Anonymous coinage is not just the mystery of who issued it but why as well. This tetarteron was made while the Empire was in excile. It is believed to be from the Nicean Empire and minted in Magnesia, ironically tetartera did not circulate here in the 12th century , Asia Minor was exclusivly Trachea and Electrum Aspron trachea, the greek part of the empire was tetartera and Hyperpyrons. No one is certain why this split circulation was created but enough signs have shown it to be government controlled. This tetartera were created for propeganda purposes , a suttle reminder of the empire that had temporairly fallen to Latin rulers. This one replaces another example in my collection, no identifying marks besides the two B’s even with those we are not sure who ordered them to be made. 13th century. Anonymous3 (Magn.) AE Tetarteron – SBCV-2155 DOC IV 7 Type E OBV ICXC Cross decorated with pellets. REV Two B's back to Back . Pellets in the loops on r. Size 17mm Weight. 2.78gm Doc lists 8 examples from weights 1.81 to 2.55gm , Sizes from 16mm to 21mm Other examples of unknown tetartera, Also from the same time period. AE Tetarteron – SBCV-2154 DOC IV 6 Type D OBV Cross radiate, with lunate ornaments, decorated with pellets , at ends. REV Half length figure of Virgin, nimbate, orans wearing tunic. Size 20mm Weight 2.61gm DOC lists 4 examples. weight vary 1.32gm to 2.52gm and 19 to 22mm Anonymous2 (Magn.) AE Tetarteron – SBCV-2157 DOC IV 9 Type G OBV Radiate, floriated, cross REV Three-Quarter-length figure of St. Theodore, bearded and nimbate, wearing tunic, breastplate, and Saigon Holds in r. hand sword resting over shoulder in l. shield ( This coin is lacking an inscription for St Theodore, should be appearing in two columnar groups.) Size 20mm weight 2.9gm DOC lists 3 examples weighing between 2.07gm to 2.60gm and sizes 20 to 22m All cultures had that have coins that are unknown or Anonymous, share your Anonymous coins.
Those are fascinating. This is an area of collecting that is out of my field and I knew next to nothing about these issues. Thanks for an informative write up. Nice coins!
Very cool coins! I've never paid much attention to these but I don't ever recall seeing anything like the Type E listed above, that's a neat type.
Very interesting coins! Interesting to note is how many coins that are either uninscribed or vaguely inscribed can be attributed to specific rulers, all based on how much time and effort scholars are willing to dedicate to their study. Not too far away in terms of time or place is one of the few medieval coins from my collection Looks like an Arabic fals, but it has no writing on it, just scribbles and circles. Unattributable barbarous coin? Not quite - we know that these were made in Hungary, roughly in 1189 under the authority of Bela III for Christian soldiers to take with them and use in the Holy Land during the Third Crusade. I don't have mine imaged, but the ~10th-11th century Hungarian denars are all "anonymous" in that they have no design elements but geometric patterns and crosses, yet we can say with a great deal of certainty who minted them. Don't ask for details, though - medieval numismatics is a field I have only ever dipped my big toe into!
