Beautiful Byzantines

Justinian I
Follis
Officina B
21.15 gr. 35 mm
Regnal Year 18 544-545AD
Kyzikos mint (KYZ)

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

This is going to be an interesting thread! Good chance we will not be able to get all the emperors as some of them are extremely rare, but lets take a wack at it. I'll stop at Heraclius...

Anastasius I (491-518) AV Tremissis, Constantinople (Sear 8; DOC 10; MIBE 12)


Justin I (518-527) Æ Follis, Nicomedia (Sear 83; DOC 28b; MIB 35)


Justin I & Justinian I (527) Æ Pentanummium, Antioch (Sear 133; DOC 17; MIBE 13)


Justinian I (527-565) Æ Follis, Theoupolis/Antioch (Sear 214; DOC 206b; MIB 130)


Justin II (565-578) Æ Follis, Cyzicus, RY 8 (Sear 372; DOC 121d var; MIBE 502)


Tiberius II (578-582) Æ Follis, Theopolis, RY 9 (Sear 448; DOC 44; MIBE 47)


Maurice Tiberius (582-602) Æ Follis, Antioch (Sear 533; DOC 165a; MIB 96)


Phocas (602-610) AV Solidus, Carthage (Sear 681; DOC 108; MIB 32)


Heraclius (610-641) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear-807var; DOC 92a; MIB-161.2var)

 

Continuing...

Constans II (641-668) AR Hexagram, Constantinople (Sear-998; DOC 57; MIB-152)


Constantine IV Pogonatus (668-685) AR Hexagram, Constantinople (Sear 1168)


Justinian II, 1st Reign (685-695) Æ Half Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1262; MIB 47)


Leontius (695-698) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear-1344; DOC-18; Anastasi-295)


Tiberius III Apsimar (698-705) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1367; DOC 11)


Justinian II, 2nd Reign (705-711 CE) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear 1436; MBBS 62)


Philippicus (711-713) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1455; MIB 21; DOC 9)

 

I am missing a few emperors from the above list, namely, Heraclius Constantine (641), Mezezius (668-669), Anastasius II (713-716), and Theodosius III (716-717). So, if anyone has them, please post. They are rare to extremely rare emperors...

 

Eudoxia - Gloria Romanorum - 2.16 gr & 18 mm - an unpublished (?yet) officina A (?) variant of RIC X 78 Constantinopole.

 

Constans II (641-668) AR Hexagram, Constantinople (Sear-998; DOC 57; MIB-152)


Constantine IV Pogonatus (668-685) AR Hexagram, Constantinople (Sear 1168)


Justinian II, 1st Reign (685-695) Æ Half Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1262; MIB 47)


Leontius (695-698) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear-1344; DOC-18; Anastasi-295)


Tiberius III Apsimar (698-705) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1367; DOC 11)


Justinian II, 2nd Reign (705-711 CE) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear 1436; MBBS 62)


Philippicus (711-713) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1455; MIB 21; DOC 9)
[/QUOTE]
Quant.Geek, You & John (panzerman) have provided a panorama of beautiful Byzantine coins ! It took me a long time to warm-up to Byzantine coinage but eventually it took hold . In regards to locating an example of the sole reign of Heraclius Constantine, don't hold your breath waiting for one to appear . A few examples of solidi have been attributed to him by Philip Grierson, that most experts today refute, instead assigning them to Constans II. After Heraclius died in 641 both of his sons ruled jointly for only 100 days before Heraclius Constantine died of consumption . So the likelihood of finding a coin with the two brothers is remote. After only 5 months in office Heraclonas was forced to recognize Constans II (the son of Heraclius Constantine) as emperor. Heraclonas & his mother Martina were banished to the island of Rhodes after her tongue was slit & his nose cut off ! This was the 1st instance of this gruesome practice in Byzantine history.

 

tibor posted a nice example of large bronze 40 nummi coin of Justinian I, from the Kyzikos Mint . For comparison here is another from the Nicomedia Mint .

 

Here's a Justinian follis of the same year as your Nikomedeia, @Al Kowsky, but from Antioch. It shows the wear patterns on Justinian's bust typical from years of use buying bread, fish, and assorted services, etc.

 

C.A., I regret selling the example pictured below at a Heritage auction 7 years ago . Notice the difference in mint marks ,

 

Ah! That's a good one. I also recently got a half follis from Kyzikos. I like the mintmark on this one. Again, showing telltale signs of use. A run-of-the-mill friend would say "is that the back of his head?"

 

Thanks @Al Kowsky! There was a bit of sarcasm when I posted those missing emperors. Should have said rare, extremely rare, or not known. There are some beautiful Byzantine coins as well as some ugly and poorly minted ones as well. After Justinian II's reign, we start to reach the badlands...

Leo III the Isaurian (717-741) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1516; DOC 39)


Constantine V (741-775) Æ Follis, Syracuse Mint (Sear 1569; DOC 19)


Leo IV the Khazar (775-780) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1586; DOC 4)


Constantine VI & Irene (780-797) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1598; DOC 7


Nicephorus I (802-811) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear 1612)


Michael I Rhangabe (811-813) AR Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear 1616; DOC 3)


Leo V the Armenian (813-820) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1630; DOC 7)

 

The previous section is missing Artavasdus (742-743) which is rare and the sole reign of Irene (797-802) which seems to be extremely popular and thus extremely expensive. Been on the hunt for Irene...

 

Quant.Geek, It looks like you've got a nice example of Irene & Constantine VI on that small follis ; that's more than I can say . It's hard to say which of those two was more cruel, but I guess Irene should get the credit . She did manage to get Constantine VI publicly blinded with a hot poker in the Hippodrome ! I've been looking for a nice solidus of the two of them on a single coin at auction but always managed to get steamrolled . As you say they are popular with Byzantine coin collectors .

 

Here are some more, my own bad photos Most are from Tkalec AG/ NFA / Harlen Berk Auctions

 

Some more....

 

Thanks! Even those small follis are popular with Byzantine collectors. The last Irene follis that sold in auction was in a worn state sold for several hundred dollars . She was definitely a mean girl, but nonetheless, had a lot going for her. especially in that era...

 

@panzerman, just love your gold byzantine coins. You definitely have a good eye for outstanding pieces...

 

I will post more later! Sorry about poor quality photos. I am a novice

 

Thank you! I was happy when I got some EF common AV Sovereigns/ 20 Francs/ Austrian restikes coins. As I hit my twenties and got into classic collector coins/ mainly thru NFA/ Tkalec Auction catalogues....I saw how striking FDC coins looked, I then became hooked on high quality stuff.
PS: My photos do not do coins justice, I know most of you guys/ gals take super sharp photos.

 

Onward....

Michael II the Amorian (821-829 CE) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1642; DOC 9)


Theophilus (829-842) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1666; DOC 13)


Michael III "the Drunkard" (842-867) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1693; DOC 8)


Basil I "the Macedonian" (867-886) AR Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear 1708)


Leo VI the Wise (886-912) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1728; DOC 5)