Masterpieces in Eastern Roman Empire coinage (Byzantine)

great master pieces all you have

 

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Hi Sulla,
Yours looks like an imitation of an Alexius coin. The only reason I say that is the weight and the unique cross design. They were created sometimes long after his rule. Many in the 13th century. Here is one of my issues, this one was issued during Alexius rule.

1932 ALEXIUS AE HALF TETARTERON S-1932 DOC 45 CLBC 2.4.8
OBV Patriarchal cross on two steps.

REV Bust of emperor wearing stemma divitision and jeweled loros and in r. hand holding jeweled scepter and in l. Globus cruciger.

Size 15.81mm

Weight 2.0gm

DOC lists 42 examples with weights ranging from .59gm to 3.22gm and sizes ranging from 13mm to 18mm

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Thanks @BenSi for the info, the photo of a much more substantial S-1932,
and for the pointer to DOC - a surprising set of books available for pdf download!

 

i find these master pieces to

 

I have one with a cent!

 

A topic I can warm up to!


Anastasius I. Half follis, Constantinople. S. 25A = H. 20. A rare type with seated Constantinopolis. Published in The Celator April 1999, “A pair of holed rarities”.


A decanummium companion to the above. S. 28A = H. 21. Ex Triton XV, 1573.

I'm especially fond of certain series of Byzantine silver. Here are a few diminutive ones from Carthage:



Justin II. S. 392 = H. 32. A reverse with a decidedly “Roman” sentiment. Ex Spink/Tasei/NAC 51 (June 1, 1994), 212.


Tiberius II. S. 464 = H. 20. Here, a strongly worded statement from the “new world” of Christianity: Lvx Mvndi. Ex Elsen 125, lot 527.


Maurice Tiberius. S. 551 = H. 57. Another strong Christian type: Salvs Mvndi. This novel type, with the center cross in circle or shield surrounded by an inscription prefigures later western European coin types.




Theodosius (son of Maurice Tiberius). S. 615A = H. 62. Here, the mark of value of 200 nummi is inserted within the circle or shield.. Ex NAC 95 (Oct. 26-27, 1995), 807.




Heraclius. S. 869 = H. 147. Victory running to left. Ex Vecchi 8 (Dec. 4, 1997), 501.




Heraclius. S. 903 = H. 153. The style, as well as the use of the Latin D and V for the usual Greek forms show this to be a Ravennate hexagram, not the common Constantinople issue as it was cataloged. Ex CNG electronic auction 344, 531. At least one other bidder recognized it for what it was, so the consigner didn't suffer too badly by the error in the cataloging.

 

The early(?) Anastasius copper fractions and the silver fractions which might as well have been the blueprints for the Merovingian silver deniers of the 7-8th centuries are extraordinary.

 

These are my two favorite types due to their highly graphic nature of their reverses:


Michael IV
AE Class C Anonymous Follis, Constantinople Mint, 1034-1041 AD
Obverse: +EMMA-NOVH L, Three-quarter lengthfigure of Christ standing, facing, holding up his right hand in benediction. The book of Gospels in his left hand. IC - XC in fields.
Reverse: IC - XC / NI - KA, Jeweled cross, with pellet at each extremity.
References: Sear 1825
Size: 29.5mm x 24mm, 6.7g


Nicephorus III Botaniates
AE Class I Anonymous Follis, Constantinople Mint, 1078-1081 AD
Obverse: Facing bust of Christ, with decorated nimbus, wearing pallium and colobium , holding Book of Gospels with both hands. IC – XC in fields.
Reverse: Latin cross with X at centre, globe and twodots at the ends of each arm, crescent at top left and right, floral ornaments at lower left and right.
References: Sear 1889
Size: 23mm, 3.7g

 

Another solidus...
AV Solidus ND Constantinople Mint
Romanus I and Christopher 921-31AD
Gallery 51 auction win.

 

BenSi, there are some beautiful Byzantine coins posted in this thread ! Pictured below is my favorite big Byzantine bronze 40 nummi, Justinian I, AD 527-565, year 13, Nicomedia Mint, Officia #2, 22.47 gm, 41 mm.

 

I loved two of the coins in your post ( The first coin as well.) This one is so interesting , love the scruffy beard.

 

Beautiful !!!!!!

 

Your tetartera collection is VERY nice - and the presentation of it is first rate!

 

Thank you for your kind comments.

 

Here's my favorite, a gift from my SS whom I believe is @Jwt708 I could be wrong but ya' never know.


Byzantine Empire, Romanus III 1028-1034 A.D., AE Follis
Anonymous Class B
Obverse: Bust of Christ facing, wearing a nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and holding book of Gospels with both hands.
Reverse: Cross, with pellet at each extremity, standing on three steps; in field, above transverse limbs of cross, IS -XS; beneath limbs, bAS - ILЄ, bAS - ILЄ (Jesus Christ King of Kings).

Also nice to see AncientNoob posting again!

 

The reverse on that is excellent, normally the cross is a bit messed up , yours is perfect.

 

Yep, it was me! Not to hijack the thread but when I researching you, it seemed you didn't have any or many Byzantine coins and thought I would help remedy that situation. I try to get people coins I would collect...and it was hard to send them off!

 

@Al Kowsky has a gorgeous large Justinian from NIK at 41 mm. I think the years XII and XIII coins of Nikomedia tend to be a mm or so larger than those of Constantinople.

Here are mine:


Year XII: 42 mm. 24.67 grams.



Year XIII. 43 mm. 22.37 grams.

 

Beautiful Justinians, Valentinian. I am currently studying a group of several hundred minimi of Leo, Marcian, and Zeno and on to the end of the 5th c. What a contrast the reformed coins of Anastasius and his successors must have made to their users.
Last night, a friend told my wife and me that her earlier study of a hoard of minimi from a well at Caesarea Maritima showed that these minute coins (ca. 10 mm., and well under a gram in weight) tended to be struck on flans that were too small for their dies. Although some of my coins of Marcian and Leo do have recognizable obverse inscriptions, later issues, as of Zeno, Basiliscus and Anastasius, often have no visible obverse inscription. Instead the reverse supplies a monogram of the issuer's name.


My coin above, of Anastasius I, 491-518 (Sear 13 = H. 40. Description: 10.4 mm., 0.70 g.), is an interesting exception. A partial legend is visible, and the use of the Greek lunate sigma for the Latin S indicates that the die was likely cut by a Greek speaker.


This Anastasius reformed follis from Nicomedia (512-517) is a very rare example of the emperor's monogram appearing on the reverse under the mark of value.
Sear 37 = H. 44. Description: 33.5 mm., 16.86 g.