constantine the great medallion

Kinzer coins is very proud to announce the arrival of the Constantine “Eyes to God’ Medallion.

CONSTANTINE'S CHRISTIAN VISION FROM HEAVEN. CONSTANTINE I, THE GREAT, Gold Medallion of 1 1/2 solidi (6.29 g) minted at Siscia, AD 326-327. Anepigraphic diademed bust right of Constantine the Great. Reverse: Emperor advancng right, holding military trophy, with left foot on captive and dragging another captive behind. RIC 206; C. 237. Smoothing in right obverse field. Sharpness of Extremely Fine. Provenance: Ex Gemini VIII 4/14/2011 ($16,675 hammer price); Ex NFA XIV (29 XI 84), lot 555; ex Hess-Leu 41 (24 IV 69), lot 565. A major rarity and one of the most important historical coins ever struck by the Romans.

This medallion in which Constantine looks up to heaven commemorates Constantine's famous vision of a Christian Chi Rho cross symbol in the sky before the battle against his stronger rival Maxentius at the Milvian bridge. Putting the Chi Rho symbol on his banners he was victorious over Maxentius and as a result converted to Christianity and made it the official religion of Rome thus ending centuries of repression of the Christians. This single event in turn resulted in Christianity spreading throughout Europe and becoming one of the major driving forces of European history up till the present.

There have been various explanations of Constantine's vision. One of the most convincing is a sizable meteorite known to have smashed into an Italian valley in the Sirente plain not far away at about the time of the battle. It is speculated that the trail from the meteorite would have been easily visible over the battleground and might have formed contortions resembling a Chi Rho cross as it broke up. Certainly it would have been taken as a miraculous sign from heaven by Constantine and his army.

Note: Though it is well known this coin depicts Constantine looking towards heaven it is invariably pictured oriented with him looking straight ahead