Byzantine Silver

New coin arrived Today,
A Constans II Hexagram,


Constans II, with Constantine IV, Heraclius, and Tiberius, 641-668. Hexagram (Silver, 23mm, 6.66 g 7h), Constantinople, 659-668. Draped facing busts of Constans II, wearing plumed helmet, and Constantine IV, wearing crown; above, cross Rev. dEЧ [S ADIЧTA ROmANIS] ( May God help the Romans) Cross potent set on globe above three steps; crowned and draped figures of Heraclius and Tiberius standing facing to either side, each holding globus cruciger. DOC 57. MIB 152. SB 998.


The Hexagram got its name from it's weight of Six Gramatta they were supposedly valued at 1/12th a Solidus and were first struck around 615 by Heraclius who...

"Having taken the money of the holy churches in the form of a loan, pressed by difficulties, he [Heraclius] seized the polykandéla of the great church as well as other servicable equipment and coined large numbers of nomismata and miliarisia"

 

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A little past my collecting focus but very nice nonetheless.
Here is my only "Byzantine" silver coin.

Justinian I AR Siliqua
1.23 Grams
Carthage mint

 

Cool coin and denomination!!

I only have a few Byzantine Bronzes and one tremissis....no silver

 

Nice coin. I have no late Roman or Byzantine silver coins. I like the portraits. It looks like they have had a scare or consumed lots of coffee.

 

That portrait is really cool, I've never seen anything like it before - an enviable coin!

 

Wonderful coin that has an amusing portrait.

 

that's a neat coin, i'd love to get a byzantine silver.

that portrait is pretty funny...looks like they just saw a ghost!

what is the symbol on the "headgear"? the thing that looks like a little guy trying to guide a plane onto an aircraft carrier deck.



here's a little AE constans ii i have...

 

Heraclius
Constantinople
615 to 638 AD
AR Hexagram
Obvs: dd N hRACLIчS hЄRA CONSt, Heraclius and Constantine seated on double throne. Cross between them.
Revs: ςЄчS AδIчtA ROmANIS, Cross potent on globe above three steps. K to right.
19x23mm, 6.49g
Ref: DO 64, Sear 798

Unhappy about the scratches, but fits this post.

 

What I find interesting about the Byzantine series is the degradation of the style. The fine style of the Greek and early Roman period has been completely forgotten - and never to return until the European coins of the late middle ages. Much of the Byzantine coinage has this "cartoony" look. Is this an indication that the Byzantine Empire was less advanced during the dark ages than the original Roman Empire? Were they less advanced technologically as well as artistically?

 

Nice coin, you don't see silver Byzantine that often. They're mostly gold and bronze. Maybe I should get a silver one to make a metallic set, don't know if that made any sense.

 

I'm not sure why, there was a greater emphasis on religion though. The coins may have suffered, but they did have good artist.


San Vitale Basilica in Ravenna

 

Not all Byzantine art was created equal. This silver plate from Constantinople showing David and Goliath dates to 629-630, around the same time Heraclius was melting down church silver plates and other silverware to make his 'cartoony' Hexagrams.

 

Lovely example on this one.

I have one!

OP coin is also awesome!!!

 

@Greg Heinrich Art and pretty images take a backseat when you are trying to survive. At the time this coin was struck the Roman army hadn't won a major battle in over twenty years and it wasn't out of the question that the Arabs would take Constantinople. Constans and the emperors that followed were trying to get as much money to the already underpaid troops as possible. I can't fault them for the poor quality in their coins. But you are totally right, some of their coins are just damn ugly!!

 

I have a similar in gold

Constans II and Constantine IV, AV Solidus Constantinople mint. Facing bust of Constans, with long beard on left, wearing plumed helmet. Facing bust Constantine, beardless, on right, crowned; each wearing chlamys; cross between their heads / VICTORIA AVGU and officina letter, cross potent on three steps between facing standing figures of Heraclius on left and Tiberius on right, both beardless, each wearing crown and chlamys and holding cross on globe; mintmark CONOB

 

Gotta love that glorious beard on the coins of Constans II

 

Word! That beard is glorious!

 

That has a nice, full portrait of Constans. Congrats! Those coins are notorious for poor strikes and ragged edges. Here is mine. I wish it had a better obverse strike with the a fuller head. It would have been perfect...:

 

Ancient coins are absolutely full of examples hard to explain by anything beyond they just did not care. Certainly Byzantine went through some ugly phases but explain to me how Syracuse put so much effort into great die work but struck so many coins with much design off flan. Many of you worship Roman Republicans but some of those Roma heads suggest the coin contractor also ran a kindergarten. Some individual issues suggest two employees sitting side by side were vastly different in skills but management accepted both. What percentage of Aegina turtles have the head on flan? All appendages? On the other hand there are some issues hard to find poorly done.

Below are two Roma denarii proving that the goddess had a nose job. Can you provide a coin of the early one with 'style' like the last or visa-versa? I am not asking for coins of better preservation but die work. Do you consider Picasso proof that civilization ended sometime after Rembrandt? How about Jackson Pollack? I try not to force other cultures into my mold but the Byzantines certainly were....Byzantine.

 

I agree with you whole heartedly but we do have evidence of the declining quality and purchasing power of the "Byzantine" follis. Coins (Folles) struck during relative times of peace and prosperity tend to be heavier in weight and better struck as a general rule. Compare this Maurice Tiberius follis to this one of Constantine IV.





The Eastern Roman territories of the former Western Roman Empire were a backwater, especially after the reign of Maurice. Most mints had to rely on their own sources of metal and struck coins in smaller amounts compared to their eastern counterparts. Coupled with the fact that until Constans II there hadn't been a field army in Italy since Tiberius Constantine was Emperor, there wasn't a great demand to churn out as much metal as possible to pay the troops as let's say Constantinople or Cyzicus. So maybe they took some time to make their coins look somewhat decent.