Helvetica's Fel Temps

All references refer to RIC VIII.

	Ruler, Obv. legend, Bust type, Break position in Rev. legend, Horseman type, Mintmark & field marks, RIC ID, Rarity, My collection ref. number
A list of my odd Fel Temps
	So what does a celator sitting at his workbench in Arles do when he is suddenly told to stop working on a Fel Temp die and make a "Two Victorias with Wreaths" die instead ? Easy, being a frugal Gaul and not wishing to waste his work, he simply combines the figures, makes the fallen horseman hold a wreath and the soldier into a Victory with a wreath instead of a spear. Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right. FEL TEMP-REPARATIO, horseman holding wreath facing a soldier / Victory holding wreath. D in left field. Mintmark CON. Arles mint. This reverse was used on the "Two Victories holding wreaths" type coins which were also struck in Arles, albeit with the mintmark PARL and SARL. Reverse originally most likely Arles 215. FT1129
	Overstruck on another host coin This is an official coin: Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG NTIA, pearl-diademed, (draped, cuirassed) bust right, though only the head is visible, to the lower right is part of the host coin but is too unclear to identify. FEL TEMP-REPARATIO, horseman wearing Phrygian helmet, reaching backwards, no field marks. Where the mintmark would be, the reverse still has part of a legend (definitely not TANS) as TAN C or TA NC although the T looks more like a G but, together with the NTIA on the obverse, I am at a loss to know what the original legends were or which coin acted as host. FT1053 Many thanks to Kelly Zane's generosity for this one!
	Overstruck on FEL TEMP Hut type coin This coin was overstruck on a FEL TEMP hut type coin of Constans which, thanks to Bill Welch's brilliant analysis of Hut type coins, can be traced back to the Heraclea mint. Obv: The obverse is rather like one of those fancy postcards which show one of two views, depending on the angle at which you hold it. At one angle, you can clearly see the bust of Constantius II, at another angle, the hut reverse of the host coin. Rev:The reverse was well struck by a strong arm, so little remains of the original Constans design. The horseman is wearing a Phrygian helmet, clutching the horse's neck, ·S· in the left field and the mintmark would begin CONS, though it has become garbled by being struck over the original obverse legend. Host coin: RIC VIII Heraclea 74 This coin: RIC VIII Constantinople 116 or 117 FT1054 Many thanks to Kelly Zane's generosity for this one!
	Overstruck on earlier follis The obverse of this coin has the reverse of the host coin at 45° anti-clockwise. This coin: Constantius II DN CONSTAN(-TIVS PF AVG) pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right, host coin's mintmark at the top TEMP-REP... tall, Scythian-like helmet, reaching. Obverse of host coin at 45° anti-clockwise. TRS Trier 358 Host coin: Follis, struck in 332-333 AD. CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS, laureate and helmeted bust of Constantinopolis left wearing imperial mantle, holding reversed spear. Rev: Victory standing on prow, resting hand on shield. Mintmark TRS*. RIC VII Trier 548, rated C3. FT967
	Clashed Dies 1 Constantius II DN CONSTAN(-TIVS PF AVG) pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right TEMP-REP... Phrygian helmet, reaching Clashed dies on the obverse. The soldier's back and leg is (180° rotated) and REPARATIO is where C's face should be. SMKD Cyzikus 104/110 FT919 Many thanks to Kelly Zane (the Phoenix collector) for this unusual coin !
	Double clashed dies Julian II DN IVLIAN-VS NOB CAES bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right (probably) TEMP-REP... Phrygian helmet, reaching Double die clash on the obverse. The horseman's leg, bent at the knee (rotated 180°) is on Julian's forehead and the rear end of the horse (rotated 90° to the right) is on Julian's left shoulder. FEL TEMP-REPARATIO, Phrygian helmet, reaching. TCON Arles 273 (very probably through legend breaks are just off flan) FT926 Many thanks to Jon LaFalce (the Two Vics collector) for this little sweety!
	Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right RE-PARATIO ATIO Phrygian helmet, reaching (AL)EA Alexandria 80 double-struck brockage C2 FT845
	Clashed Dies 2 Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right TEMP-REP... Phrygian helmet, reaching SMTS / D in left field. Clashed dies on both sides. What looks like Constantius's nose is actually the soldier's back. What looks like the horse's legs is Constantius's drapery and cuirasse. One horse's leg (bent, with hoof) is at top left of the reverse, making it look as though the horseman has both hands up with one bent to the left The mintmark is on the obverse, the officina mark D however is in the correct place. Thessalonica 89 FT595
