Actually no. Quite the opposite...more amusement. I felt that if I WERE going to get it, and YOU got it, that our tastes were the same. Honestly, I thought it was a very inexpensive price. And, I have purchased from Gert before. I was actually looking at the ones that were a lot more expensive. However, I thought that I really do not focus here, that I HAVE a Justinian for an historical place-marker, and that I was not as interested in this area of history. However, like the Borg, I am beginning to understand your galaxy... I see that the Siliquae are reasonably inexpensive... I may have to foray into this unknown Quadrant to me...
My other favourite Justinian coin, a Tremisiss struck at Constantinople. JUSTINIAN AV TREMISIS, 527 - 565 C.E. About Extremely Fine, typical flan waviness, few slt. obv scratches, 15.8mm, 1.40 grams, Constantinople mint Obverse: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Justinian to right. Reverse: Victory advancing right, head left, holding wreath in right hand and globus cruciger in left
Hmmm, that 'glorious mess' tremissis of Theodosius I that I was bidding on is now at $205.00 and more than I could reasonably arrange....Jeez, you late Roman dudes are making it hard for me LOL
I like Justinian coins minted at Antioch. There were major earthquakes that changed the region, the coinage, and even the name of the mint! http://esty.ancients.info/interesting/Justinian.html Justinian, 527-565 AD. Struck year 13 at Antioch, renamed Theopolis "City of God" for reasons explained at the website above. Sear 218B. 40-nummia. 39 mm, 20.77 grams. Mintmark: θVΠO Part of the reason the "Twelve Caesars" are popular is that an ancient author wrote a book with lots of gossip about them, so they are individually interesting in a way that many, say, third century emperors are not. Justinian is interesting for the same reason the Twelve Caesars are. An ancient author wrote two books about his reign, one loaded with gossip! Procopius wrote "The Wars of Justinian" which is a typical history. It is his "Secret Lives" which tells stories of the private lives of Justinian and his wife Theodora. If you can pull yourself away from the internet for a few hours, read these two books (free from the library?) and you will want a coin (or many!) of Justinian. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procopius
I got you now!!!! I found another file I had on a Byzantine that I didn't delete----my tremissis of Heraclius:
Very nice MZ! Was this a recent purchase or an older one? When I first started specializing in late Roman coins I had a choice to go up to the "Byzantine" era, or remain in the 4th century. As you know I picked the 4th century! One major reason I decided to focus on 4th century coinage was because until the last decade or so the Empire was actually still extremely powerful and influential. The coins still show an Empire not in its prime yes, but still the top dog on the block. If you had told someone on the streets in 387 that within 25 years Britiannia would be abandoned and Rome sacked, they would have laughed at you and thought you a mad man! Anyway, very nice coin there mi amigo!
That was an older one purchased sometime late last year---and this is the tremissis that I had to let go (Theo I) that sold for $205.00:
Cool! As for the Thoeodosius I Tremisiss, only $205?? Man I've seen these things sell for $500+! I understand not wanting to drop that kind of money on a coin, I've had to let a few Siliquae go for the exact same reason, but $205 would have been a deal!
Yeah, I would've gone up to $300.00 if this wasn't the tail end of my remaining coin budget----the 'slipped double strike' and even the 'repaired' hole appealed to me .......and apparently others as well LOL
There are four Justinian coins from my collection, hope you like! Bigger to smaller: Follis from Constantinople, 3rd off., RY13. Follis from Constantinople, 1st off., RY20. Decanummium from Ravenna, RY33. Nummus from Carthage.
Valentinianus, that is a very nice picture for showing relative sizes. Justinian minted some huge copper coins, and some very small ones.