Post your Byzantine Coinage!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by CoinBlazer, May 13, 2019.

  1. CoinBlazer

    CoinBlazer Numismatic Enthusiast

    Post your ancient byzantine coins!
     
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  3. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    Byzantine are my only ancients I have attributed and actively collect. Specifically because they have Jesus Christ on them.
    E056DA50-7D32-4696-B88E-270DA922D6BA.jpeg
    Byzantine Empire
    Anonymous Ӕ Follis Class B
    Attributed to Romanus III A.D. 1028-1034
    30x31mm 9.1gm
    OBV: facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, holding gospels with both hands, IC - XC (Jesus Christ) flanking across field.
    REV: Cross on three steps with pellet at each extremity, in fields IS - XS (Jesus Christ) / bAS-ILE / bAS-ILE (King of Kings)
    Constantinople mint SB 1823
    D5DA5B80-E55B-4FEF-B0AB-BE972FBEA771.jpeg

    Byzantine Empire
    Anonymous Ӕ Follis Class I
    Time of Nicephorus III A.D. 1078-1081
    23mm 2.6gm
    OBV: Nimbate bust of Christ facing, holding Gospels; IC-XC across field.
    REV: Latin cross with x at center and globule and two pellets in each extremity, in lower field either side, floral ornament; in upper field either side, crescent.
    Constantinople mint SB 1889

    Also: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/post-your-jesus-coins.286132/
     
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  4. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Justinian I (527-565 A.D.)

    AE Follis, Constantinople Mint, 10 grams, 28mm

    Obverse: Diademed, Draped and Cuirassed Bust Right, DN IVSTINIANVS PP AVG

    Reverse: Large M, cross above, star to left and right, officina letter below

    Reference: SB 160, Dumbarton Oaks Collection 30.

    justinian1.jpg

    justinian2.jpg
     
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  5. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

  6. Ken Dorney

    Ken Dorney Yea, I'm Cool That Way...

    I dont collect Byzantine, but I do appreciate oddities and modifications, errors, etc. As such this one falls into that category (my attribution may be incorrect, I dont remember spending much time on it):

    Justinian Follis.jpg
    Justinian I, 527 – 565 AD
    Æ Follis, 31mm Constantinople Mint, 13.67 grams

    Obverse: D N IVSTINIANVS PP AVC, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Justinian right.

    Reverse: Large M, star on left, cross above, crescent to right, E below, CON in exergue.

    References:
    Unpublished? DOC 32 var // MIBE 88 var

    Rare, no other examples in sales record, three similar examples sold (two with cross in obverse field, one with obverse legend variant).
     
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  7. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    This is a new pic of one of my first Byzantine coins I recently took. I got this coin out and found that it had BRONZE DISEASE!

    100_0375.JPG

    Justin II and Sophia, 565-578 AD, AE Half Follis
    O: Justin and Sophia, R: K (20 nummi) with regnal year (year 5) flanking and cross above. 5.9 g, 22 X 17 mm.

    This pic was taken post-treatment with distilled water, scrubbing, and an application f verid-care. If I hadn't taken the coin of of the flip I had it in, I probably wouldn't have noticed.
     
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  8. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Only a countermark fanatic could love something this ugly. One of my favorites of the year so far - Heraclius countermark for Sicily. One of my best buys for the year so far - $1.25 (some might dispute it is even worth that!)

    My attribution is iffy - it is hard to see the second bust (of Heraclius Constantine) for my SB 883 claim. It could be the monogram version SB 882. I tried to show my attribution rationale with pitiful graphics :artist: The host coin has a Chi-Rho above the reverse M, and after poking around I thought it was probably Maurice Tiberius. Just a guess.

    Byz Heraclius cm Sicily Apr 2019 (0a).jpg

    Byz Heraclius cm Sicily Apr 2019 (0b).jpg

    Byz Heraclius cm Sicily Apr 2019 (0c).jpg
    Byzantine Empire Æ Follis
    Heraclius & Her. Constantine
    (c. 616-622 A.D.)
    Sicilian Mint
    Host coin:
    Nikomedia follis of Maurice Tiberius (?) SB 512.
    Counterstamp: Two busts, Heraclius & Her. Constantine facing in circle / SCLs in oval.
    SB 883; DOC 242.
    (10.27 grams / 30 mm)
     
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  9. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I'll never have a Constantine XI but my John VIII (next to last Byzantine Emperor) is similar in type but not nearly as crude, rare or expensive.
    rz0660bb1974.jpg
     
  10. AussieCollector

    AussieCollector Moderator Moderator

    This is my aim as well, to obtain a coin from the penultimate Emperor.
     
  11. Iosephus

    Iosephus Well-Known Member

    How about a medal of the penultimate emperor:
    [​IMG]
     
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  12. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    This is a cool modification indeed. Any idea what it was used for? (BTW, I think it's Sear 162, which is indeed pretty rare.)

    Here's one that straddles the Roman/Byzantine border, an Anastasius nummus:
    Screen Shot 2019-05-15 at 7.52.18 PM.jpg
     
  13. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Heraclius, Byzantine emperor 610-641, had wars with the Sasanians and then the Arabs, while having trouble holding Italy and Sicily. His financial troubles are evident in his coinage.

    This coin is from Syracuse, Sicily, struck 632-641 according to Dumbarton Oaks.

    SB884Heraclius1940.jpg
    26-20 mm. 5.77 grams.
    Large countermark of facing busts of Heraclius and his son Heraclius Constantine (obscure)/monogram of Heraclius and SC (bar above the S), overstruck on the cut down flan of a coin from Constantinople (see CON 5:30 to 3:00 on the obverse) and X/X/I down from 12:00 to 2:00, as Sear 810.
    Sear 884 (Sear mentions overstrikes on Sear 809, but that is a typo for 810).

