Oops, dumb, I misunderstood... I thought it was a coin that you personally owned many years ago! But it was only coming home to the same town rather than the same person.
In 1974 (the year my wife stopped working and our daughter was born), I sold ~150 coins to Joel Malter. I have never seen a single one and I have images of most of the better ones so I do think I would recognize them. I really would like to be reunited with a few in particular. Selling those coins was a big mistake.
Wow, that is a sobering reminder of how many coins are out there, biding their time between visits to the market. I'm frankly surprised that you haven't seen any of them. I hope a couple satisfying reunions are in store for you!
I'm gonna get stomped for this.........sorry fellows. I remember, and recall, many things about many things.
Shaggy! Constantine IV, 641-668 24-22 mm. Sear Byzantine 1207, "SCL" for a mint in Sicily (Syracuse).
Would you like me to attribute it for you? I've narrowed it down to two possible candidates by the regnal date. If so, I would like a better photo of the obverse.
Thank you for being willing to help me @Milesofwho. I dont know if The photos I am enclosing now are better, because the reverse is really worn. Especially the face has lost its surface patina. It is 5.68gr and 23mm
I try to get nice coins, but sometimes it is impossible with Byzantines. Here are three of the same coin in my collection that I collected over a period of time. This particular trachy is somewhat scarce and hence difficult to find. The first specimen is the best that is available (at least, what I could find ) and I was lucky to pick it up. The last one is the wildwinds specimen: Byzantine Empire: Andronicus II Palaeologus with Michael IX (1282-1328) Æ Trachy, Thessalonica Mint (Sear 2458; DOC 778-779; LPC 232.6; PCPC 235) Obv: Two concentric circles bisected by vertical band Rev: Three-quarter length figure of Andronicus II and of Michael IX, wearing stemma, divitision, collar piece and loros; between them haloed cross on long shaft. Both emperors hold in right and left hand respectively scepter cruciger
I chose this shaggy bronze Half-Follis of Emperor Phocas, because the denomination is in Latin (XX) for twenty nummi instead of the usual Greek K.
The reverse sort of held the key to it. If the regnal year is 1, there's a K, and it is a facing bust it can only be Justin II or Maurice Tiberius. I'm leaning towards Justin II due to the possibility of a VS around the 2:00 position, and that sear mentions there is a cross in right field sometimes for Justin. So that is my attribution. For other knowledge the mint is Thessalonika, with no oficina.
I just checked sear and Maurice is not recorded to have a regnal year one on the Thessalonika half Follis, while Justin II is. I could use the wildwinds example if you like.