CONSTANTINE II
AD 337-340
AE4. 1.40g, 16.0mm
MINTED: Rome mint, AD 337-340
REF: RIC VIII Rome 4
OBVERSE: VIC CONSTA-NTINVS AVG, laureate, rosette-diademed, cuirassed bust right.
REVERSE: VIRTVS-AVGVSTI, Constantine II in military dress standing, head right, holding spear and shield; R-palm-P in exergue.

Notes:
Brown patina with sharp, detailed portrait. 
Interesting and scarce issue with VIC obverse legend.
Rome was the only mint that used this obv legend with VIC, and only for Constantine II. This scarce type was part of the first series of coinage struck at Rome after the death of Constantine I.  The VIRTVS AVGVSTI reverse type was used only for his eldest living son, Constantine II. 
 
Historical Notes:
Raised to be a soldier, the Constantine Junior was accompanying his father on military campaigns when he was just seven years old, and by the time he was fifteen, he was named magister militum (commander of the army) on the battle field while Constantine was fighting the Goths.  When Constantine the Great died in AD 337, his three surviving sons divided the empire amongst themselves.  Constantine Junior, the eldest, received the provinces of Spain, Britain, and Gaul.  He was, however, not pleased with his own share of the inheritance and was soon invading the territories of his youngest brother, Constans.  In AD 340, near Aquileia, an advance party of Constan's troops caught Constantine by surprise and he was killed in the fighting.