Gold multiple of Five-Aurei, 26.15g., Trier, 295-296 A.D., FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOBILISSIMVS C, head of Constantius right, wearing lion-skin headdress tied with paws at his neck, rev. MARTI VICTORI, Mars walking right, carrying transverse spear and trophy, TR in exergue (RIC VI, p.167, 31), surface blemish over lower reverse field, otherwise about extremely fine, unique

Details

Gold multiple of Five-Aurei, 26.15g., Trier, 295-296 A.D., FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOBILISSIMVS C, head of Constantius right, wearing lion-skin headdress tied with paws at his neck, rev. MARTI VICTORI, Mars walking right, carrying transverse spear and trophy, TR in exergue (RIC VI, p.167, 31), surface blemish over lower reverse field, otherwise about extremely fine, unique

Provenance

From the Beaurains (Arras) hoard, P Bastien, 'Tresor de Beaurains', p.96, no.223
J Schulman, October 1923, to J W Garrett
John W Garrett collection, NFA-Leu, 16 May 1984, lot 918

Literature

J Schulman, 'Onbekend Gouden Medaillon van Constantius I Chlorus 292-306 te Trier geslagen' in Jaarboek van het Koninklijk Nederlansch Genootschap van Munten Penningkurde, 1923, pp.80-82
A Baldwin, 'Four Medallions from the Arras Hoard' NNM 28 (New York 1926), pp.20-23, pl.ii
Pink, NZ 1931, p.33
Toynbee pl.ix, 3
P Bastien, 'Multiples d'or inédits du trésor de Beaurains, dit d'Arras', in Bulletin de la Commission Départmentale des Monuments Historiques du Pas de Calais IX (1973), p.241
Evans, NC 1930, p.243

Lot Essay

One of a series of magnificent gold medals struck to commemorate the defeat of the usurper Allectus and the restoration of the province of Britain to the empire. It is presumed that these were presentation pieces for the generals and naval commanders of the successful expedition, the reverse type of this medal, showing Mars Victor, Mars the bringer of victory, being particularly suitable. The portrait of Constantius, clad in the lion skin headdress, is considered the most beautiful of the series.
For the dating of Constantius' expedition to 295 A.D. see A. M. Burnett, Studies in the coinages of Carausius and Allectus, BNS London 1985, pp.21ff.