Byzantine Anonymous Follis - A Quasi-Mule of Class A2 and 3?

Just before Christmas I got a big lot of (mostly) ancient coins. As I waded in to attribute them (those that were attributable), I came across something strange - a Byzantine Anonymous Follis with a Class A2 reverse and a Class 3 reverse.

I call it a "quasi-mule" because my guess is this was a product of the frantic overstriking that was done during this era, rather than the use (or mix-up) of dies while striking new coins on a fresh planchet. If that makes sense? The end result is, however, pretty much a mule.

It could be a "barbaric" copy - I wasn't having much luck reading the A2 side and it may be a blundered legend (and my photo may be upside down). The fabric is somewhat thin and light for this era, judging from other examples in my collection.

Anybody else seen anything like this?



Byzantine Empire Æ Follis
Anonymous Class A2 (rev.)
Anonymous Class 3 (rev.)
Const. VIII /Michael IV
(976-1028 / 1034-1041 A.D.)
+IhSuS XRISTUS bASILEu bASILE ornaments below (A2)
/ Jeweled square cross, IC XC NI KA (bars above) (3)
Sear 1813 and Sear 1825.
(4.56 grams / 23 mm)

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

It's a common alexius I follis sb 1911. It is not anonymous.

 

Wow, I feel kinda dumb now. That cross really threw me off - it looked so much like a Class 3. Thanks for your help.

 

As David indicated, the full attribution is below. Nice to see more interest in Byzantine coinage:

Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Follis, Thessalonica (Sear-1911; DOC VI-19)

Obv: IC-XC/NI-KA in the angles of a jeweled cross with dot at each end
Rev: CЄP CVN/ЄPΓЄI BA/CIΛЄI AΛ/ЄZIШ in five lines

 

I like Byzantine coins, and have been collecting them since about 2013, but I am still easily confused - as my OP indicates. My little collection has a big gaps - as does my little brain - big gaps.

I just got my first trachy - it came in the same batch as the OP. Not a great example, but it really impressed me by its size and artistry (I have a few of the small, Latin Empire-era cup coins, nice, but not as impressive). My effort at attribution is below (please straighten me out if I have again blundered!):



Manuel I Billon Aspron Trachy
(1143-1180 A.D.)
Constantinople Mint
MP - ΘV to left & right of Mary, seated facing on throne back,
holding head of Christ / [ΜAΝϪΗ]Λ [Δ]ЄCΠΟ[ΤΗ] Manuel standing facing, holding
labarum and cross on globe.
Sear 1964.
(4.95 grams / 26 mm)

 

Its correct and your right they can be confusing. This denomination came into existence because of the Alexius Comnenus coin reform of 1092. The reform stayed basically intact until the fall of Constantinople to the Latins on 1203. The coins were still made but not as impressive as the earlier issues.