Coins of the Roman Emperor Constans
   (Caesar 333-337 and Augustus 337-350)
   All his types of bronze coins.
(Skip down to the images of each type.)

Types of the Roman emperor Constans fall into three broad categories:
1)  Types as Caesar (333-337) Table 1.
2)  Types as Augustus before the coin-reform of 348 (337-348) Table 2.
3)  FEL TEMP REPARATIO types of the reform of 348. Table 3. (Click the image for more about the coin to the right.)
    (There is a similar page for coins of Constantius II.)

What's in the tables? The tables below lists a type set for Constans. It list all 20 of his bronze reverse types, but not all varieties. Images are below. The same basic reverse design and legend from different mints is regarded as one type. My use of the terms type and variety is discussed below. The primary references are RIC VII (for him as Caesar)and RIC VIII (as Augustus), but many types are issued from many mints and with several obverses and would not have a unique RIC ID number, so I have chosen to use Failmezger numbers because his ID numbers are for reverse types. What this page contributes is the extraction of the types of one emperor--Constans. His older brother Constantius II has many more types for three reasons
    1)  He because Caesar in 324 and had types from 324-330 that Constans did not have
    2 ) After Constans died in 350 Constantius II particpated in types struck by Vetranio
    3)  After Constans died in 350, Constantius II lasted until 361 and had post-348-reform types that Constans did not.

Note for collectors: You are welcome to copy these tables to use them as a checklist. 

Images  

Constans, as Caesar, 333-337.  From Table 1.


F365: GLORIA EXERCITVS, two soldiers and two standards

CONSTANS NOB CAES
GLORIA EXERCITVS 
two soldiers and two standards

This example: 18 mm. 2.56 grams. RIC Thessalonica 201. "335-6"

This is a common type from many mints. (But the one-standard type, next, is more common.) It was also commonly imitated in ancient times, especially in Britain. 
  There are many minor varieties, including some where his name is in the genitive--CONSTANTIS-- and some major varieties, which include a chi-rho between the standards (only at Arles = Constantina) and a cross low between the standards (only at Aquileia).
 
This type has an important variety with a chi-rho on the standard which is issued during Constantine's lifetime. We know because Constans is Caesar and not yet Augustus. The variety is only from Arles = Constantina (at the time Arelate was renamed Constantina for Constantine II). The "CONS" in the mintmark can be confused with Constantinople. There are similar coins with a chi-rho on the standard from Sisica (F381, below), but they are with Constans as Augustus and therefore not during the lifetime of Constantine. 

F372: GLORIA EXERCITVS, with one soldier and one standard (as Caesar)

Constans, as Caesar
GLORIA EXERCITVS, two soldiers and one standard.

This example: 18-15 mm. 1.59 grams. FL CONSTANTIS BEA C
which is in the genitive and it has "BEA" for BEATISSIMO, normally seen only on abdication pieces of Diocletian and Maximian.
RIC VII Siscia 255 "r4" page 458. This type is common, but this example is a rare variety with an obverse legend which is from this mint only:

Constans as Augustus, pre-reform, 337-348.  From Table 2. 

F381: GLORIA EXERCITVS, with one soldier and one standard (as Augustus)

Constans II, as Augustus
GLORIA EXERCITVS, two soldiers and one standard

This example: 16 mm. 1.76 grams. CONSTANS PF AVG. RIC VIII Siscia 100.
This variety at Siscia with a chi-rho on the standard was issued 337-340, not during Constantine's lifetime.

This is a very common type from many mints. It was also commonly imitated in ancient times, especially in Britain.  
  (Other examples) 

F386: SECVRITAS REIP


SECVRITAS REIP
Securitas leans on column

This example: 15 mm. 1.41 grams. DN FL CONSTANS AVG. RIC VIII Rome 34.

This type is scarce and usually crowded. There is a similar type as Caesar with the legend two letters longer: SECVRITAS REIPVB (F375, no image).

 

F388: VIRTVS AVGG NN

VIRTVS AVGG NN
emperor with spear and shield.

Only at Trier.
This example: 15 mm. 2.50 grams.  FL IVL CONSTANS AVG
RIC VIII Trier 77, "R" "before April 340"

This type is rare.

F389:   VIRTVS AVGVSTI, emperor with spear and shield. Only Rome.
            [No example here. Usually small and crowded.]



F392:  VICT AVG[G], Victory advancing left with wreath and palm.


VICT AVG
Victory with wreath and palm. 

This example: 15 mm. 1.61 grams. CONSTANS PF AVG
RIC VIII Antioch 66, "scarce"

This type is scarce. There a similar type with "AVGG" (two Gs) only at Alexandria, shared with Constantius II, which is rare.

F394:  VICTORIA AVGG, Victory with wreath and palm, chi-rho in left field.


VICTORIA AVGG
Victory with wreath and palm, chi-rho in left field.
Only Siscia.

