I am a US collector that happened upon a beautiful Byzantine Follis at a coin show early this year. I posted it here and was offered so much wonderful information about the piece. What I really enjoyed though was a link offered that took me to a website that offered translations for the reverse of my Anonymous Follis. This was the coin I picked up. The reverse translates to Christ King of Kings.... Man talk about setting the hook! So now I have picked up two more from a member here. I was hoping somebody may be able to direct me to that website that provided a translation of the reverse copy.
Warren (@Valentinian) has a page on his site dedicated to these anonymous folles: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ByzAnon/ And we've had some great conversations about these coins here: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/byzantine-anonymous-folles.322682/ (and, yes, they are addicting!!)
Basil II & Constantine VIII, (976-1028 A.D.) Æ “Anonymous” Follis Class A2 O: EMMANOVHΛ, Nimbate bust of Christ facing, wearing pallium and colobium and holding book of Gospels; IC – XC in fields to left and right. R: + IhSЧS / [X]RISTЧ / bASILЄЧ / bASILЄ / ·, legend in four lines. 8.68g 26mm SBCV 1793
I've been dipping my feet in Byzantine coinage this year, here's mine from the Doug Smith collection: Basil II & Constantine VIII, Byzantine Empire, 976 - 1028 AD AE, Anonymous Class B follis; 28x24mm, 9.96g, 6h Obv.: Facing bust of Christ, nimbate with small square, holding gospels Rev.: IS XS above crossbar on either side, bar above letters (denoting an abbreviation) / bAS ILЄ / bAS ILЄ; cross on three steps, three-line legend
Your coin shows the bottoms of the top line +IhSUS = Jesus. Letter forms were always changing but at this time the letter Eta (usually H) was made in what we now call lower case = h.
