Looking back at 2021 and looking forward to 2022

Hi all

I know that I well and truly missed the ‘2021 reflections’ window, so I thought I’d combine it with a ‘looking to 2022 and my goals’ post.

At the start of 2021, I set a goal to double my Eastern Roman Empire collection from 10 coins to 20 coins.

I’m pleased to say, I largely achieved it – falling short by only two coins.

Importantly, I didn’t just want to acquire any old Eastern Roman Empire coin from any period. I had two goals in mind. Firstly, I wanted to acquire some earlier coins in the Empire - which I have defined as starting in 395 AD (being the last time the East and the West split, and not as some define it – being the end of the Western Roman Empire).

Secondly, I wanted to acquire more gold and silver. What can I say? I’m a simple man.

So, without further ado – here are my acquisitions for 2021 in order of year minted.


Firstly, the first emperor of the ERE (by my definition, although there is probably a case to be made it was Theodosius, as the ‘lead in’):

Nummus
Flavius Arcadius
Obv: DN ARCADI-VS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust, facing right
Rev: VIRTVS - EXERCITI, Emperor holding spear and shield, being crowned by Victory, CONSA in exergue
Material: Bronze
Weight: 2.20 g
Diameter: 18mm
Constantinople mint, cf. RIC X 60


Next up, is my other early addition, Justin II (who now rightly sits just before Maurice in the collection).

AE Follis
Justin II with Sophia, 565 - 578 AD
Obverse: D N IVSTINVS P P AVC, Justin and Sophia seated facing side by side on double throne, each holding globus criciger and sceptre.
Reverse: Large M, ANNO on left, cross above, I on right, NIKO in exergue.
Material: Bronze
Weight: 14.08 grams
Diameter: 29mm
Nicomedia mint, DOC 94 // Sear 369


The crowning glory of my 2021 acquisitions, my ‘late solidus’, issued by Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. I’m really pleased with both the detail and the price on this one. It is an expensive time to buy ancient gold coins and I think I picked up a bargain.

AV Solidus
Romanus I and Christopher 913-959 A.D.
Obv; IhS XPS REX REGNANTIUM around, Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing
Rev: half-length crowned facing busts of Romanus, wearing loros, and Christopher, wearing chlamys, holding long patriarchal cross between them, around ROMAN ET XPISTOFO AVGG B,
Material: gold
Weight: 4.04g
Diameter: 19mm
Constantinople mint, S.1745, DOC 7.6
Ex Dr L.J. Sherwin Collection, from CNG Electronic Auction Sale 225, January 13, 2010 (Lot 638)


This one is interesting, as it was my first… ahhh… shall we say, ‘disappointment’. Technically (some) gold (and silver), but seeing it in person is very different to the photo. A classic example of how auction houses play with photos to make the colour of electrum (which can be quite pale and/or dull) look like gold. I’m not unsatisfied with the coin necessarily, as it has beautiful detail, but still...

Histamenon nomisma
Nicephorus III, (A.D.1078-1081)
Obv: bearded Christ enthroned no back, facing, wearing nimbus, raising right hand, in left hand the Gospels, IC XC across, double dotted border
Rev: +NIKH**F D*EC T W ROTANIAT, around bust of Nicephorus facing, bearded wearing crown and loros, holding labarum with X on shaft and globe with cross, (S.1881, DOC 3, BMC 7-11, R.2051-2). Flan crack, good very fine and very scarce.
Material: electrum
Constantinople mint, (4.33 g),
Ex Dr L.J. Sherwin Collection. Previously Spink Circular vol 92, item 12. 2.3.1984.


Another misstep on the gold front. Very pale in the hand, despite the lustrous photo. But again, not unhappy necessarily, just not what the photo suggested.

Aspron Trachy
Manuel I Comnenus, EL, Constantinople, circa AD 1143-1152.
Obv: Bust of Christ Pantokrator facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels; O ЄM MA to left, N૪ HΛ to right, barred IC XC across upper fields / [MAN૪HΛ ΔЄCΠOTH]
Rev: Manuel on left, standing facing holding labarum and anexikakia, being crowned by the Theotokos standing facing on right; [MH]P θV in upper central field. DOC 2b; Sear 1957. 2.50g, 31mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine; some die shift, edge chipped.


