VICTORIA AVGGG (2nd reign, 476 / 491, 5th issue)


Reference : AYC #10 a var, RIC 930
Weight: 4.41 grs
Metal: Gold
Diameter: ?
Scarcity: Scarce
Type:

Obverse

Reverse

D N ZENO – PERP AVG

Bust of Zeno facing, cuirassed, wearing 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.

VICTORI - A AVGGG

An angel standing left, holding a long latin cross decorated with jewels. Behind her on the right, a star.

Marks

B
CONOR
Numéro :

One coin sold the 19/04/2016 by St James Auctions Limited, Auction 36, lot 39, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3032949.

Variant without jewels on the diadem and the mark CONOR. One similar coin is preserved at the British Museum, Museum number 1860,0329.244, ex: Count John Francis William de Salis, link to the coin: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1860-0329-244. Coin sharing the same obverse die as the AYC #10 a var mark corr, RIC 930 (variant CONOB / R). 

The marks CONOR are classified as AYC #10. Here are the different variants:

- #10: CONOR mark not corrected. Examples: AYC #10 f, indicating that it is the CONOR mark associated with the seventh known officina: Z (without officina or first officina: no letter, second officina: a .. etc.). #10 (1) with legend break on the reverse.

- ''mark corr'' in the reference indicates that the mark has been corrected. When the letter R of CONOR has a thin line which has been added to form a letter B. 

Read this article about CONOR marks: https://www.all-your-coins.com/en/blog/antique/romaines/analyse-de-la-marque-conor. I also assigned the same RIC numbers as for AYC #9, the RIC not having noted these marks CONOR.

The coins of the fifth issue are recognizable by style. The face is wider with a long and wide nose. Zeno looking more slightly to the right.

On the reverse, I noted ''Angel'' in the description, we can also say that it is about the Victory, but the image of the victory at that time had indeed become that of an angel symbolizing the Christian victory.