Not my main area of interest but I do like to add Byzantine coinage when I can. Top one is JA grab, bottom is the bay. Manuel I, (1143-1180 A.D.) Billon Trachy O.: Christ, bearded, seated facing on throne without back, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium, colobium, Gospels in left; no stars; in field / IC – XC R.: MANYHΛ ∆ECΠ; the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) standing facing at right, crowning the emperor standing at left, holding labarum and globus cruciger; M above Mary's outstretched hand. Constantinople mint, 1167 - 1183 A.D. 28mm 4.1g SB 1966 Alexius III (1195 - 1203 A.D.) Billon Trachy O: IC-XC, + KE HQEI Bust of Christ facing, beardless, wearing nimbus cross, holding scroll & raising hand in benediction. R: [ALEZIW ECP TW KWCTANTI] Alexius & St. Constantine standing facing, holding labara, globe cross between. Constantinople mint 2.62g 30mm Sear 2013
Yours are quite nice Mat, I have 20 or so at the moment including some EL and AR. Michael VIII Constantinople 1261 to 1282 BC AE trachy Obvs: Patriarchal cross on floriate base Revs: Half-length Michael holding globus within labarum 21x25mm, 2.61g
How do you store them? They don't fit well in flips or albums? I like them because they are so different but I don't know what to do with the ones I have. John
Nice coin, David. Actually I just put them in 2x2 paper envelopes. They are separate from my other ancients. Same goes for my Cartwheel Pennies and some larger modern bronzes.
I suggest small cardboard jewelry boxes - you can get them at most dollar stores or craft stores. They provide the necessary protection. Don't put them in flips and then in albums, especially if other coins rest on them when you close the album. I had one crack on me that way. They may have been tougher when they were struck, but centuries can make the metal brittle. Whatever you do, minimize the chance of putting any pressure on them.
@Mat I like both your coins and I feel every ancient collector should have at least one. I got a few coins delivered yesterday and showed them off to a couple non-collector co-workers. Guess which they immediately gravitated to: Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus, AD 1195-1203 Billon Aspron Trachy, 30mm, 3.3g, 6h; Constantinople mint. Obv: IC - XC; Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator. Rev: Alexius and St. Constantine standing facing, holding labara and a globus cruciger between them. Reference: Sear 2011-2013. From the YOC Collection via JAZ Numismatics
Nice Trachy scores Mr @Mat ! Both look great. I know very little about them, as they are way out of my collecting area. However, I believe we have twins, and I got mine from the JA grab too... Sounds like he has some syndicate thing going on... Yeah, those are his grubby paws in the pic. Manuel I Comnenus, AD 1143-1180 Aspron trachy, 35mm, 4.6g, 6h; Constantinople mint. Obv.: Nimbate Christ, bearded, seated on backless throne facing, wearing pallium and colobium; book of Gospels in his left hand; IC (overlined) and XC (overlined) on either side, no stars in fields. Rev.: MANVHL DECPOT; Manuel, standing facing wearing crown, divitision, and loros, holding globus cruciger in his left hand and labarum in his right hand, is crowned by the nimbate Virgin standing facing, wearing pallium and maphorium.. Reference: SB 1966 Ex: @John Anthony - "Johnny the Coin Hawker"
Some neat additions Mat. I have really gotten into Byzantine much yet, though I do have a few. Bulgarian Imitation of Manuel I AE - Trachy Two figures standing facing, left figure wearing collar with six dots, waist band with five. Christ, nimbate, standing facing star to either side Type A Latin Empire of Constantinople AE trachy, 1204-1261 AD
Mat => congrats on scoring your sweet new OP-trachys I'm fairly sure that I only have these two humble examples ... Isaac II BI Trachy 1185-1195 AD Mary with baby Christ & Isaac II Andronicus II Bi Trachy 1282-1328 AD Six point star & Andronicus II
i only picked up a few low grade byzantine coins last year, this trachy was the nicest one of the group. Isaac II Angelus, 1185-1195 AD O: Mary, holding infant Christ, R: Emperor. Constantinople mint. SB 2003, 3.2g 29 mm
I know nothing about these so forgive the question, but have an almost silver wash quality to them. Are some? or is that a toned brassy color.
randygeki => I try not to pry too much into my coins' private lives, but I'm fairly sure that both of my examples are "BI" (not that there's anything wrong with that)
The first coin, as it had been when you posted it last and I corrected the attribution for you is not of Isaac II, but of Theodore I Lascaris at Nicaea, S.2062, with enthroned Christ rather than the enthroned Virgin as on the similar Isaac II trachy most commonly encountered.
