An Introduction to Billion and AE Trachea, The Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Billion Trachy

These might spice the thread up a bit as well. Silver trachys functioned alongside gold and bronze in the post 1204 economy but the degree to which they were used regularly seems quite small, as is evidence by the few surviving.

 

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All of John III Vatazes, I should add. Unpublished, Unpublished, and Sear 2080

 

This is one I managed to snag today, by the way. I am worried about shipping but it was quite cheap in a group lot so the only I will lose if it breaks is my enjoyment

 

I'd be worried too.

 

The previous examples have been excellent, I am envious @TheTrachyEnthusiast, but not your normal finds, especially for a beginner.

Here are several examples of one of the most common type of trachea. It is two different issues of Alexius III, but this shows how different the types can look after striking.

When you are beginning to collect these coins you will find these readily.

They really marked an end to the silvering of these coins, I have not seen a truly silvered version of these coins. In fact the only silver types in this series are the Electrum Aspron Trachy, the gold content had slipped to be almost invisible.

These three examples fall into my first category, 12th century before the fall to the Latins in 1204. Easy to attribute


Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus, 1195-1203. Trachy Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus, 1195-1203. Trachy, Constantinople, 1195-1197. Bust of Christ Pantocrator facing, raising right hand in benediction and holding scroll in left. Rev. Alexius and St. Constantine standing facing, holding between them globus cruciger, and each holding a labarum. SBCV-2011 and SBCV-2012 and 2 examples of SBCV-2011

By the way, when things began to go badly for Alexius III he added Comnenus to his coinage, the original coins only listed him as Angelus.

I am uncertain on why his trachea are so common, starting collectors will find these coins of Alexius III and the coinage of Manuel I Comnenus the most abundant types of trachy.

 

What I'd do to ship TrachyEnthusiast's broken coin:

I'd put said coin in a small, fairly sturdy box, maybe a ring box or something like that, immobilize it with cotton or something soft, and then double box the shipment, bubble wrapping the small inner box, or doing something to make sure that it doesn't move around in the outer (also sturdy box).

 

This one took a while even with all of the detail. Good example regardless.

I believe it to be a variation of SBCV- 2057, Latin Imitation but smaller. 1.5gm and 23mm but flattened and created the crack. CLBC 11.25.2 lists it, No Sear for the variation.


OBV Christ Enthroned with large cross on side.
REV St Helen with Constantine