    SB810Heraclius8489.jpg
    Sear 810 (the undertype of the previous coin). See the CON and X/X/I.
    30-26 mm. 8.37 grams.
    Heraclius and son, from Constantinople, year 21.

    Many coins with related countermarks are much larger because the undertype was larger and not cut down to a smaller size (e.g. Sear 833, which is almost the same, but the strike covers a smaller fraction of the flan) . I think the undertype here was cut down to save metal and still serve as the flan for this type.

    Yes, I agree that many Byzantine coins are lousy, but they are interesting and related to history.
     
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  14. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    I don't actively collect Byzantines; just a few stray folles I picked up from lots and didn't feel like parting with.

    I do have these three as an appendix to my Roman set:

    Anastasius
    Anastasius tremissis victoria avgvstorvm.jpg

    Justin
    Justin follis thessalonica.jpg

    Justinian
    imgonline-com-ua-twotoone-7uQHBzCKQzVk6Sk.jpg

    My mind was blown sky high when I learned that especially this early Byzantine gold is so darn common that doesn't go for much more than melt! I eventually hope to collect all Byzantine emperors in solidii at least through Heraclius, but that is a long ways off.
     
  15. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    This Justin is in extraordinarily nice style! I hope I manage to get one of these Thessalonica issues someday.

    My Constantinople (which at least has a cool shoulder star):

    Screen Shot 2019-05-15 at 11.47.25 PM.jpg
     
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  16. BenSi

    BenSi Well-Known Member

    o3.jpg
    Nice example of a common coin. Like most Byzantine collectors I started with Roman Imperial. I then got hooked on Byzantine coinage after reading more history and seeing how affordable the coins were. They are basically the same as Roman coinage in design, except deities are replaced with Saints and other Symbols.

    MANUEL AE TETARTERON S-1976 DOC 19 CLBC 4.4.6

    OBV Radiate cross on three steps.

    REV. Half-length figure of emperor, bearded, wearing stemma, divitision, collar piece, and jeweled loros of a simplified type; holds in r. hand labarum on laft shaft and in l. Globus cruciger.

    Size 24mm

    Weight 5.78gm
     
  17. AussieCollector

    AussieCollector Moderator Moderator

    Here are my Byzantines (sorry, some of the photos are slightly out of Phocas, sorry, I mean focus...):

    [​IMG]
    582-602 AD. Maurice Tiberius
    1/2 Follis 582-602, 23 mm, 6,21 g

    [​IMG]
    602-610 AD. Emperor Phocas
    Solidus, 22mm, 4.8g
    (coup against the above, took the throne)

    upload_2019-5-17_17-17-49.png
    610-641 AD. Heraclius & Heraclius
    Follis, 11.5g
    (coup against the above, took the throne... what goes around comes around...)

    upload_2019-5-17_17-5-42.png
    741-775 AD. Constantine V & Leo IV
    Follis/40 Nummi, 2.4g
    (sorry, obv turned out blurry and short on time to fix)

    [​IMG]
    976-1025 AD. (Basil II)
    Follis, 10.0g

    upload_2019-5-17_17-28-37.png
    1137-1143 AD, John II Komnenos
    Silvered Aspron Trachy, 2.4g


    [​IMG]

    1143-1180 AD, Manuel I. Komnenos
    Billon Aspron Trachy 3.4g
    Constantinople Mint

    [​IMG]

    1222-1254 AD, John III Ducas
    Hyperpyron, 3.5g
    Magnesia Mint

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    1325-1328 AD, Andronicus II & Andronicus III
    Hyperpyron, 3.9g
    Constantinople Mint

    To complete my current goal, I still need a coin between 395 and 399 AD, a coin from the 400s, a coin from the 800s, and a coin from the 1400s.

    Upon review, I also need to find out more about some of these coins. I collected many of these early in my journey and didn't pay much attention to mints and types. I have posted minimal info for each coin, but for some it's almost I have! Some research will be required.
     
  18. Milesofwho

    Milesofwho Omnivorous collector

    Here’s a group photo of mine. I wanted to get a representative emperor for each dynasty (preferably the best one, by my criteria). I am missing three from that original list. There is an Anastasius, three Justinians, one silver hexagram of Heraclius, a Follis of Maurice Tiberius, Theofilos, Leo VI, and an 9 gram A2 anonymous one. In addition, there are two aspron trachies of Alexios I and his grandson, Manuel I. There is one of the Latin rulers, and finally a stavraton of John VIII. B25C69AE-14CF-4170-99B9-3327865B6E51.jpeg 51A4FB87-23E5-4ED2-B0A3-99FD60C0C5D7.jpeg 1AA1BDE3-0F08-41E3-96A4-87E678C7EFBF.jpeg CD5F85BA-AD9C-42DC-BB65-6A91D65C729B.jpeg 28D9D7ED-CCDE-4138-B1B8-3417DCD2B015.jpeg CA3B2787-4B24-4C09-B7A2-4F082560EAAF.jpeg
    I guess you can tell what my ancient focus is...
     
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  19. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    @Milesofwho , that is a very attractive representative group. I like your coins!
     
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  20. BenSi

    BenSi Well-Known Member

    @Milesofwho i must agree. I really like that beautiful Alexius at the end. Beautifully silvered on the reverse. It is difficult to find well struck Alexius trachea.
     
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  21. Milesofwho

    Milesofwho Omnivorous collector

    Thank you very much!
    Thank you for your compliment! You are absolutely right. Also, thanks to seeing your wonderful specimens, I may have to buy a tetarteron to represent Isaac II.
     
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