Identification Assistance Needed

[Del Ihle]

Can anyone help identify the coin in the photos? 3.7 grams and about 18 mm. Thank you for any ideas!

[benjmurts]

Roman??

[JKK]

Interesting the evidence of plating--look at the obverse ding at 10:00, much larger rim damage at the same spot on the reverse, with more at bottom center and right of the device on the reverse. Plus, that is relatively untarnished copper color under there. It makes me begin to ask myself about counterfeits, contemporary or modern, but it's also possible that some debased Roman coinage was silver on top of copper. The Empire went through spasms of that.

 

I think I can read the name of Commodus on the obverse. If so, that'd give you a starting point to dig it up.

[Del Ihle]

It came from a Roman collection. In hand, the coin appears darker by a several shades - near charcoal in color. I appreciate the Commodus lead. I'll look into that.

 

No matter how long I look at the lettering, I can't make any sense of it!

 

Thanks to all!

[JKK]

The lettering typically begins with 8-10 letters of the emperor's name (at times with a praenomen initial first) starting at about 8:00 on obverse. If all else fails, start with a list of emperors and see, one by one, if the lettering looks like that name. After the name part come very abbreviated honorifics: consul 5 times, etc., whatever the guy's I Love Me wall said.

 

Reverse devices aren't a sure tell, since some were used by more than one emperor. The tendency is for them to reflect something the emperor wanted to propagandize. Sometimes it was even a legitimate accomplishment. Reverse inscriptions can have many variants to go with a device, often differing by just a character. So, the first time you see an image and think 'that's gotta be it,' keep looking. At least that's what has worked for me.

[TheWatcher]

Almost positive its Cispus as the "PROVIDENTIAE CAESS" on the reverse matches up. Just can't seem to match the lettering on the obverse

[TheWatcher]

Appears I was mistaken in my identification. It's Constantine II. All the wording matches on both the obv & rev

 

Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C

Rev: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS

[BrokCoinCollector]

I m in no way shape or form a expert on these coins but I have started to get into them. but the rev castle does appear to be off from what my book shows. Maybe someone can chime in if there is some more info on this. To me it appears there is less levels of bricks on your castle then the one in the book.

[TheWatcher]

What reference book is that page from?

[JKK]

What reference book is that page from?

 

Looks very much like David Van Meter's Handbook of Roman Imperial Coins, though a different version than what I have.

[TheWatcher]

Ah, thanks! I have some of the Sear books and Aorta, but not that one.

[BrokCoinCollector]

Yes that is the book the page is from