Object Description
A finely minted Roman bronze follis coin from the reign of Constantine II, mounted in a beaded silver frame. The Emperor’s bust is depicted on one side, the obverse, wearing a laurel wreath around his head. He faces to the right and surrounding his head is the legend CONSTANTINVS IVN [N]OB C. This refers to the Emperor, in this case Constantine. The inscription IVN stands for Ivveni or Ivventis, meaning younger or junior; letting us ascertain that this coin was minted for Constantine II. Nob C refers to the title ‘Nobilissimus Caesar’, ‘noble Caesar’. To the reverse is another legend surrounding a laurel garland, with a further inscription to the centre. The outer inscription reads as CA[ESARVM] NOSTRORVM, which translates as ‘the heir apparent, of our people’ and the letters within the garland are VOT V. This stands for ‘votis’ v, referring to vows undertaken in the fifth year of the Emperor’s reign and is a commemoration of their accession, the quinquennalia.
The coin is surrounded by a silver frame which leads up to a two-beaded suspension loop. The suspension chain is comprised of two beads; a small blue one made of glass and an oval garnet, of a deep burgundy hue. The pendant is framed so that both sides of the coin can be displayed.
Date: Circa AD 316-337