File:Roman Coin , Annotated image of CAM-08511D (FindID 647858).jpg

English: A Roman pierced silver siliqua of Constantius II, AD 323-61. AD 353-55 or AD 355-60 (Reece period 18). Reverse reads VOTIS/XXX/MVLTIS/XXXX. Reverse shows inscribed wreath. Mint is Arles. See RIC VIII pp. 218, no.207 or pp. 223, no. 253.

Obverse legend reads DN CONS[TA]N/TIVS P F A[V]G. Obverse shows a pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed, bust right. Reverse fields and exergue read: / //PCON . Die axis is 5 o'clock. Weight is 1.48g, diameter is 17.2mm, thickness is 1.1mm.

This coin has been pierced from the obverse through to the reverse with a circular perforation of 2.5mm. The perforation is located behind the lower back of the head, removing the edge of the profile of this part of the head and most of the two letters 'TA' of the word CONSTAN/TIVS. This places the perforation at the 10 or 11 o'clock position on the obverse and set 1.5mm in from the edge of the flan. The perforation tapers slightly (best viewed from the obverse side) with a diameter of 2.1mm on the reverse surface where the metal can also be seen to have been pushed through and outwards. A thin crack joins this perforation to the edge of the flan where a small v-shaped notch represents an area of damage to the edge of the coin. A second small v-shaped notch can also be seen on the opposite edge of the flan with a short thin crack projecting in towards the centre of the flan from the base of the v-notch. This crack continues to the inner edge of the wreath along this edge of the coin. It is possible that this crack failed to join with the opposite one across the coin due to the thickened area of flan over the bust as this second crack stops at the chin on the obverse side.

An attempt to pierce the coin in three other locations is evidenced by small circular pitted marks all below the completed perforation. One is immediately below the lower edge of the perforation on the obverse. This mark has a diameter of 0.8mm. A second circular pit is located at the centre of the lower loop of the first 'S' in the legend. This has a diameter of 0.7mm and initially when viewed by eye appears to just be a loop of the 'S' that is more clearly defined than the upper loop of the letter. The third attempted piercing is located between and at the base of the letters 'ON' of CONSTAN/TIVS and has a diameter of 0.6mm. While visible by eye the three incompleted attempts to pierce this coin are best viewed by microscope or zooming in to a digital image. None of these attempted piercings are visible on the reverse surface of the flan.