Yesterday, outside the front gate, on driveway(!), I found a package of long awaited lots from Roma Numismatics. Included was a large lot of Byzantine bronzes. I am going through them, giving a few a bath in distilled water, while going through the Internet to identify others, scratching my head and losing what few hairs remain at the top. The lot spans a range of denominations and most, if not all, are fairly common; no real rarities so far. Here are three. Two were easy to attribute, but I would like your assistance with the third. Byzantine Empire, c. 1023 - 11 November 1028 AD AE Follis Anonymous, Class A3 Basil II and Constantine VIII Constantinople Obverse: + ЄMMA NOVHΛ, facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium & colobium, holding gospels with both hands, to left IC, to right XC Reverse: IҺSЧS / XRISTЧS / ЬASILЄЧ / ЬASILЄ in four lines, ornaments (Grierson ornaments 24a var) above & below Grierson ornaments #? 10.4 grams 30 mm, 6 h. VF with earthen areas, slightly uneven strike, nice centers Byzantine Empire, 1071-1078 AD AE Follis Michael VII Ducas Constantinople Obverse: Bust of Christ facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels, symbols (?) in fields left and right Reverse: Crowned bust of Michael VII facing, holding labarum and globus cruciger 7.5 grams 23.5 mm, 6 h. About VF with somewhat rough surfaces This is the coin that I am having some difficulty identifying. I think it is a follis of Theophilus, but the officinia on the revere is A (the first officina), and I cannot find an equivalent example online. This coin weighs 4.0 grams and is 20 mm in diameter, coin axis. With 34 coins to work on with this lot, I hope to post some additional bronzes in the future. Thanks
It's this one: Nicephorus I AD 802-811 ; Constantinople Follis Obv: Crowned facing bust, holding cross potent and akakia Rev: Large M, cross above, XXX to left, NNN to right, A below Ref: Sear 1606
