Arcadius, 383-408. Solidus (Gold, 20 mm, 4.42 g, 7 h), Sirmium, Constantinopolis or uncertain eastern mint, 402-408. D N ARCADI-VS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Arcadius to right. Rev. VICTORI-A AVGGA / S - M / COMOB Arcadius standing front, head to right, holding labarum in his right hand and Victory on globe in his left and placing his left foot on captive lying to left. Depeyrot 32/1 (Sirmium). RIC X 1. Extremely rare and of great interest. A few light marks, otherwise, very fine.



The attribution of the extremely rare S M / COMOB solidi of Theodosius I, Arcadius, and Honorius is one of the great puzzles of late Roman numismatics. In the literature, they are often assigned to Sirmium - with S M interpreted as an abbreviation for Sirmium - but much speaks against this attribution (cf. RIC X, p. 36). The coins were probably struck instead at Constantinople or at an otherwise unknown military mint.