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 23 May 2016 by Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 92, lot 2530, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3109677, link to their website: https://www.arsclassicacoins.com/. This is very likely the copy cited by the RIC X n°285, source: Ars Classica Kundig Naville, Catalogue 3, 16 June 1922, lot 272. 

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

The two other copies seen with this officina letter have the same dies as the copy illustrating this AYC #34 c, RIC 285. The first coin has been sold on 14 March 2011 by Fritz Rudolf Künker, Auction 182, lot 966, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=959184. The second coin has been sold on 13 October 2004 by Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 99, lot 181, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=194152. 

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 #34 (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 #34 (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 legend for copies under this number includes INP, the only exceptio it 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.

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.