If you are deep in byzantine coinage you should know that gold coins minted in Constantinople have a flat form like a pizza, but that gold coins minted in Carthage in contrary have a thick fabric form like a gokart-tyre. That is the best way I can explain it. For example here the first one is from Constantinople, and the second one from Carthage: Note that they don't have the same size. The first one from Constantinople tend to be 22 mm or so, and the second one from Carthage tend to be 12 mm or so. However, both tend to have the same weight and tend to be 4,5 grams or so. They are like pizza and gokart-tyre in comparision. That is the best way I can explain it. Now all this is making me to wonder since clipping ocurred and was illegal in the empire. You can use a scissors to clip the corner of the solidus of Constantinople to take some gold for youself. But can you also use a scissors to clip the thick solidus of Carthage? Have you ever seen a thick Solidus of Carthage being clipped to be 3,9 grams for example? I hope my question makes sense. At least for those who are into byzantine coinage. Have a nice day folks
Herberto, You have to make a distinction between clipped & adjusted, & this is something that 3rd party grading companies often fail to do . Since most Byzantine coins are thin, the only practical way to adjust the weight of an over-weight flan is to file the edge until it falls into the correct parameters. Sometimes defining exactly what those tolerance zones are can be debatable. It is very rare to see an over-weight solidus (max weight being 4.54 gm), therefor mint officials kept a close eye on the weight of these coins, heavy flans were filed down to meet the correct weight.
Besides clipping, shaving was popular. Take a bunch of new coins, scrape the edges against a sharp knife, and you get a little pile of unearned profit. I would find the Carthage ones more susceptible to shaving than clipping.
one must, i reckon, figure these coins were clipped, shaved, cut etc. whence they were in circulation..at any rate, those on your gold coins were more merciful than those on this (silver)Charles V, golden fleece(which someone did) coin Charles V, Naples Order of the Golden Fleece. 21.6mm, 2.30gms
Yeah/ there was a lot of adjustment marks on gold coins struck in France between 1715-86 Here is one of mine from Heritage/ Caranett collection AV Louis d'or 1751-BB Strasbourg Mint
