This coin came in today from an Illinois seller on eBay. It is one of my budget purchases, at $19.00, and for that price it is decently detailed, despite the deposits. I did notice some tiny waxy white flakes on the coin, which came off easily. I think they are residue from Renaissance Wax or some other wax-like coating. This follis, dated reignal year 3, 612 AD, is apparently the last year for folles from Nicomedia with the lone portrait of Heraclius. Beginning with year 4 the folles had the standing figures of Heraclius and his son, Heraclius Constantine. I don't see any signs of an under coin, so I think this example was struck on a new flan. SB 833 11.87 grams This coin pairs up nicely with my Constantinople and Cyzicus folles, also year 3. The Constantinople follis, from a Roma group lot, is definitely overstruck on an earlier follis, and die shifted struck for good measure. 11.0 grams Here is the Cyzicus follis, year 3, SB 839, also overstruck. This coin was part of another group lot from a Roma E-Sale. 9.9 grams Lastly, here is a later follis, with Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, Constantinople, year 10 (I think). This coin is a an overstrike of a follis of Phocas, whose legend appears partially on the reverse. 11.7 grams So, if you are in a byzantine mood today, or any other day, please post! Thanks
Cool. I like #2 and 3 the best. Most of my Heraclius S804s come from 1990s Allen Berman 'junk box' coins. However, his junk boxes are ones which would be $20-50 on vcoins today. I'd sure like a large SCL follis (is that 844 or S884?) and a nice Seleucia. I was going to buy a Seleucia from vcoins, but I guess the one I was interested in sold. The remaining ones don't appeal to me as much.
Thanks Yes, a nice Sicily and Seleucia follis would be a very welcomed addition. Those are very tough coins to locate in decent grade at a non-stratospheric price. Byzantine bronzes can be very good buys in group lots, if one knows what to look for. Individual coins online tend to be very high in price, especially at well established and highly reputable sites such as Forum, but they seem to move, and there is the plus of guaranteed authenticity and easy returns, so I guess those are worthwhile features.
Nice grouping, @robinjojo A lot of eye-appeal and interesting undertypes. Here is a hot mess Heraclius Year 4 from Nicomedia struck over a Phocas & Leontia follis from Antioch. Or at least I think that's what's going on here (DN FOC... is clearly visible on the obverse). Year four must've been when they transitioned over from Heraclius solo portrait to adding Herc. Constantine: Heraclius Æ Follis Year 4 (613-614 A.D.) Nicomedia Mint [dd NN hERACLIVS EThERA CON], Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine standing facing in chalmys / Large M, [ANNO left, cross above], II/II right, Officina A, NIKO. SB 834; MIB 175; DOC Type 2. (10.10 grams / 27 mm) eBay Oct. 2020 $14.40 Overstrike: Phocas and Leontia Æ Follis n.d. (602-610) Antioch (Theopolis) Mint DN FOCA NE [PE AV], Phocas and Leontia standing facing / Large m (lower case), ANNO left, cross above, [year (?) right] T[HEUP'] SB 671; MIB 83a-b. Note: Reverse ANNO and cross are from undertype?
That's a really cool follis! Yes, I think the under coin is of Phocas, exactly which type is hard to determine. These overstruck coins are a real challenge, and that's what makes them so interesting. The lettering of the partial Phocas legend on your coin seems similar to this follis of Phocas, year 1, of Cyzicus, where he is standing with Empress Leontia:
Oh that is a lovely Phocas & Leontia - great colors that one! I have a similar one, but no empress. And it is not nearly as pretty as yours - but at least it didn't get obliterated by a Heraclian mint worker! Phocas Æ Follis Year 3 (604-605 A.D.) Cyzicus Mint DN FOCAS [PЄRP] AV[G], crowned facing bust wearing consular robes, holding mappa and cross, cross in left field (?) / Large XXXX, ANNO left, III right, KYZA in exergue. Sear 665; DOC 72b; MIB 76. (10.90 grams / 29 x 26 mm) eBay May 2020 Not to drop to far down the Phocas rabbit hole, here's a Phocas half follis from Cyzicus - my local dealer had it in a dusty binder, for cheap: Phocas Æ Half Follis Year 2 (603-604 A.D.) Cyzicus Mint dN FOCA PERP AV[G], crowned, mantled bust facing, holding mappa and cross / Large XX, cross above, regnal year II right, KYZB in exergue. SB 670; MIB 79. (5.54 grams / 20 mm) AZ Nov. 2, 2019
Nice folles! Do you have a follis of his with just his portrait and a "M" on the reverse? That type is somewhat elusive. Fortunately, not all of Phocas's coinage ended up under the hammer or thrown into the melting pot. There are lots of his gold solidi being offered in various sales on on dealers' lists. Plus, his bronze coinage does appear unaltered. It seems, at least for the gold coinage, people, at least those who dealt with gold coins, which I imagine was a tiny portion of the population at the time, valued the solidi for the content and really didn't care who was on the obverse. The bronze coinage was a different matter, since that was the coinage of the masses, much as it was in Roman and Greek times. Better to strike over the old boy's image than to have it pass from hand to hand at a time with Heraclius was fighting to win and retain the throne.
I do have a Phocas with an M, but no photo! I'll try to get one when and if the sun comes out again. Gold! I wish. My budget gets blown on junky cheap stuff, so I am never able to make that leap to the gold. Someday, after I've developed some fiscal restraint. But I just found another Heraclian mess - if I am reading it right, it is an overstrike on a Phocas overstruck on a Maurice Tiberius. Or something like that. Heraclius Æ Follis n.d. Year 3-6 (612-616 A.D.) Constantinople Mint ddNNh[ЄRACLIyS ЄτhЄRACON]SτP[PA]; Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine standing facing, in chalmys / Large M, ANNO left, chi-rho above, [date?] right, Γ below, C[ON] in exergue. SB 805; DOC Type 2. (11.59 grams / 30 x 27 mm) eBay Nov. 2019 $10.66 Overstrike (two visible?): Phocas Æ Follis Year 6 (607-608 A.D.) Nicomedia Mint Consular bust holding mappa and cross / [XXX]X, [A]NNO above, ς right, [N]IKO[?] under SB 659. Maurice Tiberius? Æ Follis [DN MAVG IC]NP[AVT] cf. SB 533?
Interesting coin! I would lean towards Maurice Tiberius as the under coin. I think I see "DNMA..." as the remnants of his legend on the obverse.
Well, it is not just his portrait, but also includes Leontia, but it does have a small m on the reverse. Finally got around to photographing it: Phocas and Leontia Æ Follis Year 5 (606-607 A.D.) Antioch (Theopolis) Mint DN FOCA NE PE AV, Phocas and Leontia standing facing / Large m (lower case), ANNO left, cross above, regnal year μ (5) right, THEUP'. SB 671, MIB 83a-b. (11.00 grams / 28 x 26 mm) eBay July 2015
That's a very nice follis! I located the Antioch follis, year 8, the last year of Phocas's reign. As far as I know this is the only type that has his portrait with the denomination expressed as "M" on the reverse. I've been looking around for an example for a while, and I'm glad to have landed this one. BYZANTINE EMPIRE, 609/10 AD Phocas, 602-610 AD AE follis Antioch Dated RY 8 = 609/10 AD Obverse: DN FOCA NЄ PЄ AV, crowned and mantled bust facing, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter. Reverse: Large m (lower case), ANNO to left, cross above, regnal year u/III (8) to right, mintmark τHЄUP. SB 672, MIB 84a. Very scarce last year of reign. Two-year type for this mint. VF, with mostly an even brown patina. 9.9 grams
