Constantius Chlorus - Argenteus, very rare (AU2664)

Constantius I, as Caesar, AR Argenteus. Rome, AD 300. CONSTANTIVS CAES, laureate head to right / XC • VI written in two lines within laurel wreath. RIC VI 16a (Carthage); RSC 345. 3.28g, 18 mm

Good very fine,  Rare. JF-collection

The numeral XCVI (96) on the reverse indicates the theoretical weight of the argenteus, 1/96th of a Roman pound. With the Roman pound (or libra, hence the abbreviation "LB" for pound) weighing 329.9 grams, this works out to 3.426 grams of silver, which is pretty close to the average weight for a late Roman argenteus. The argenteus was Diocletian's attempt to reintroduce a circulating currency in good silver after decades of runaway debasement and inflation had reduced Roman coins essentially to base metal tokens.