	Silver copy, 2006 Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right, A behind bust RE-PAR... bare-headed, reaching BSIS·S· (?)/ I left Siscia 346 22 mm FT893 This is a silver copy bought on ebay from ebay seller "jamesmbarbera" together with some other silver Fel Temp items such as a ring, a necklace and the "gold" Fel Temp (below). (This seller has really nice, hand made, reproduction coin jewellery, almost all for under 20 dollars, well worth an ebay seller search!)
	Silver copy, 2006 Constantius Gallus DN FL CL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right, D behind bust RE-PAR... bearded, Phrygian helmet, reaching SMND Nicomedia 90 19 mm FT894 This is a silver copy also from ebay seller "jamesmbarbera".....
	24k gilted copy, 2006 Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right TEMP-REP--- bare-headed, reaching SMTS / A in left field Thessalonica 189 FT895 ..and a 24k gilted copy from ebay seller "jamesmbarbera"
	Engravers error or miss-strike Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG TEMP pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right TEMP-REP... DBR "Mintmark": TIVS PF Engraver's error or miss-strike on obverse and reverse a rare little thing, I should think! Could be Aquileia or Sirmium FT573
	Double-struck obverse Constantius Gallus DN CONSTAN-TIVS NOB CS with NSTA repeated below the bust SMKG Obverse is double-struck but the reverse seems ok. Cyzikus 107 FT798
	Very off centre! Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right ALED Three-tassle type diadem. 17mm diameter, so Alexandria 80, 82 or 84 FT606
	Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right TEMP-REPARATIO reaching (off flan but probably ALE_) ( M in centre Probably Alexandria 84 Aaahhh, look at his lickle chubby cheeks :-) The style and lettering is very "Alexandrian" so I reckon this is an Aexandria 84 but with a very young, chubby Constantius II FT761
	Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right RE-PARATIO no beard, Phrygian helmet, clutching CONSIA / 2x ·S· ! / *in centre Constantinople 116 Doublestrike. A grotty, pitted coin but unusual and it shows that the fieldmarks were struck separately, as only that is double struck FT163
(Note: The following 20mm, Constantius II coin is an odd little mule. Firstly, the bust has a ladder-shaped diadem, not the usual pearl diadem. There is also an upside down, larger "IL" at top right. On the reverse, the mintmark is clearly ASIRM and has the FEL TEMP-REPARATIO break. With nothing in the left field it should be Sirmium 48. However, the horseman definitely has a Phrygian helmet. It looks like they used the obverse die from another type before putting the Fel Temp on the reverse.
	Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG draped, cuirassed bust right with ladder-shaped diadem (unlisted bust type) TEMP-REP... PCR (unlisted) ASIRM Sirmium 48 mule R? FT313
	Constantius II DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right TEMP-REPARATIO Phrygian helmet, reaching SMTS / G left Thessalonica 189 die clash C3 FT415
	Constans DN CONSTAN-S PF AVG pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right holding globe rev. legend off flan clutching mintmark off flan Modern Bulgarian Fake, 2003 BF2 This is one of the - fortunately instantly recognisable - modern Bulgarian fakes which flooded the uncleaned coins market and sent several dealers to the verge of financial ruin, back in 2003 or so.
	On my other website I have a page about the modern Bulgarian fakes which turned up in uncleaned lots in the early 2000's. This is one of them. (DN CONSTAN)TIVS IVC NOB C, bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right. FEL TEMP-REPARATIO, horseman hammered flat to fake age and use, but appears to be reaching backwards. Mintmark: probably SMNA - the fakers did not know the significance of mint and officina marks and many of the fakes have the mintmark SMN. There is a trace of MN visible under a lens. no host coin dots in mintmark) BF34 Thanks to Terry King for this one!
	Constantius II DN CONSTA-NS PF AVG rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right holding globe clutching type TEMP-REP.., * in left field mintmark: RS Modern Bulgarian Fake, 2003 BF17 This is another one of the - fortunately instantly recognisable - modern Bulgarian fakes which flooded the uncleaned coins market and sent several dealers to the verge of financial ruin, back in 2003 or so.

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