Constantine I   306-337  A.D.

Coin Description Constantine I The Great, AE 18mm, Grade ??, The coin is well centered and doesn't look as mottled as in the scan, there are several red crusty spots covering some of the legend on the obverse as well as the reverse, VM 90, RBC 316, RIC VII Ticinum 85
Obverse The portrait is of Constantine the Great a laureate, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing right The legend reads IMP CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG meaning: IMP (Imperator = the Emperor / supreme military commander) CONSTANTINVS (his name) MAX (Maximvs = The Greatest / Constantine the Great) AVG Augustus which defines him as being the emperor. The legend is broken which is a sign of the highest respect and signifies him as the senior Augustus
Reverse

The reverse shows two Victories facing one another, holding a shield between them inscribed VOT/PR the shield is placed on an altar which is inscribed with an R. The legend reads VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP which translates as "The joyful victories of the eternal prince" VOT PR stands for Vota Populi Romani  "The vows of the people of Rome". Combining the two would give: Vows made by the Roman people for victories of our eternal prince. This coins was struck for the celebration of Constantine's decennalia (tenth anniversary of his official elevation to Augustus). This decennalia was reached thanks to the vows the Roman people had made earlier to the gods for the prosperity and survival of the state and the emperor (this in the eyes of the Romans ofcourse).

Mint The exergue reads PT meaning the first (Prima) officina of Ticinum .
The Entire Story The entire story of this coin would read: Our supreme commander Constantine the Greatest Augustus. And the "Vows made by the Roman people for victories of our eternal prince" in combination with his decennalia shows to the empire that Constantine has the full support of the Roman people.