A fine Virgin Mary Follis just arrived

In other words, I was remembering the operant sequence right. Thanks for the confirmation.
...Except, for the later, that is, 12th-c. Comneni, were they really all that bad? ...Only starting from Norwich, I'm scared to look. @Only a Poor Old Man, can you help out with this?

 

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The following bronze anonymous coin shows Jesus holding the book of gospels. I don't know who struck it. Just anonymous?

 

@7Calbrey, it's looking a lot like this variety of Class 2, time of Basil II Bulgaroktonos ('they guy who kicked the Bulgars' hind parts --sp?) and his successor, Andronicus III, c. 976-1028. I have one like it, not as good, especially for the obverse legend, and some of the details of the motif. Starting with the Gospel book.
Anyway, on the Wildwinds page, look for the 4th listing for bronze folles, or the 3rd down for ones that start with the attribution, "Basil II.'
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/byz/anonymous/i.html
...Unless I lost count. Anyway, from that range, the main, operant variation is the little ornament at the bottom of the reverse legend.

 

They were colorful weren't they? That is the only certainty. How bad or good they are depends on who you ask. For us modern enthusiasts it is easy to form an opinion as we have the benefits of historical evidence and consequences, but for the man on the street of that time they might have been good ones if their reign improved their living standards.

 

...No, but on a more personal, anecdotal level, aren't some of them of record as having what one might consider redeeming qualities? Surely all of them weren't on the level of Isaak II, or the dynasty woudln't have lasted that long.