Beautiful Byzantines

SBCV-1710 Basil I from 868-869 AD 6.8gm 25.42mm

I just got this beauty in the mail today from bnumis.

From what I have read in Sear not very rare but this seems to be a nice example.

 

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How about this one? This is a side I like how it is and would be one of the few I would not clean, but the other side is a mess and most probably needs some intervention. Still need to assess what to do.

Alexius I, half tetarteron, 14 mm, 1.1 gr, the nice side.

 

I cannot recall seeing an obverse that perfectly struck. These issues were first created in 1092 but were imitated up to 1311 AD. The reverse would be in telling if it was an official issue or a later , the weight on this is a little low for a official issue but not unheard of.

 

I do not have a good picture of the other side. What I have is below. Might be a late imitation, as Alexius looks funny. Seems that somebody aggressively treated some BD on the lower left side - there is a deep pit and the copper is exposed (the red thing in the middle of the pit). I retrieved the coin and put it under 25x and there are BD points & dirt mixed all over the place. I am sorry for the little coin, but it will be cleaned.


The one below is one of the nice byzantines I have:

Obv: DN MAVRIC TIBER PP AV, Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding cross on globe and shield.
Rev: Large M, ANNO to left, cross above, regnal year to right (XX), officina letter below (Delta), mintmark CON.
34 mm, 13.5 gr
Sear 494; DOC 43 (they have no officina delta)

 

Extremely interesting. I wonder why Cherson? Because of the casting (which has been of some tradition in Cherson) or because the known examples come exclusively from Crimea, like it is the case with the 5th century AE2s?

 

Not very beautiful but interesting and of a denomination rather looked over:




the assarion, introduced by Andronikos II around 1304. This particular spec dates possibly to the end of Michael IX's reign (1320), if the somewhat garbled legend could hint at a dating.

 

I will not hijack another thread started by @BenSi on this coin of Alexius I; I just want to update the story of this particular coin.

I was wrong with the above, nobody treated anything, and once I started poking the affected area, there was a black-red dust filling a large hole, with green borders, once the dust was removed. A second BD area was on the right side of the neck. Both BD areas were scrapped mercilessly, coin treated with sesquicarbonate, with a hint of Sulphur to even the patina and looks like this (before and after).


And the big scar:

 

That one post is overwhelming. Those coins would serve to start twenty good threads, each different and interesting in its own right. Splendid!

I hope that someday you will tell the story of each, one or two at a time.

 

Hello, guys. Here is a decanummium of Heraclius from Carthage.

 

Better pictures, please.

 

I don't think i can make better ones with the phone, so will download from the auction.

 

Just thought I'd make your image a bit larger for my old eyes

 

That Decanummium is cool! I’ve only seen pictures but never was able to get a gauge on the size. Yours has a beautiful brown patina too.

 

Bing, that is one fine tenner, and very rare in that grade. Most excellent.

 

Here is a nice follis of Basil II and Constantine VIII, Class A2, graded EF and purchases MA Shops a year ago.

Obverse: Bust of Christ with the cruciferous halo whose cross is decorated with 2 points; in the left hand, the Gospels; in the field on the left, IC; right, XC.
Reverse: Legend in 4 lines.
DO A2-24. Sommer 40.2.
8.17 grams

This is a really nice example of Byzantine art, conveying to the viewer the essence of Byzantine religion and society.

I'm using it right now as my avatar for Cointalk.

 

One more follis of Constantine IX Monomachos, purchased from Marc Breitspecher last year.

Anonymous Class D Æ Follis / Christ Enthroned
Date: 1042-1055 AD
Obverse: Christ enthroned facing, nimbate, and holding book of the Gospels
Reverse: ISHS / BASILE / BASIL (Jesus, King of Kings) in three lines
Size: 30.60mm
Weight: 8.20 grams
Grade: VF
Attribution: Sear Byzantine 1836 Constantinople mint

 

I've seen many slabbed Athenian tetradrachms assigned MS by NGC, along with numeric grades for strike quality and surface condition. I'm sure they've done this with other tetradrachms, but I really don't follow the trend.

 

I'm bidding on a handful of Byzantine coins at the moment (5) in good condition and I hope to score most if not all of them. Certainly I'll have to raise my bids but it is a fun process for now.

 

ALEXIUS AE TETARTERON S-1929 DOC 38 CLBC 2.4.5
OBV Bust of Christ, bearded and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion; holds gospels open in l. hand. Pellet in each limb of nimbus cross.

REV. Bust facing wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys; holds in r. hand scepter cruciger, and in l. Globus cruciger.

Size 19.00mm

Weight 2.66gm

This is a Thessalonica minted coin, it contains no silver. It is believed to be valued at 1/864 Hyperpyron and the Metropolitan (Constantinople) issues at 1/288 Hyperpyron. This coins are much more common than Metropolitan coins and very abundant in today’s marketplace.

DOC lists 9 examples with weight s running from 1.82gm to 5.10gm and size from 18mm to 22mm

 

My heaviest example.

ALEXIUS AE TETARTERON S-1929 DOC 38 CLBC 2.4.5
OBV Bust of Christ, bearded and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion; holds gospels open in l. hand. Pellet in each limb of nimbus cross.

REV. Bust facing wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys; holds in r. hand scepter cruciger, and in l. Globus cruciger.

Size 19.99mm

Weight 4.8 gm