I don't know if it is the proper place to ask. I was forced to pay for shipping for some coins I won, so I decided to bid on some supposedly byzantine artifacts since they were cheap for me. Anyone here who can help me to tell me more about them, and how I can attribute them, and more important: are they really Byzantine stuff? (and not Russian or Bulgarian?) Here they are, and I have copy-paste the descriptions beneath in the images: Comment: I can recognize the "IB" in my Alexandrian 12-nummi coins. Are there a connection between the Alexandrian 12-nummi-coins and this? Comment: Obviously it is Mary and Jesus on obverse, and I can see a monogram on reverse. Comment: A man with beard and halo, and a monogram Comment: A man with beard, and monogram Comment: A figure of a man standing with spear and shield. I want to know: Is it correct that the weight must be from 500-700, and the first 3 seals from 500-800, and the last seal around AD 1100? Can I be 100% sure that all the above are Byzantine artifacts? Could they be Russian or Bulgarian since they were exposed for Byzantine-inspired Christianity? Thank you for any help you can provide.
For the weights the best place to start is an inexspensive book, "Byzantine weights An Introduction" by Simon Bendall. I am looking through it , I do not see a match but this is a different section of our hobby, I know their are books that are much more thorough. Bentall's book is great for an introduction. As for seals , the Dumbarton Oaks have issued catalogs for them and I just found a web site they created. https://www.doaks.org/resources/seals
No. The description gives it as a half solidus weight, which I can agree with. Each solidius of 4.4 g is divided in 24 keratia, so half of that is 12, thus IB.
Yes - that part is surely correct. 12 carats/keratia/siliquae. But it could be a coin weight for a half solidus, or an apothecaries weight for 12 carats thus 1/12 oz. Its quite similar to Holland 70 - but that on a square flan. Holland makes his Roman period. I do not have the Bendall book - am surprised similar are not in it. To my eye from the scan the "IB" looks a bit as though it is too good to be true.....but on the other hand, its definitely not the product of a master forger either, and the seals look OK Rob T
If anyone is interested - details of a set of weights just appeared on the web here https://www.academia.edu/39356680 The above piece was probably part of a similar set.................. Rob T
