Byzantine Tetarteron Coin Weight with die crack

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by rrdenarius, May 28, 2022.

  1. rrdenarius

    rrdenarius non omnibus dormio Supporter

    I am looking at a Byzantine coin weight called a Tetarteron. They were to check the weight of reduced weight Solidi issued by Nicephorus II in 963-969 AD, see below. I can find a few examples of the weight online. I am concerned about the line going from about 5 on the bottom of the flan to about 10. The line / crack goes through O and T. Most of the weights I have seen are low grade and over cleaned. My best guess it is a die crack. What concerns me is that one or more of these could be cast fakes.
    Any thoughts from Byzantine experts here?

    1 Tetarteron group.jpg
    NICEPHORUS II Tetarteron CNG 5.21.2003.jpg
    NICEPHORUS II. 963-969 AD. AV Tetarteron (4.08 gm). Constantinople mint. - Nicephorus introduced his reduced weight tetarteron alongside the normal histamenon (solidus) and created massive confusion among his people and later numismatists by keeping the same designs for each type. The present coin is one of the few we have handled that is clearly the smaller, rarer tetarteron, rather than a clipped histamenon. (CNG auction 5.21.2003)
     
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  3. BenSi

    BenSi Well-Known Member

    I have never seen this weight attributed so precisely. I have seen many might be. At first these examples were being used as post reform tetarteron weights ( They are not.)

    I am no expert on weights but I have read alot of the time period, we know weight sets from the city were far more accurate than those used outside the city. complete sets have been found. The difference in the country weights is like the butcher version of adding a penny to the scale. In this case it was the money changer.

    As for authenticity for the weight or the coin, go with your feeling first, and then the logic. You will never be disappointed that way.
     
  4. Voulgaroktonou

    Voulgaroktonou Well-Known Member

    Here is my example of the type. 3.80 gr. Ex CNG 407, lot 617. 2017.40.jpg
     
  5. rrdenarius

    rrdenarius non omnibus dormio Supporter

    great example
     
  6. VD76

    VD76 Well-Known Member

    I'm glad that someone caught this too . I mention this " die crack " six years ago on FAC https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=106382.msg652243#msg652243 , during a discussion on another topic . But the conversation did not take off and it seems it was forgotten . Until I saw another example, with the same line , on one of the current auctions . But I did not have time to make a new topic about it . I don't think that they are casts fakes , most likely the same pair of dies . But personally, I will hold on bidding until experts bring more light on this issue .
    29874C9A-66FF-436C-8086-89158D0B1B8C.jpeg
    New one
    7CE1B55D-4556-4A2C-B8B1-F779779B2D2C.jpeg
     
    BenSi, rrdenarius and Bing like this.
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