I am wanting to know what each abbreviation on this coin is in Latin and then also the translations of the Latin to English. Who can help with this? Thanks
DN = Dominus Noster = Our Lord
CONSTANS = Constantius
PF = Pius Felix = Dutiful and Fortunate
AVG = AVGVSTVS = Augustus
VOT XV MVLT XX SMAN
Votis Quindecennalibus Multis Vicennalibus - vows (prayers) on the fifteenth anniversary [of the emperors rule], more for his [hoped for] twentieth anniversary.
Then SMAN [Antiochia 294-375] mint mark at end.
I think the Numista entry misses the final letter in the mintmark, though it is barely readable (poor photo), and note how that mintmark would be better centered if the final letter/symbol were recognized as such.
So, I think we have S(acra) M(oneta) AN(tiochiae) __. The final letter was for the workshop (officina) where the coin was struck inside the mint: A = 1st officina, B = 2nd ...
By the way, this is an interesting type since it is an early example of the celebration of Quindecennalia; until about that time, Quinquennalia (= 5th anniversary), Decennalia (10th), Vicennalia (= 20th), and (obviously rarely) Tricennalia (= 30th) were celebrated, but the mid-term celebrations beside the 5th (XV and XXV) became more prominent.
Now, why does the catalogue say "347" as the year? Constans became Caesar on December 25th 333 ─ one would expect 348! The reason is that those anniversaries were celebrated at the beginning of the 5th / 10th / 15th / etc. year. Constans' dies imperii ("day of empire" = day of accession) was Dec. 25th 333; on Dec. 25th 347 it was his 15th time on the throne on that precise date. You see?
Цитата: "Camerinvs"I think the Numista entry misses the final letter in the mintmark, though it is barely readable (poor photo), and note how that mintmark would be better centered if the final letter/symbol were recognized as such.
I own the coin that is pictured. Would you like me to take some better photos of it?
I was fortunate enough to find the Seaby reprint at a good price several years ago. It's very useful though some entries are very outdated (we know a lot more now).
I see that Steve had given (near the top of this thread) a useful list of Roman mints (his second link), which I missed the first time we looked at this coin.
Using it, I'm wondering whether the last letter is a "T" (don't be fooled by the little circle that looks like an "o" ─ probably just the reflection of light). This would give us S(acra) M(oneta) ANT(iochia), but then is it possible that no officina was indicated? I don't know.
What makes this difficult is that much of the surface is damaged in that area, so that, based on the pictures, only the bottom part of the letter survives, but I believe I was right that a letter is there. If we can't be sure which one, the Numista entry should indicate it with either a "__" or "[ ]". Perhaps we could find out if we proceed by elimination, looking in RIC vol. VIII at all the possibilities for this type as struck in Antioch (though RIC may lack a number of variants).
