example I have found with a type A shield. The series with dots on the obverse, without dots on the reverse and without mint mark seems to have (type A and B shields combined) only finely made dies showing the style and experience of the usual engravers of Constantinople. No errors or hesitations in the legend (The only exception being AYC #35 c, RIC 285 having INP on the reverse; this may be due to a lack of space forcing the engravers to glue the last bar too close to the last leg). This series does not appear to have been executed with the help of engravers of barbaric origin.
Copy n°286, illustrated on plate 11 of RIC X, appears to bear the CONOB mark. This cannot be confirmed from this photo; reference: "Bibliothèque Nationale de France" (awaiting visual confirmation).
Note the only other examples I found: coin sold on 17/11/2009 by Auktionshaus H.D. Rauch, Auction 179, lot 2554, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=337901 (copy classified AYC #36 var dot, RIC 286 with a dot at the bottom in the legend), another coin sold on 02/10/2015 by Fritz Rudolf Künker, Auction 270, lot 9012, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2655615 and yet another coin sold on 03/06/2004 by Heritage Auctions, Auction 351, lot 12081, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=177072. All these coins can be classified under this number, except for the copy sold by Auktionshaus with a variation in the positioning of one dot.
Type II: with the mark CONOB or COMOB (COMOB here) and the reverse legend generally ending at the level of the shield. No legend punctuation on the reverse. A square, upright throne, the right knee is rounded, natural drapery, and a vertical scepter. This corresponds to Type I of RIC X. Variant B is the same as RIC X: a smaller, rounder shield.