Ave!

Constantine I, Barbarous Imitation, VLPP type

Æ3; 18mm/2.5gm    Struck ca. early 4th Century

Con/ About Very Fine for the type; Glossy green patina with earthen fill; typically blundered legends and details. Easy to clean, just soft dirt!

Okay, this is what the coin should be:

OBV/ IMP CONSTANT-INVS MAX AVG; laur., helmeted and cuir. bust r.

REV/ VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINCE PERP; twin Victories holding a shield inscribed with VOT PR on an altar.

Close, but no cookie! Ha ha!

Ref/ None

Seller's Note/ The German celator who created this issue had little to no grasp of Latin letters and did a worthy job, all things considered, as he was most likely illiterate. He even added something in the exergue. A truly charming example.

Back in the day, such issues were referred to as 'Barbarous" or simply a "Barb".

The new PC term is now Contemporary Imitation, because somewhere along the line, it was thought that calling the Germanic tribes who struck these issues "barbarians" was disrespectful. Go figure...