VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM (18 january / 17 november 474)

Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Leo I to the right.

Victoria (Angel) standing facing forward with the head turned to the left. Holding a globe with the left hand and a crown with the right hand. A star to the right under the globe.

Photo of a coin sold the 14/01/2003 by Classical Numismatic Group, Triton VI, lot 1170, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=122114, link to their website: https://www.cngcoins.com/.

This coin has a star under the globe on the reverse. Strangely enough, I note that the copy I classified AYC#10, RIC - shares the same dies but does not display a star. On the example listed here, the ground line has been lengthened on the right, the letter C of CONOB no longer shows a die break and the letter B is only formed by a line. It seems that the die has been retouched to place the star there and to modify a few letters that may have been too damaged. This coin has a pedigree: William H Williams collection.

These coins are attributed to an undetermined western mint. Given the number of errors and corrections (see AYC #10 and 10 var) I imagine that it is a Romanized ''barbarian'' people who copied or were commissioned to copy the official coinage in order to extend circulation in the west.

On the obverse I noted ''Bust of Leo I'' because it is obvious that it is not a portrait of Leo II who is a child.

On the reverse I noted ''Angel'' in the description. We can also say that this is Victoria but the image of the victory at that time had indeed become that of an angel symbolizing the Christian victory.