IMP XXXXII COS XVII P P (type III / II, B, 3 dots on reverse) (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.

IMPXXXXII COS – XVIIPP

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.

One coin sold on 14 November 2016 by Macho & Chlapovic, Auction 11, lot 30, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3459504. Lets note that Macho & Chlapovic record the same precise diameter for lot 30 of the same sale (similar solidus of same type and classifiable here). The diameter is therefore likely measured at the widest point.

Variant without a dot on the obverse and three dots on the reverse located after IMP, XVII and after the first P of P P. COMOB mark. Reverse of type III (legend with dots) and design of type II, shield of type B. 

The reference "obv link" indicates an obverse die link.

This coin is already listed in the commentary for AYC #41 b (RIC 319), but it bears a unique number here because this obverse die is also found on the "no-dot" Type II series. This obverse die is therefore listed in the commentary here: AYC #30 var 2, RIC - : https://www.all-your-coins.com/en/archives-anciennes/romaines-imperiales/imp-xxxxii-cos-xvii-p-p-type-ii-b-441450-1169. See also this same obverse die present on several listed examples in AYC #39 var, a, RIC -, see here: https://www.all-your-coins.com/en/archives-anciennes/romaines-imperiales/imp-xxxxii-cos-xvii-p-p-type-iii-ii-b-2-points-au-revers-441450-1230. There was a modern recutting on some specimens sharing this die (tooled). (see comments here AYC #30 var 2, RIC - ). It is particularly interesting here to note the reuse of the die, this time with a reverse featuring dots. The series with 1 to 5 dots appear to have been struck over a short period, as few distinct dies or specimens are found. It can therefore reasonably be inferred that this is indeed a case of die reuse, rather than series struck simultaneously. To understand this, one would need to examine a great many different coins, something we will not do here but let us note that there is considerable evidence pointing to a "no-dot" series followed by series with dots. Here we have a coin bearing the mark COMOB and three dots on the reverse, the obverse of which is linked to a coin bearing the mark CONOB with a reversed N and no dots.

The ranking follows the positional order of the dots on the reverse (before the first or second... abbreviation or date). Each difference in the position of the dots is classified as "var" if the same "var" exists with two different officina letters, So the first one will be classified as "var" and the second coin as "var, a" with the small "a" indicating the next officina letter. Thus we have, for example, the AYC #39 var with the officina  and the AYC #39 var, a with the officina S, the two numbers having exactly the same dots positions in the legend.

It is noticeable that the number of coins with three dots on the reverse (regardless of position or association with dots on the obverse) is much higher than that of coins with one or two dots. The number of specimens increases with each new dot added, when reaching the 6 dots these coins outnumber the combined total of all other coins ranging from 1 to 5 dots.

On many coins (regardless of the number of dots), there is a sort of dark dot located between the two Ps or after the last one (like on this coin referenced here). If one of the dots is unmistakably present after one of the Ps, the other letter often shows another dark dot. Is it a case of a clogged die revealing a tiny remnant that looks like a sort of smudge due to the lighting in the photo? This also applies to other spots in front of other letters (though this is less common). It could just as well be a matter of micro-cracks in the die like those seen on the obverse but the location of these small details on the reverse is peculiar, as they are situated between the letters.

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.