Continuing to focus on emperors I needed, latest is a Zeno/Monnogram I got from a facebook acquaintance. Zeno (476 - 491 A.D.) Æ4 O: Pearl-diademed, draped bust right. R: Monogram Constantinople mint 14mm .89g Cf. RIC X 958
I am not very familiar with these, but these usually don't come in this condition. Very nice. Congrats!
No, they don't usually come even close to this condition. I wonder how many collectors appreciate what a great coin this is, as it comes from a sea of shoddily-made and poorly-preserved issues. I'd go so far as to nominate it for best of type.
Nice coin Mat I'm not certain, but I think I may have this monogram. However, I have it listed as Justinian I . There is no obverse for me to confirm.
With these coins, no matter how good an obverse looks, you don´t get the emperor by just looking at it. Not to mention that good obverses like Mat´s coin are RARE. In these cases, "monogram is all". You have to check (if you don´t read it right away) with the catalogues such as Late Roman Bronze Coins (LRBC). I don´t have it with me, but I´ll check it for you if you want tonight. It certainly reminds me of Justinian I, but this period isn´t my area of expertise.
WOW how did I miss this.... Excellent piece Mat!!! Beautiful condition and patina. An awesome find for sure!!!!
Thanks, Everyone. It's from the same collector/dealer that I got my Leo I from. He had a Marcian but I couldn't do both. Leo I (457 - 474 A.D.) Æ4 O: D N LEOP F AVG (or similar), pearl diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. R. Lion crouching left, head turned back right, CON (Constantinople) in exergue. Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint .84g RIC X 674, LRBC 2260
I have a friend who specializes in fifth century, we always joke about his "haberdashery", because they all look like little buttons to us. He has some rare coins though...
Honestly its the Tetrarchy that bores me the most, followed by most Constantine, but Valentinian and Theo. era coinage I enjoy. I've enjoyed getting these little scraps. Silver/Gold would be nice but not with my budget. Hope the guy offers Marcian again. I asked but it sold.
It's a good thing we all have our collecting emphasis. I do not care much for coins beyond Constantine and even Constantine era coins don't much thrill me either. Greek, Roman Republic and early Empire to include Provincials are the coins I most enjoy.
Considering the number of 5th century coins that are not identifiable unless you are an expert, I have to favor anything with a legend and mintmark. Certainly having a face is nice, too, but we can't have everything. Sometimes we have to compromise. I usually avoid coins without a mintmark but this Marcian has a trace of the CON and the full obverse legend not to mention potrait. Obverse means less when you have a lion to ID Leo. This Leo has no mintmark but is CON and a natural, diagonal, dirt filled hole. I bought it because it clearly has the obverse legend variation using Lambda for the L in Leo. It even has nice casting sprues but nobody buys coins for technical reasons like those...at least no one with any sense.
that's a very nice little zeno monogram mat! here's my not so nice one..it's better in had...but not much. obverse is pretty much blank.
Wow => very cool lil' Zeno you've got there, my coin-friend!! (I'm jealous) ... yah sadly, I don't have a cool Zeno example, yet (*sigh*) congrats
