I dont have many Byzantine coins in my collection , but I like these big JC bronze coins. there are plenty around, the price is imho determined by how well the face is represented on the coin. Please show your favourite Byzantine AE coins, so I can get more idears about these Byzantine bronze coins,thanks.
Those are excellent examples of the type! It's hard to find them without overstriking, worn noses, and off-centering. I have a few anonymous folles or Christ folles. Here's my favorite. Romanus IV Diogenes, 1068-1071 AE Follis 10.57 g Constantinople Obv: IC-XC over NI-KA to left and right of bust of Christ facing, dotted cross behind head, wearing pallium and colobium, holding book of Gospels with both hands Rev: C-R P-Δ in the four angles of a cross with globe and two dots at each extremity, X in the centre. Ref: Sear 1866, DO-8
Your's are very nice! I've been working on collecting all the Classes (types) of Anonymous Byzantine folles with Christ. Here are a few of my favorites... John I, Ruled 969-976 AD AE Class A1 Anonymous Follis Constantinople Mint Obverse: + EMMANOVHL, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, two pellets in each cross limb, pallium and colobium, holding ornamented Gospels with both hands, to left IC, to right XC. Reverse: + IhSuS / XRISTuS / bASILEu / bASILE (Jesus Christ King of Kings) in 4 liines. References: Sear 1793 Size: 25-26mm, 6.02g Notes: Frequently over-struck on folles of Nicephorus II or Constantine VII. Ex: Anthony DiDonato Collection Constantine IX, AE Class D Anonymous Follis, Constantinople Mint, 1042-1055 AD Obverse: Nimbate figure of Christ Pantokrator seated facing on throne, holding Gospels; barred IC-XC across field. Reverse: – + -/IS XS/ЬASIL[Є]/ЬASIL/- (crescent) – in five lines. References: DOC pp. 685-7, Sear 1836 Size: 30mm, 7.4g Notes: Appears to be overstruck or double struck based on arch from 1 to 3 o’clock on reverse and other areas around edges. They are often overstruck on class C folles attributed to the period of Michel IV (1034-1041). Sear expresses the idea that they were struck during a decade between Constantine IX and Constantine X, eventually replaced by the class E folles. Michael IV AE Class C Anonymous Follis, Constantinople Mint, 1034-1041 AD Obverse: +EMMA-NOVH L, Three-quarter length figure of Christ standing, facing, holding up his right hand in benediction. The book of Gospels in his left hand. IC – XC in fields. Reverse: IC – XC / NI – KA, Jeweled cross, with pellet at each extremity. References: Sear 1825 Size: 29.5mm x 24mm, 6.7g
Romanus III or Michael IV A.D. 1028-1041 AE Anonymous Follis, 28mm, 12.7 grams Obverse: EMMANOVHL, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, holding gospels with both hands, to left IC, to right XC Reverse: Cross on three steps with pellet at each extremity, in fields IS-XS/BAS-ILE/ BAS-ILE (Jesus Christ, King of Kings) Reference: SBCV 1823
The differences in style of the portrait are interesting. I look for clarity of the portrait and detail of the nimbus and on the gospels. Anonymous, Time of Basil II and Constantine VIII, AD 976-1020. Æ Follis (29mm, 10.29g, 6h). Constantinople mint, Class A2. Obv: EMMA – NOYHL; Bust of Christ facing with ornate crossed nimbus, raising right hand in blessing and holding Book of Gospels in left; five dots in each limb of the nimbate cross; in field, IC – XC. Rev: +IhSuS/ XRISTuS / bASILεu / bASILε; In four lines across field; arabesques above and below. Ref: SB 1813; DO Anonymous Class A2.40. Good Very Fine with nice dark dusty patina. Ex Savoca. From the Tareq Hani collection.
Those are both lovely examples. Surely the measurement listed for the first one (22mm) isn't right, though? I must be close to 30mm. Both have wonderful expansive flans.
I have seen lots since you last posted it, but yours remain the undisputed champion! Awesome coin, I would say this one is a keeper. I have been trying to get one of those for ages. As mentioned, the quality of Jesus determines the price. Two of those with a decent Jesus came into my radar within the last couple of weeks, but both of them were sold before I could react for around £300! That is a high amount for a Byzantine bronze! I am not sure if I want to give that much, but in the end I might have to...
This is my favorite gold coin with a Christ image, it's about the same age as the anonymous bronze coins . Below it is a fake of the same type I bought when I was young & dumb .
My Newest, won it last week A nice Class B. 30mm 10.4 gm It was struck over an A2 adding some additional features.
Here's a nice Class A2 of mine: Basil II & Constantine VIII AE Follis 1023 - 1028 A.D., Constantinople Mint, null Officina 9.69g, 28.0mm, 6H Obverse: +ЄMMANOVHΛ/IC - XC, Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator Reverse: +IҺSЧS/XRISTЧS/ЬASILЄЧ/ЬASILЄ, Legend in four lines; decoration above and below Class: A3 Type: 41 Ornament: Nimbus: Book: Provenance: Ex. Numismatik-Naumann Auction 64, Lot 830 (part of) Reference: SBCV 1818
BenSi, That's a great addition to your collection . The coin has great detail for an overstrike & how lucky to have visible details of the host coin. What was the reason for so much overstriking on these anonymous bronzes ? Was there a shortage of copper or was this a revaluation program, or maybe just a technique to keep heavily circulated coins in the system ?
The Anonymous follis series gets smaller, much smaller as time goes on. I think the reason for overstrikes was to keep the currency current and official. The overstrikes were created along with the lower weighted newly minted coins to create an acceptance of the coin regardless of weight. ( My opinion.) However, this page alone shows several Class B coins , the heaviest starts at 15gm goin down to 10gm so it wasn't a change in weights that made the change in design, the weight change seemed to have happened gradually as copper did become sparse, the later follis denomination weighed 5gm. By the end of the 11th century copper was in a complete shortage. The problem had become so serious Alexius I Comnenus melted down town statues to make coin, he created the smaller coins, tetarteron to replace the follis but they were not of equal value ( The rarer Constantinople issues contained a small amount of silver they were thought to be equal to the follis from the past see my post above SBCV-1920).
