JLR: Among all barbarous imitations, those of the Constantinian VLPP type are relatively common. Co 663 counts as a “good“ imitation, or high standard of replication of details from the model, including the dimensions and design, despite the blundered inscription. One plausible interpretation of this coin is that it was produced in the Danubian provinces in the wake of the currency reforms of 318, when the wide region faced a shortage of official coinage following the withdrawal of earlier issues due to demonetization; see in general Bastien1985. It remains an open question if such close imitations were produced systematically as counterfeits, whether in the zone of Imperial production or among the Germanic tribes.
