Follis of Constantius Chlorus

The follis of Constantius Chlorus is a large bronze coin struck for Flavius Valerius Constantius, known as Constantius I or Constantius Chlorus, who served as Caesar in the western half of the empire from 293 AD and as Augustus in 305-306 AD. He is best remembered today as the father of Constantine the Great. The coin shown here presents his portrait facing right on the obverse; the reverse is not visible in this image.

The follis was a new denomination introduced by the coinage reform of the emperor Diocletian around 294 AD. It was struck in bronze and originally coated with a thin silver wash, so most surviving examples now appear brown, gray, or patchily silvered. As the standard circulating coin of the Tetrarchy, the follis was produced in enormous quantities at mints across the Roman world.

Constantius rose to prominence within the Tetrarchy, the system of four co-rulers established by Diocletian to share the government of the empire. In 293 AD he was appointed Caesar under the senior Augustus Maximian and took charge of the western provinces, including Gaul and Britain, where he campaigned to recover the breakaway British realm of Carausius and Allectus. On 1 May 305 AD, when Diocletian and Maximian abdicated, Constantius was elevated to Augustus of the West.

His reign as senior emperor was brief. Constantius died at Eboracum (modern York) in July 306 AD while campaigning in Britain, whereupon his troops proclaimed his son Constantine emperor. The folles struck in his name span both his years as Caesar and his short tenure as Augustus, and they belong to the same reformed bronze coinage issued for all members of the Tetrarchy.

The obverse shows a laureate male bust facing right, typically draped and cuirassed, surrounded by a Latin legend built around the name CONSTANTIVS. As Caesar the legend usually takes a form such as CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES or FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, while as Augustus it reads IMP CONSTANTIVS P F AVG or similar. The name in the legend is the decisive clue for attributing the coin.

The reverse is not visible on this specimen, but folles of Constantius most commonly carry the reverse GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, showing the Genius of the Roman People standing and holding a patera and cornucopia. Full-sized early folles are large coins, often around 26-30 mm in diameter and roughly 8-11 grams, though later reform issues are smaller and lighter. Look in the reverse exergue for mint marks that record the mint and workshop.

Folles of Constantius Chlorus are common and affordable ancient Roman coins. Worn brown examples with a legible portrait trade at modest prices, while large, well-struck pieces that retain much of their original silvering command a clear premium.

Value depends mainly on size, condition, surviving silvering, and eye appeal rather than outright rarity, since these coins were struck in great numbers for the Tetrarchy. Early large-module folles in high grade, or coins with a scarcer mint mark or reverse type, sell above the level of ordinary circulated specimens.