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Camp Gate Reverse of Constantine I

This coin is an excellently preserved early camp gate reverse of Constantine I. The abstract representation of the fortified portcullis and gate of a permanent Roman army fort or garrison town is intended to symbolize the power of the Roman army to protect the empire's subjects from civil war and external invasion. The style as well as the size of these camp gate coins changed over the next hundred and forty years. The device was even used on the silver coinage occasionally as well.

This coin was struck at the huge Alexandria mint. The SMALA mint mark is read as follows:

SM stands for Sacra Moneta
AL is the abbreviation of Alexandria.
the final A is the Greek letter Alpha and is the letter designating the first officina, or workshop.


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