Constantine I, 307/310-337. Follis (Bronze, 19 mm, 2.74 g, 12 h), Constantinopolis, 327. CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG Diademed head of Constantine I to right.
Rev. CONSTANTINI-ANA DAFNE / CONS Victory seated left on decorated cippus, head turned right, holding laurel branch in her right hand and palm frond in her left; at her feet, shield; to left, trophy; before, captive kneeling left, head turned right; in field to left, Β. RIC 30. Very rare. Lovely earthen highlights on a dark patina. Very light marks
, otherwise, good very fine.
From the collection of Dr. L. Ramskold, ex Zeus E-Auction 21, 26 December 2021, 869.
Although not included in RIC VII, the anepigraphic 'DAFNE' type has been long known, and it was formally described by Speck & Huston in 1992. Since then, Ramskold, Constantine's SPES PVBLIC coins (2020a, see p. 243, Table 2), revised the Dafne emissions. The first emission of 'CONSTANTINIANA DAFNE' coins was struck in all seven officinae and included three obverse types: 1) anepigraphic with eyes to heaven, 2) diademed head with legend, and 3) eyes to heaven with legend. The two first types are very rare, whereas the third type is fairly common.