Obverse: DN FL CL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES;
Diademed, Draped, and Cuirassed Bust of
Constantius Gallus Facing Right
Reverse: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; A Soldier
Spearing a Fallen Persian Horseman
Constantius Gallus was a cousin of Constantius
II. Constantius made him caesar in A. D. 351.
Gallus was sent to govern the Eastern provinces
but soon gained a reputation as a harsh and
oppressive tyrant. The citizens voiced their
complaints loudly to Constantius II and appeared
to be on the verge of revolt. Constantius Gallus
was recalled to Milan to answer to his cousin the
emperor but was arrested and executed while on
the way to answer the summons.
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 Constantius Gallus 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.4514)
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