Recently acquired my first little Vandal. Dont know much about it. Tough to get a pic of. Obverse is rough but the reverse is clearly a cross/wreath. Is it from Hilderic? Any info would be great. For now, will just assume its anonymous. EARLY MEDIEVAL, Migration Period Æ10 O: Bust right. R: Cross within wreath. 10mm .8g BMC Vandals 197-200.
Good for your collection. However, I just can't get into collecting these. But congratulations anyway.
I cant blame you. I just wanted a example of one. I tend to do that. If a nicer one appears cheap, i'd probably grab it, but I wont hunt for one.
I know people like VK collect these, but I just can't get past the condition of most if not all that I've seen. My not wanting these is akin to my not wanting Byzantine coins. But we all have our collection strategies (even if we don't know what that strategy might be).
Could be, also looks more like Hilderic in hand. My iphone has trouble taking a good pic of it, even with a loupe.
There's really no consensus on these seemingly un-official looking types. I've seen these being described as Vandal, Vandalic, Vandal-like, barbarous, or similar. I think a couple of distinct ones can be safely attributed to the Vandals based on style but for the most part in my view, these barbarous-looking cross types can't really be 100% attributed with certainty. You may have a Vandal cross, a normal imitative, or simply a degraded official issue as Doug mentioned. Doesn't change the fact though that its a pretty decent-looking coin for the period, better than some I've seen.
I know, but its the general condition of these coins and the lack of artistic detail that turns me off. I even have a hard time liking LRBs for the same reasons. Once in a while one comes along that surprises me, but not that often.
The pump don't work 'cause the Vandals took the handle. But seriously, this is either a beat up Theodosius II or a beat up Vandalic imitation.
if VK, Ard, an DS don't know what it is....then know one will. I do know it's an interesting coin mat. when I saw that cross I thought Theodosius style coin as well.
