a scarce byzantine coin

hi all,
i picked this bargain bin coin up recently off ebay, was going to clean it...but decided to just leave it as is. i wanted a half follis with the cross in the left field, this one went for a low bid, so here it is.



Anastasius I
Half Follis
491-518 AD
O: Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right, D N ANASTASIVS P P AVC
R: K, cross in left field flanked by N and I
Nikomedia mint
SB-38, BMC 63, BN 3-7, MIB 47
21 mm
4.5g

this exact coin seems to be somewhat scarce, there isn't one of the type on wildwinds. should i submit it to them?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Schwinggggg!!

Yah, I'm totally jealous, C-dawg ... I don't have a true example of this ruler ...

=> ummm, but I do have a quasi-example of an over-struck coin (does that get me admission to your cool show?)

HERACLIUS AE 40 nummi follis
Struck at Syracuse, Sicily. Overstruck on a large follis of Anastasius from Constantinople
circa 622 AD or earlier
Diameter: 33.5mm
Weight: 13.6g
Obverse: Facing bust of Heraclius, monogram-cross beside, all within 9mm countermarked circle, bust of Anastasius clearly identifiable underneath
Reverse Large M from original undertype, mintmark CON overstamped with SCLS mintmark.
HOST COIN - ANASTASIUS I AE 40 nummi follis. Constantinople mint, circa 512-517 AD



... hmmm, my host-coin is an "M" not a cool "K" like your new super-star!!

 

Haven't seen one like it. Congratulations.

 

Great looking coin & I would leave it as is too.

 

Hmmmm? ... ummm, how 'bout a coin that popped-up five years later?





... those fricken Vandals!!! (in Carthage)

 

Great find!

 

Sure... send it in! And I agree with leaving it as-is. The light-colored encrustations give it nice contrast and eye appeal.

 

Fine C71. You might contact Dane and tell her about mine too, if you please.

 

You should definetly submit your coin to Wildwinds. Never hurts to help.

I have a wee piece of chocolate....

Nikomedia
Anastasius (491-518 AD)
AE Small Module 40 nummis (Follis)
struck 498-507 AD
23.8 mm x 12.43 grams
Obverse: Diademed bust of Anastasius- DN ANASTASIVS AV
Reverse: Large M flanked by Stars, Delta Officina - NIC, cross above
ref# SB32

 

thanks for comments everyone, and thanks to ski for help with the attribution.

i'll submit the coin to wildwinds and see if they want it.

i forgot about that cool vandal coin stevex!

that's a nice lookin' follis AN, i picked up a follis with this coin as well...but its kind of a turd, so i didn't take a pic. maybe i will later.

7C, that could be the same coin! it looks like there may be something above the k and/or in the right field, but i'm not certain. it does look like it has some little BD spots, it may not be...but did you check them? make sure they are solid.

 

I was swinging in for another pass on this coin post, when I really started looking at the piece. Intriguing is the gross irregularity in weight. The OP is K = 20 nummis. 4.5 grams circulating along side my coin M = 40 nummis 12.43 grams, same ruler same mint and same time. 4.5 x 2 = 9 grams. 4.5 x 3 = 13.5 grams. I understand the OP coin has some minor wear but I am sure the coin has made up for any weight loss by taking on material from the environment. Wow.

 

yeah, there is lots of variation in these byzantine coins. mine seems about going rate for the type.

when i was attributing an anastasius follis today, i noticed the size range for the sb 19 attribution was 30-40 mm..what a spread...and the half follis are usually usually well under half weight it seems.

 

Very cool new coin Chris, really like the Cross K reverse!!

 

I approve of the choice to leave it as it is. Nice coin.

 

This one of Emperor Justinian weighs 7.10 g. for the same denomination K.

 

here are my other half follis coins.





left: justinian i, year 18 of constantinople, sb 165, 9.9 g
right: justin and sophia, (year 5?) thessalonica mint, sb 366, 5.9 g

these were my first bzyantine coins, i never fully attributed them. pulled them out today and revisited them.




and this guy...





phocas, year 1 or 2, nicomedia mint, sb 663, 6.5 g

 

This particular Follis weighs only 4.7 g. It has a convex shape up, in addition to the figure of 3 persons on the obverse.

 

7C, they are likely heraclius, heraclius constanine, and empress martina.

 

well, i sent this to wildwinds and it's now part of the anastsius page at the bottom...SB 38.

http://wildwinds.com/coins/byz/anastasius/t.html