{"product_id":"constantine-i-ad-313-317","title":"Constantine I AD 313–317","description":"\u003cp\u003eRoman Bronze Follis of Constantine I – Sol Invictus Reverse\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAD 313–317 | XRF Tested | 1,700 Years Old\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomewhere around 1,700 years ago, this small bronze coin was struck during the reign of Constantine I, the emperor who completely reshaped the Roman world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou know… casual accomplishments like:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLegalizing Christianity\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWinning multiple civil wars\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReorganizing the Roman Empire\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFounding a little city called Constantinople\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNot bad for a guy whose portrait on this coin looks like he could sniff out a gold hoard from three provinces away.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeriously… that nose deserves its own province.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObverse:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLegend: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTranslation: Constantine, Dutiful and Fortunate Emperor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe obverse shows Constantine wearing the traditional laurel wreath of victory.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe portrait is classic Roman imperial propaganda: strong jawline, confident stare, and a nose so prominent it probably needed its own mint mark.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRoman engravers loved exaggerating imperial features, but here they may have gotten a little carried away.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEither that… or Constantine could smell barbarian invasions coming before the scouts did.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReverse:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLegend: SOLI INVICTO COMITI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTranslation: To the Unconquered Sun, companion of the emperor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse features Sol Invictus, the Roman Sun God:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003estanding confidently\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eraising his hand in blessing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eholding a globe representing dominion over the world\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis imagery reflects a fascinating moment in Roman history. Constantine would eventually favor Christianity, but at this stage he was still hedging his bets with the Sun God.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBecause when you run the Roman Empire, angering the wrong god is generally considered bad for job security.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAttribute\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDetails\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEmperor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConstantine I\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAD 313–317\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDenomination\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBronze Follis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDiameter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e19.1 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3.22 g\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eXRF Metal Analysis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis coin was analyzed using XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) to determine its alloy composition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eElement\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePercentage\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCopper (Cu)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e92.50%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTin (Sn)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2.76%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLead (Pb)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3.11%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSilver (Ag)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"middle\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1.64%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginally these coins had a thin silver wash, so when freshly struck they would have looked bright and shiny instead of the dark patina seen today.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn other words:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Roman mint took a mostly copper coin…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAdded a thin silver coating…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd hoped nobody noticed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAncient monetary policy at its finest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Coin from a Turning Point in History \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis coin circulated during one of the most important turning points in Roman history. Within a few years, Constantine would become the sole ruler of the empire and Christianity would begin its rise to dominance across the Roman world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut here we still see the Sun God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd Constantine’s impressive nose.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth apparently unconquered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Redmond Rare Coins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52796846899497,"sku":null,"price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0716\/5398\/2505\/files\/65314800-B777-4514-8488-3ED2F0F74B4F.png?v=1772742423","url":"https:\/\/redmondrarecoins.com\/products\/constantine-i-ad-313-317","provider":"Redmond Rare Coins","version":"1.0","type":"link"}