Maurice Tiberius

Yes, this is Maurice Tiberius, Constantinople, year 8, officina 5. Sear 494.

 

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I have a few, but this is my favorite:

Maurice Tiberius AD 582-602. AE Half-Follis. Theoupolis (Antioch).
Obv.: Crowned bust facing, wearing consular robe and holding mappa and eagle-tipped sceptre
Rev.: Large XX, cross above, ANNO III/ Ч across field, R below.
Diam.: 21.1 mm. Weight: 4.37 gr.
Attrib.: SB_534. DOC_181.
(Purchased from David Hendin, July, 2011.)

 

Thank you.

 

Wait, wait, wait Basil II. How can you be so sure

That coin could also be Tiberius II Constantine (578–582) year 8. Why are you so sure that it is Maurice Tiberius?

 

Maurice is famous for messed up legends including some that really seem like they should be Tiberius. While it may not be 100% certain, coins of Tiberius usually have a cross on the headgear while Maurice has a trefoil. I avoid coins off center losing the top (easy way out).
Tiberius II Constantine Antioch



Tiberius II Constantine Constantinople (cross barely on flan)


Maurice Constantinople (head decor complex/unclear but MAUR is clear)


Legend is a mess but trefoil is clear


Maurice Antioch (clear trefoil)

 

Were that coin a year 8 of Tib. II (Sear 430), the Greek numeral M would be cursive, not Roman, as here.

 

Happy to help in a small way.

 

That's a beauty!.

 

with a plus 1 for the reasonable question

 

Not in perfect condition but a left facing portrait, unusual for Byzantine and this has not shown up in the thread yet. Maurice Tiberius

AE 10 Nummi Carthage 18mm 3.64gm SBCV-566 F/VF

 

Better late than never, here are some folles of his:

Constantinople, year 7 (588-589 AD)





Cyzicus, Year 1 (but could be 2), (582-583 AD)




Cyzicus, Year 8 (590-591 AD)

 

Nice ones @robinjojo -- that top one is really impressive! I guess if we're reopening the floodgates, I'll share my nicely patinated Follis from RY 9 (590/1), Constantinople, 4th Officina. (Probably my best patina on a Byzantine coin.) There are so many years, mints and officinas for these I haven't been able to find others of this exact combination yet...

Was happy to find this in a group lot of large Byzantine AE from Kolner a while back but still haven't replaced my quick coin-in-hand photo with a proper one:

 

That's one of the best green patinas that I have seen on a Byzantine follis in a long time! A great coin!

You can find some really good bargains in group lots of Byzantine bronzes, if you know what to look for. Your coin is a no-brainer.

 

Wow, I love all three of those, @robinjojo! The portrait on the first is absolutely spectacular.

That second one is a Heraclius though. The famous Cyzicus ski goggles portrait:

(Year 1 is 610-11, Year 2 611-12.)

 

Maurice Tiberius, Byzantine Empire
AE follis
Obv: D N mAV TIBERI PPS, helmeted, cuirassed bust right, holding cross in left and shield in right
Rev: Large M, ANNO to left, cross above, A below, regnal year VI to right
Mint: Constantinople
Mintmark: CON (in exergue)
Date: 587 AD
Ref: SB 494

 

The coin on the upper left is from Constantinople. Upper right is either Constantinople or Theupolis; the broad face is seen on some solidi from there. Both from Harlan Berk in 1990 and 1992. The bottom two are both from Carthage. The left one is from CNG sale XXII #778. The module of the lower right coin is pretty thick. It is from A H Baldwin in 2004 at the NY International. On the far right is a tremissis purchased from Arnie Saslow in 1989. Amazing to think that coin has been in my collection for 33 years.

 

Here is one I just picked up. Its a rarer type of the Maurice lead decanummiums. Morrison, based on her sample size, only found two of these types in comparison to the more frequently found one.

Byzantine Empire: Maurice Tiberius (582-602) Pb Decanummium (Morrison 23-4)
Obv: Facing, draped bust of Maurice Tiberius, wearing diadem with pendilia, flanked by two crosses
Rev: Large I, topped by a cross; Є in left field, Δ in right field
Dim: 15 mm, 3.24 g

 

Very cool, I had no idea any Emperor besides Alexius had to mint in lead. I first learned about this series from @Voulgaroktonou , it was C. Morrison that first cataloged them.

 

Maurice Tiberius, AD 582-602. Æ Decanummium (19x15mm, 3.65g, 2h). Constantinople mint. Struck AD 582/583. Obv: Helmeted, draped and cuirassed bust facing. Rev: Large I between star and officina; cross above, CON in exergue. Ref: DOC 18b (Tiberius II); MIBE 73A; SB 498. Very Fine, oblong flan, attractive dark green patina.

 

Ditto! I wasn't aware of this either until @Voulgaroktonou showed his awesome collection of lead coins. I had to go and download Morrison's paper to read up on this.