Follis - Constantinus I PROVIDENTIAE AVGG, Rome

By 326 AD, Constantine had just overseen the execution of his eldest son Crispus and, shortly after, the death of his wife Fausta — a dynastic purge whose motives remain debated. The PROVIDENTIAE AVGG type, invoking divine foresight for the emperors plural, was already a well-worn formula, but its continued use in Rome that year carries a particular irony given how violently providence was being applied within the imperial household.

RIC VII 287 is a scarce officina assignment from the Rome mint, which was producing at reduced volume during this period as Constantine increasingly favored his new eastern foundation at Constantinople.