Crusty Byzantine 40 Nummi Coin

Since there was talk about Anastasius' large and small module follises, I thought I'd put them out there for a size comparison. My large module is in horrible shape and has therefore lost some weight, I think, but it is 34 mm. The small module is only 23 mm.

The little one appears to have a crescent in the right field, but I have my doubts - it is completely flat, leading me to believe it is a stain/blotchy patina. Both blank and crescent with Officina Є only are possible (SB 17 or SB 18a)



Anastasius Æ Follis (Small Module)
(c. 498-507 A.D.)
Constantinople Mint
DN ANASTASIVS PP AVG pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / Large M,
star left, cross above, blank right (or crescent?), Officina Є (only) below.
SB 17; DOC 20a.
(9.24 grams / 23 mm)

Anastasius Æ Follis (Large Module)
(c. 512-517 A.D.)
Constantinople Mint
DN ANASTASIVS P P AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / Large M,
star left, cross above, star right, Officina Є (?) below, C[O]N in exergue.
SB 19; DOC I 23b.
(14.34 grams / 34 mm)

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Mike, thanks for the visual comparison . You're right about the large module coin, that one was in circulation a long, long time !

 

Nice coins everyone! Here's my Anastasius.


Anastasius Constantinople SB 19B

 

O.J., Unusually good detail on this coin, especially the portrait side ! Nice surfaces too .

 

Thanks Al! Yeah I really like this coin and it’s my only coin of Anastasius. This one could be included in the “cherry pick” thread as I managed to snag it for about $10 including shipping.

One of the bonuses of Byzantine coins is that (outside of the large Justinian coins) there are a lot of gems that fly under most people’s radar.

 

OMG, $10.00 including postage ! O.J. that's as close to legal theft that I've seen

 

Today I bought an Anastasius follis at a local coin fair. It's not perfect, but a nice large coin (38 mm). The officina is vague, but with the coin in my hand I can read it, it's B.



Byzantium, Anastasius, Follis, undated but 512-517. Mint Constantinopel, officina B. Obv. Laureate bust r. DNANASTA/ SIVSPPAVG. Rev. Large M under a cross and between two stars, B between ‘legs’, CON in exergue. 38 mm, 17.77 gr.

 

Since starting this thread about 3 months ago other CT members have posted their examples of Anastasius 40 nummi coins struck at the Constantinople Mint, most of which are are handsome coins . These coins were a successful experiment by Anastasius to restore the value of bronze coinage which had deteriorated in size & value. Huge quantities of these coins were struck & they were very popular & circulated for a long time. They are popular with collectors today & not very expensive since most of these coins were not well struck & show considerable wear. I always wondered what a well struck example with very little wear would fetch at auction . Lot #910 at CNG Triton XXIII auction answered that question, see photo below. This magnificent coin had an estimate of $500.00 & sold for $5,400.00 !!!

Anastasius I, AD 491-518, Constantinople Mint, Officina 5, AE follis: 18.30 gm, 32 mm, 6 h. Sear 19.

 

If this isn’t «crusty», it certainly has patina. It’s from my first coin purchase, in Byblos, Lebanon back in 2003. Before that I didn’t even know it was possible to get ancient coins, so I was totally mesmerized. I had no idea what I was buying, of course, so I overpaid. Not too much, luckily. I think the lady in the shop felt sorry for such an amateur. I bought a Phoenician AE, a Phillip I provincial, a Constantine I follis, a small islamic bronze and this Byzantine follis, because the lady told me I should have one coin representing the different rulers of the region. Plus an oil lamp. Although great advice, I have not come around to identifying the two last coins. I’ve always been thinking that I’ll eventually get into the Byzantine empire, but I’m not really there yet. (I suspect this is Maurice Tiberius from Antioch) I love my first coins, though. They will always serve as a reminder of how I got into this hobby, and to never trust a dealer.

 

You have one of these:
http://labarum.info/lbr/show.php?coin=5330

 

svessien, I wouldn't call your coin "crusty", but it does have a lovely "sand patina". Your attribution looks right on, Sear 532.

 

Thank you both!

 

Actually that is an excellent likeness of the emperor, something not common in Byzantine coinage.

 

Geeze, when you said crusty I thought the usual encrusted and rough surfaces one sees commonly on Byzantine coins. Yours is a very nice coin with excellent surfaces. I'd like to have more like yours in my collection.

 

Not really CRUSTY, but more RATTY:


BZ Justinian I 527-565 CE AE30 Folles 12.2g 40 Nummi M monogram

 

I'm putting off yard work, so I will throw in my 1.75 folles' worth of Anastasii– all from Constantinople. The first, from the second phase of the initial coinage reform of 507-12, which included the addition of privy marks and officinae numbers. 13.19 gr. 26.7 mm. 6 hr. Its heavy weight of 13.19 gr. is unusual for this series, which averages between 8-9 gr. It has had 8 notches filed in antiquity from the obverse rim and 9 from the reverse. This may have been to convert it to a weight of 3 nomismata. For similar coins converted to weights by this method, see K. Weber: “Late antiquity weights. The second life of late and late antiquity coins”, in Mass und Gewicht 16 (2014), # 14, p. 161.

The second and third I have shown before; apologies for trotting them out again, but they are at least topical, and I love them. The second, Anastasius I. Constantinople. 512-17. Half follis. 9.62 gr. 24.5 mm. hr. 8. Sear 25A; Hahn 20a (this coin). Ex Vecchi 8, Dec. 4, 1997, lot 401. Published in The Celator, April 1999, “A Pair of holed rarities”. When the weights of the follis and its fractions were doubled in 512, the mint evidently considered that the increased size of the flans would allow for a figural reverse type, here a seated representation of Constantinople holding a globus cruciger. Examples exist for the type on the follis, its half, and quarter, but it evidently did not give satisfaction, and specimens are extremely rare today. I will not live long enough (or be able to afford) a follis, should one come on the market, so I will be content with that line from Meatloaf, “Two out of three ain't bad.”

The third, Anastasius I. Constantinople. 512-17. Decanummium. 4.30 gr. 20 mm. hr. 6. Sear 28A; Hahn 21. Triton XV, lot 1573.

 

Got this one for $5 in a junk bin. Knew if I waited long enough I might see it on CT.


34 mm, 17.15 g
I guess it is Anastasius I AD 491-518, Constantinople Mint, AE 40 nummi

Not sure the officina

Any other information is highly appreciated.

 

My opinion is, "First do no harm". Frankly, other than it has been around the corner a few times it's just fine.

That being said, keep looking for another one that's better if that works for you.
It's a good coin.

 

OP, I know I am late to the thread but your coin is better than 90% out there at least. Nice coin.

Anyone wanting to get into Byzantine coins I highly encourage reading, (you don't have to own it) Sayles introduction to the series. In it, it does a good job explaining what coins meant to the Byzantines, and why they didn't want them to look like the living emperor. It makes the coins much more interesting when you learn why they designed the coins the way they did.