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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;robinjojo, post: 6648064, member: 110226&quot;]Byzantine coins are a fascinating area to collect, and vast as well.&nbsp; Are you considering putting together a type collection?&nbsp; If so, would it be by ruler and denomination, or simply denomination? </p><p><br /></p><p>If you are considering a more representative collection by emperor/empress and denomination, then you are looking for a very long term effort, one that is both rewarding and challenging.&nbsp; I&#039;ve been collecting this series on an on-again, off-again basis since the mid 1980&#039;s and I do have major gaps, with some bronze, but the major gaps are with the silver, trachy coinage and especially gold.&nbsp; Gold Byzantine coins have been expensive because of their inherent gold content, but historically not nearly as costly as Roman aurei.&nbsp; That is changing now.&nbsp; Byzantine gold coins seem to be selling at higher hammer prices recently.&nbsp; This trend doesn&#039;t affect me since I have always concentrated on the more accessible bronze coinage (I have only a gold histamenon nomisma of Isaac I), but now even prices for even relatively common bronze coins seem to be going up.</p><p><br /></p><p>When it comes to this coinage, I focus on two factors: historical significance and exceptionally well produced coins.&nbsp; The latter is no easy matter to tackle, especially as one gets beyond the early reform coinage of Justinian I.&nbsp; Workmanship for the bronze coins deteriorates quickly and overstrikes are common beyond the 6th century AD.&nbsp; However, even the over struck coins can be very interesting, especially if one is familiar with the history of the Byzantine Empire and its emperors and empresses. </p><p><br /></p><p>Here are a few examples that you might have seen before.</p><p><br /></p><p>Justinian I, reform AE follis, Antioch, year 13, Officina Γ 539/40 AD</p><p><br /></p><p>22.7 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1268524[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Maurice Tiberius, AE follis, Constantinople, Year 7, Officiana <font size="6">ε</font>, 588/89 AD</p><p><br /></p><p>11.29 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1268526[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Constantine IV, AE follis, Constantinople, Officina Δ,&nbsp; 668-685 AD</p><p><br /></p><p>16.41 grams</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1268537[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Basil II and Constantine VIII, &quot;Anonymous&quot; follis, Class A3, c. 1023 - November 11, 1028 AD.</p><p><br /></p><p>Somewhat unevenly struck.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1268548[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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