Obverse: FL DALMATIVS NOB C; Laureate,
Draped, and Cuirassed Bust of Delmatius Facing
Right
Reverse: GLORIA EXERCITVS; Two Soldiers
Standing on Either Side of a Standard
Flavius Julius Delmatius was born in 313 A.D. He
was the grandson of Constantius I. He was
elevated as Caesar in 335 A.D., and given
administrative control of the provinces of Thrace,
Macedonia, and Greece. He was killed in the
general proscription of his family following the
accession of Constantine’s sons.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the
coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who might have touched the coin before us, or
where the coin will venture to after it leaves our
hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of
the state that struck them, of a specific time and
location, whether contemporary currencies or
artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This
stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise
of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail
that is often lacking in contemporary machine-
made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial
to Delmatius passed from the hands of
civilization to civilization, from generation to
generation that still appears as vibrant today as
the day it was struck.
- (C.6020)
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