New Byzantine Silver and Gold...

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by ancient coin hunter, Mar 1, 2021.

  1. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Leu Auction wins...fortunately I was able to acquire an AR Miliaresion of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Romanus I, and Christopher. My second coin was an AV Histamenon Nomisma of Constantine X Dukas.


    Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, with Romanus I and Christopher, 913-959. Miliaresion. Constantine was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Karbonopsina, and the nephew of his predecessor Emperor Alexander. He was known as a scholar and the epithet "born in the purple" refers to his birthplace in the Imperial chamber adorned with the purple stone porphyry. Much of his reign was covered by regencies, first under his mother and later under Romanus I.


    (AR, 25 mm, 3.15 g, 12 h), Constantinople. IҺSЧS XRISTЧS ҺICA Cross potent set on three steps; below, globe. Rev. +ROmAҺO' / XPISTOFOR' / CЄ COҺSTAҺ' / ЄҺ X'ω ЄVSЄ/b' bASIL' R' in five lines. DOC 18. SB 1754.

    [​IMG]



    Constantine X Ducas, 1059-1067. He was the founder and first ruling member of the short-lived Doukid dynasty. During his reign, the Normans took over much of the remaining Byzantine territories in Italy while in the Balkans the Hungarians occupied Belgrade. He also suffered defeats by the Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan. Somewhat unhealthy throughout his reign, he died in 1067 at the age of 61.


    AV Histamenon Nomisma. (AV, 28 mm, 4.41 g, 5 h), Constantinople. +IhS XIS RЄX RЄςNANTҺIm Christ, nimbate, seated facing on square-backed throne, wearing tunic and pallium, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left. Rev. +KωN RAC Λ O ΔOVKAC Constantine X standing facing, wearing crown and loros, holding labarum in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left. DOC 1a. SB 1847.

    [​IMG]

    Needless to say I am happy with the two coins and one of my focus areas of 2021 is Byzantine gold. Please share any Byzantine gold and silver coins!
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

    2 beautifull coins, I won amongst others this bronze follis of Leo VI:


    Leo VI the wise (2).jpg
     
  4. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Beautifull pickups! Always a nice feeling to win the coin you are after.:D
     
    aleppo and ancient coin hunter like this.
  5. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Very nice follis @Andres2 ! Admittedly I was surprised at the brisk bidding for the folles, but you got a great example with very little wear.
     
    Andres2 and panzerman like this.
  6. Only a Poor Old Man

    Only a Poor Old Man Well-Known Member

    Great wins. You will never get tired of quality Byzantine coins!

    As requested, here is one Byzantine silver and one gold.

    tzimicombo2.jpg

    solid_combo.jpg
     
  7. svessien

    svessien Senior Member

    Congrats @ancient coin hunter ! Great coins indeed!

    The Leu 15 offered a big section of Byzantine gold coins. I had a fragile hope I would get two, but instead I ended up with the coin that I wanted:

    8891207E-0385-4407-B36F-D55BF6FAE368.jpeg


    Anastasius I, 491-518. Solidus (), Constantinopolis, circa 507-518.

    Obverse: D N ANASTASIVS P P AVG Pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Anastasius I facing, his head turned slightly to right, holding spear in his right hand and with a shield, decorated with a horseman, over his left shoulder.

    Reverse: VICTORIA AVGGG A / CONOB Victory standing front, head to left, holding long jeweled staff surmounted by inverted Chi-Rho in her right hand; in field to left, star.

    Reference: DOC 7a. MIB 7. SB 5.
    Gold, 20 mm, 4.47 g, 6 h
    A very attractive example. Good extremely fine.

    It was a stiff price from an emperor known to have left a lot of gold coins behind, but it looks like an unusually well made one. I’m really looking forward to examining it in hand.
     
  8. AussieCollector

    AussieCollector Moderator Moderator

    Lovely pick ups.

    I had an intention to get a Miliaresion at this auction, but spent my budget on another coin last week!
     
  9. Pavlos

    Pavlos You pick out the big men. I'll make them brave!

    Nice pick up, congrats!

    upload_2021-3-1_21-33-27.png
    Andronicus II Palaeologus, 1282-1328. AV Hyperpyron Nomisma. Constantinople mint, 1282-1294.
    Obverse:
    Bust of the Virgin orans within the city walls furnished with six groups of towers; in lower field, CZ-ZC sigla.
    Reverse: ANΔPO/NIKOC E/ XΩ T C/IΛIΠ/TICO IC/XC Andronicus on left, nimbate and kneeling right blessed by Christ standing facing on right, with decorated nimbus, holding Book of Gospels; between them fleur-de-lis; to right, C/N.
    Reference: DOC 225 var (sigla). PCPC 91B Sigla 77 var. SB 2326.
    25mm, 4.28g
     
  10. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    That's a really cool one @Pavlos - lots going on on that coin!
     
    Pavlos and panzerman like this.
  11. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    That's a really cool one @Pavlos - lots going on on that coin!
     
    panzerman likes this.
  12. +VGO.DVCKS

    +VGO.DVCKS Well-Known Member

  13. BenSi

    BenSi Well-Known Member

    I won several coins but this Justinian follis is currently my favorite. I look forward to seeing it in hand.

    Congrats on your beautiful wins @ancient coin hunter
    justinian.jpg
     
  14. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    a.c.h. The gold histamenon nomisma is a beauty :happy:! The Christ image shows some doubling but the rest of the obverse is crystal clear. Great image of the emperor on the reverse.
     
    ancient coin hunter likes this.
  15. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    BenSi, Nice score on the 40 nummi coin :)! Is this an early strike o_O? You usually don't see profile views of Justinian on 40 nummi coins of Antioch.
     
    BenSi likes this.
  16. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Yeah @Al Kowsky I liked the coin as well. It's interesting to me that the weight of the Nomisma in this case was 4.48 grams, pretty close to solidi at around 4.4 grams.
     
  17. The Trachy Enjoyer

    The Trachy Enjoyer Well-Known Member

    Awesome coin!!! This is such an interesting type, unlike any thing else. The emperor in proskynesis before another...such a type could surely only be with Christian coinage. This humble act would have viewed as quite pious by the emperor's subjects and was perhaps a plea of the emperor for God to intercede and save his crumbling empire...if it was as such, it didn't work

    Also, was this the example from Naiville a few months back?
     
    +VGO.DVCKS likes this.
  18. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    a.c.h., I believe the official weight of the solidus as established by Constantine I was 4.54 gm, but you rarely see solidi that heavy.
     
  19. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Ah, thanks for pointing that out...
     
  20. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    The solidus pictured below has the established official weight ;).
    2101304-004, AK Collection.jpg
     
  21. Pavlos

    Pavlos You pick out the big men. I'll make them brave!

    Indeed, the interesting type is what got me to buy this coin. Since then I became more and more hooked with the Komnenoi and Palaiologoi. It is indeed an act of proskynesis to Jesus/god, and he is definitely paying homage to him.
     
  22. The Trachy Enjoyer

    The Trachy Enjoyer Well-Known Member

    Lovely, lustrous surfaces as well!
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page