This purchase was on a whim, to make up the total purchase cost so that I would meet the shipping threshold for my Justin II Follis. I’m still not sure that it was the right call, but I’m happy to add it to the collection, and I didn’t have an Isaac II before now.

Billon trachy
Isaac II, 1185 to 1195
Obv: MP-ΘV, the Virgin enthroned facing, nimbate, wearing pallium and maphorium, holding nimbate head of infant Christ
Rev: I/CAA/KI/OC - ∆εC/ΠO/TH/C, Isaac standing, facing, wearing crown, cruciform scepter in left, akakia in right, crowned by hand of God above.
Material: Billon
Weight: 1.52g
Diameter: 19mm
Constantinople mint


Not actually a 2021 acquisition (technically a December 2020 purchase), but I count it because I made the purchase after I set my goal for 2021. This one added a rare silver coin to my Eastern Roman Empire collection, and a completely different variety to what I already have.

AR Basilikon
Andronicus II Palaeologus and Michael IX, AD 1295-1320
Obv: KYPIE BOHΘ[EI], Christ enthroned facing, raising right hand in benediction, holding book of Gospels in left; IC - XC across upper fields
Rev: AVTOKPATOPЄC POMЄON, emperors standing facing, holding long labarum between them with circle beneath plaque. Cf. PCPC 167; DOC Class VIII, type C; Sear 2402.
Material: silver
Weight: 2.13g
Diameter: 21mm
Constantinople mint


Lastly, I was also very pleased with this pick-up. Quite a decent price for quality ratio, and my second Stavraton/very late coin of the ERE, to go alongside my John VIII.

1/2 Stavraton
Manuel II Palaeologus AR 1/2 Stavraton. Constantinople, AD 1403-1425.
Obv: Nimbate bust of Christ Pantokrator facing; IC-XC above pellet topped star and pellet across fields
Rev: Facing bust of Manuel; pellet in left and right fields. DOC 1419 (same dies); Bendall 21; Sear 2551 corr. (denomination). 3.65g, 20mm, 6h.

Looking to 2022

So what does 2022 hold? Well firstly, I need acquire two more ERE coins. I will wait for the right coins to come along, but one of them will be a Miliaresion (a style of coins I don't own), preferably from the 800s (a century I don’t have yet).

The other coin could be 400s, but I’m uncertain. Perhaps it will be a ‘flexible coin’, as I’ve basically fulfilled my desired timespan and have a coin for every century between the 300s and 1400s.

The other goal I’d like to achieve is the full separation of my Roman Republic and Roman Empire (pre-final split, ie the Roman Empire prior to 395 AD) collections, which will require 3 more Roman Republic coins. One of these three coins will be a Legionary issue.

I think that will be enough for now! Thanks for reading, and please feel free to share any ERE coins you’d like to.

Cheers

AC

 

Thanks, I like them too. The Nicephorus actually seems pretty solid in the hand, but I agree and I'm a bit worried about it coming apart in the album! Will have to consider carefully how I store it long term.

I love your Zeno by the way! Thanks for posting. You've given me an idea for one of my last coins....

Great acquisitions! That's a really interesting reverse on the Justin I. I haven't seen that before. Congrats on the find! Do you happen to have a catalogue number for it?

Re taking some comparison photos, that's a great idea. I'm on the road this week, so will post the photos next week.

 

Ah ha, glad you saw the post panzerman. When I posted, I thought "I hope panzerman sees my new solidus, I think he'd appreciate this one"

Yours is amazing. Very nice pick-up. I suspect it was slightly more expensive than mine

Thanks for sharing, love both the Miliaresion and histamenon. The Ducas histamenon has been on my list for along time. Yours well struck, congratulations

Thanks! I'll be sure to keep an eye out for one of these.

 

Yep, I suspected something like this.

Mine was the equivalent of $500 euros + fees