IMP XXXXII COS XVII P P (type II, B) (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.

Photo of a coin sold on 07 April 2016 by Roma Numismatics Limited, Auction 11, lot 906, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3020696, link to their website: https://www.romanumismatics.com/. 

Variant without dot in the legends and with a officina letter, mark COMOB. Type B shield.

Here are the other existing examples: coin sold on 15 February 2022 by Auktionshaus Christoph Gärtner, Auction 52, lot 1666, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=9098291, another copy sold on 29 September 2017 by Auktionshaus H. D. Rauch, E-Auction 24, lot 502, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4413710. Another sold on 01 November 2017 by Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger, Auction 420, lot 543, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4492305, the penultimate copy has been sold on 16 January 2016 again by Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger, E-Auction 2, lot 94, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2857233. The last copy is preserved at the British Museum, https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_B-11250, Museum number B.11250, orientation: 6h, weight: 4.42 grs. There are therefore three reverse dies and six different obverse dies. Pending the opportunity to view the example cited by RIC X, source: Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

See AYC #35 a imit, RIC 285 which classifies a Germanic imitation and clearly shows the difference between a fraudulent imitation and a poorly executed but official coin.

All Type II coins, with or without obverse dots but with a officina letter, were produced by experienced engravers. However, the coins are of several different styles, and it is likely that they are older dies associated with Type I or II but bearing the mint mark CONOB. Several dies (from all officinas) remind me of coins already classified under the numbers associated with these AYC #35 (a, b, etc.); same dies or same engraver? Were these small productions (fewer than 5 or 10 examples on average per mint) made by groups of experienced engravers from Constantinople or still based in Constantinople? It seems logical to begin by deducing that several series were intentionally produced according to the periods or locations. Since the coins in the series that interests us here bear the COMOB mark, I further deduce that these strikes were produced by an itinerant mint that had fled the Huns. The only difference we note on this series of coins AYC #35 (a, b, etc.) compared to the series classified before it (type I or II without a dot or officina mark) is that no example was made by inexperienced engravers: the legends are perfect (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), the design is fine and very often typical of the Constantinople style. It should also be noted that all coins with a officina mark have a type B shield. The example in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France referenced by RIC X remains to be analyzed. All the other copies I have seen are cited in this number.

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.