Constantine I - MARTI PATRI CONSERVATORI

[Nikko]

Despite Bastien reports 23 ex, i was able to find only another ones sold in recent times.
I have been thinking for a long time If I should buy it (some doubts about rarity and value), but in the end I did.

IMP C CONSTANTINVS PF AVG
MARTI PATRI CONSERVATORI
CI - HS in fields
PLG in exergue
RIC VI LYONS 294

[Victor]

Congrats...Rare and nice condition. I don't guess we will ever know what the field marks stand for; but two theories, the first is that they are a value mark, meaning the coin is worth 100 sestertii. CI = 100:1   HS = Sestertius or (and I think less convincing) CI stands for Constantine Imperator and HS for Herculius Senior.

[Nikko]

Thanks Victor, I really appreciate your expert opinion.

About the meaning of the marks, was the “sestertius” still present in the monetary system?
The presence of value marks on the coin of the era, is well attested in the Rome mint fractional coinage, as espression of a system based on the “denarius” as monetary unit.

[Victor]

Though the sestertius was no longer minted (Postumus was the last to strike them, circa A.D. 268), it was still valued and hoarded. Here is a quote from Harl's "Coinage in the Roman Economy" (pg 135) "Few Romans willingly parted with their bronze coins down to the reform of Diocletian, thereby ensuring that the sestertius survived as a unit of accounting into the fourth century."