IMP XXXXII COS XVII P P (type III / I, 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.
P 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 29 November 2018 by Roma Numismatics Limited, E-Live Auction 4, lot 1002, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5487233, link to their website: https://www.romanumismatics.com/.
Variant without a dot on the obverse and a dot on the reverse located after the first P of P P. Mark CONOB.
The RIC X does not reference any coin with only one dot. It is possible that coins with only one dot actually have two or more... the same reasoning applies to coins with two or three.. dots, which could have more. These details are too small and shallow, prone to wear or poor minting quality. Coins with almost invisible dots are regularly observed. Coins in excellent condition leave little doubt as to the number of dots inscribed, but we must still remain open to the possibilities I just outlined.
The letter V in THEODOSIVS is blended with the helmet. The last I in XVII on the reverse appears to have an starting of engraving, mistakenly forming the letter P. It is possible that the obverse die is linked to other coins of different types or marks, as is the case for some coins in the dot series on reverse whose obverses are related to other coins. This tends to show that the order I established is the correct one; it would be necessary to find a reverse die without dot on one coin and with dots on another to demonstrate that the dots, numbering 1 to 7, do indeed follow a series of striking.
This series of coins with dots on the reverse also features the CONOB or COMOB mark, with a seemingly wider range of coins using the latter. The possible reuse of older reverse dies with added dots may have created this variation in marks, or it could also represent both reuse and a marking intended to facilitate the circulation of coins in various eastern and western regions.
Type III: with the mark CONOB or COMOB (CONOB here). Legend punctuation on the reverse. This corresponds to type II of RIC X. Variant A and B are the same as RIC X: A = large, B = smaller, rounder shield. This type blends characteristics of types I and II in terms of design and the position of the legend relative to the shield: Constantinople large or small, helmet flat or not, drapery tight or not natural, legend ending before or at the level of the shield. The likely reuse of old reverse dies (there are already links between obverse dies and coins without reverse dots) consequently mixes the first two types. This mixing of the two types may also demonstrate the high probability that this series with dots on reverse is the last. For each Type III coin, I add the reverse design type after ''/'', thus giving either: ''III / I'' or ''III / II'', designating a Type III reverse with a Type I or II design followed by shield type A or B.