This example: 16 mm. 1.59 grams. CONSTANS PF AVG
RIC VIII Siscia 177.

This type has an early Christian symbol in the field. It is scarce.

 

F396:  VICTORIA AVGG, Victory with two wreaths, chi-rho in right field.


VICTORIA AVGG
Victory with two wreaths, chi-rho in right field.
Only Siscia.

This example: 16-15 mm. 1.27 grams. CONSTANS PF AVG
RIC VIII Siscia 181.

This type has an early Christian symbol in the field. It is scarce.

F396B (unlisted in Failmezger) VICTORIA AVGVSTORV

VICTORIA AVGVSTORV
Victory standing left with wreath and palm 
Only at Lugdunum (= Lyons).

This example: 16-15 mm. 1.38 grams. [DN CON]STAN-S PF AVG
RIC VIII Lugdunum 37 "R" 

This type is very rare.

F398: VICTORIAE DD AVGG Q NN


VICTORIAE DD AVGG Q NN
two Victories facing each other

This example: 16 mm.  1.99 grams. CONSTANS PF AVG
RIC VIII Thessalonica 100. "347-8"

Note for collectors: This type is very common. Before the internet it was seldom offered because it was too common and too inexpensive to bother trying to sell it!
 

 

F401: VOT XV MVLT XX in wreath. 

VOT XV MVLT XX in wreath.

Only from Antioch.
This example: 14 mm. 1.66 grams.  
RIC Antioch 116, "C" (but this is the only mint and there is only one other variety, so in total it is scarce or rare). 

Note for collectors: This type is often crowded so the obverse legend is unclear and this type for Constans can be mistakenly attributed to Constantius II. As I write (in 2023), all of the few vcoins examples that are attributed to Constantius II are actually coins of Constans with their obverse legends difficult to read. 

F402:  VOT XX MVLT XXX in wreath, struck 347-348


VOT XX MVLT XXX in wreath

This example. 16-15 mm. 1.95 grams. DN CONSTANS PF AVG
RIC VIII Cyzicus 52 "347-348"

This type is common. 

 

Constans, FEL TEMP REPARATIO types (348-350).  From Table 3.
 

F409:  FEL TEMP REPARATIO, soldier spearing fallen horseman (A type primarily for Constantius II) 

FEL TEMP REPARATIO
soldier spearing fallen horseman
This type comes in various sizes.

This example: 23 mm.
RIC VIII Thessalonica 116.

This type is very common for Constantius II. It is rare for Constans.

 

F408:  FEL TEMP REPARATIO, emperor on galley, AE2 (A type primarily for Constans). 


FEL TEMP REPARATIO,
emperor on galley, holds phoenix or Victory

This example: 23 mm. RIC VIII Trier 219.

This type is very common. This example has the emperor holding Victory crowning him, while some have the emperor holding a phoenix. 

 

F414:  FEL TEMP REPARATIO, emperor on galley, AE3. This smaller version may actually be a different denomination, half the other.


FEL TEMP REPARATIO,
emperor on galley, holds phoenix or Victory

This example: 19 mm. RIC VIII Siscia 244. 
This is the smaller size of the "galley" type.
Possibly a half-denomination. 

The soldier-spearing-fallen-horseman type declined in size over time, with no obvious line of distinction that suggests the smaller ones are a half denomination. However, these galley types come in two distinct sizes, without the intermediate sizes found for the soldier-spearing-fallen-horseman type.

F410:  FEL TEMP REPARATIO,  hut

FEL TEMP REPARATIO,
emperor leads barbarian from hut
underneath a tree
(different varieties of tree for each mint)

This example: 22 mm. RIC VIII Constantinople 86.

This type is very common for Constans. (It is scarce for Constantius II). Each mint has a distinctly different type of tree. 

 

F411: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, emperor with two captives

FEL TEMP REPARATIO
emperor with two captives to left

This example: 22-20 mm. RIC VIII Siscia 226

This type is very common for Constantius II, but much less so for Constans. The two captives can be almost standing, as here, or kneeling. This example has a standard with a chi-rho. Others have a cross or a cross-rho. On some it just looks like an X.
 

F413, 451, FEL TEMP REPARATIO, phoenix on pyre (or, pile of rocks):


FEL TEMP REPARATIO
phoenix on pyre (rocks)
"half-maiorina"

This example: 18-17 mm. RIC VIII Siscia 240.

On this example the phoenix stands on a pyre or pile of rocks. On the next type the phoenix stands on a globe. Should they be different types? I decided they are; Failmezger included both under one ID number. You can make up your own mind. 

 

F413, FEL TEMP REPARATIO, phoenix on globe. Note for collectors: This type is common and sometimes considered to be merely a variety of the previous type.


FEL TEMP REPARATIO
Phoenix on globe. 

This example. 19-18 mm. RIC VIII Cyzicus 90.

This type is common.