Constantine I, 307/310-337. Follis (Bronze, 22 mm, 2.62 g, 6 h), Arelate, 313-315. IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG Laureate bust of Constantine I to left in consular robes, holding eagle-tipped scepter in his right hand. Rev. VTILITA-S P-VBLICA / PARL Soldier, helmeted and in military attire, standing front, head to left, holding Victory on globe in his left hand and extending his right to Moneta, on the left, standing left on the prow of a departing galley, holding scales in her right hand and cornucopiae in her left. Depeyrot, Émissions, 3/7. RIC 51 var. (unlisted officina). Extremely rare and of great historical interest. Somewhat rough and with minor smoothing, otherwise, about very fine.


RIC listed a single example from officina T, which is probably in error since the examples in Bologna, Madrid and Oxford are all from officina P, as are the few examples in private hands, including the present example. The coins commemorating the transfer in 313 of the mint of Ostia to the new mint of Arles are most interesting. We can be certain that to have - or not to have - a mint was extremely important for a city. In the case of Ostia, Constantine closed the mint after he had defeated Maxentius and transferred its staff and resources to the newly opened mint of Arelate. As such, the reverse of this coin shows Moneta on a ship, leaving Ostia for Arelate.