Bronze Follis Emperor Constantine II (337-340 AD - Son of Constantine the Great)

Bronze Follis of Emperor Constantine II – World History That Fits in the Palm of Your Hand

Around 1,700 years old, weighing 2.2 grams, 20 millimeters in diameter. This bronze follis was once an entirely ordinary means of payment in the Roman Empire: it changed hands in marketplaces, was paid out to legionaries, and jingled in the pouches of merchants between Trier and Antioch. Struck under Constantine II, the eldest son of Constantine the Great. Whoever holds it in their hand is holding an original Roman coin – not a restrike, not a modern copy, but genuine testimony from Late Antiquity.

Constantine II: The Son Who Reached for Power Too Quickly

Flavius Claudius Constantinus was born in February 316 in Arelate, present-day Arles. As early as 317 – when he was still a small child – his father elevated him to Caesar, junior emperor. Growing up in the shadow of the most powerful man in the ancient world, he administered Gaul, Britain, and Hispania from Trier. When Constantine the Great died in 337, his three sons assumed the title of Augustus and divided the empire among themselves. Constantine II received the West. But his hunger for power exceeded his patience: in 340 he fell in the fratricidal war against Constans near Aquileia. Three years of sole rule, an entire chapter of world history – and coins like this one that bear witness to it.

What Exactly Is a Follis?

The term derives from the Latin word for "pouch"; the ancient name for the denomination was simply nummus. Originally, a follis weighed about ten grams and carried an extremely thin coating of silver over the bronze. Under Constantine the Great, the denomination was repeatedly reduced in size and revalued – the late folles of the Constantinian dynasty are therefore compact, handy bronze pieces. The specimens offered here date from precisely this period.

The Facts at a Glance

• Face value: Follis

• Country / Origin: Roman Empire

• Issuing ruler: Constantine II (Emperor 337–340 AD)

• Gross weight: 2.2 g

• Diameter: 20 mm

• Material: Bronze, fineness and fine weight vary

• Year of issue, mint, and denomination: various

• Condition: Circulated coin, typical bank-grade condition

• Series: History · Investment purpose: collector's product

Design: GLORIA EXERCITVS – The Glory of the Army

The obverse shows the laureate bust of the ruler in profile facing right, surrounded by the imperial legend. Many specimens from this era bear the inscription GLORIA EXERCITVS on the reverse – two helmeted soldiers with spear and shield, standards positioned between them. One of the most successful pictorial formulas of Late Antiquity, struck throughout the empire because it perfectly captured the alliance between the imperial house and the army. Since this is circulated coinage, mint, legend details, and patina vary from piece to piece. Edge chips, off-center strikes, and a naturally developed green-brown patina are entirely normal for ancient coins – they are not flaws, but evidence of authenticity and use.

Who This Follis Is Suited For

• For beginners seeking an affordable entry into ancient numismatics

• For collectors of Roman coins wishing to complete the Constantinian dynasty

• As a gift with real substance – history lessons you can hold in your hand

• As a historical addition to modern silver coins and bars in your own holdings

Coins are witnesses of their time, not merely objects. This follis has outlasted emperors, wars, and the fall of a world empire.

Ancient Bronze Compared to Modern Bullion Coins

A modern silver or gold bar derives its value from metal content, precisely defined fineness, and current daily valuation. With ancient coins, it's different: here, history, condition, design, and rarity matter most. The bronze follis is therefore explicitly a collector's product, not a classic investment product – but in return it offers something no newly minted year can provide: an unbroken connection to the Romans of the fourth century. Those who combine both gain collector's enjoyment and tangible-asset thinking under one roof.

For coin history shows one thing unmistakably: paper currencies have come and gone, empires have crumbled, yet precious metal has endured. Gold is humanity's oldest currency and has outlived all others – a thought that holds just as true for inflation protection as it does for crisis protection. This small lump of bronze from the era of Constantine II is a quiet reminder of that fact in its own unique way. It is offered as a fixed-price item and is, of course, delivered to you via insured value shipping.