Byzantine anonymous folles

Here is my A-class.... I believe it's an A3 however rather than an A2. From what I understand, they are similar with the difference being size and weight (mine being
30-28mm and 10.47 grams).

According to the chart you refer to, my coin is an example of Type 43 ornamentation.


For the table above... 43 is the type, -c- is on the reverse bottom, the star is in the nimbus in 3 spots around the head on the obverse, the box/circle thing is on the gospels (book) in hand on the obverse.

(Don't worry the green is stable, hard and unchanging... not active BD.)

Anonymous (attributed to sole reign of Constantine VIII and also to the last few years of Basil II), AE Follis, Class A3, 1081-1092
+EMMA_NOVVHL, IC | XC across fields
Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger with box pattern in each limb and empty in each quarter, pallium and colobium, book of Gospels in both hands
+IhSUS / XRISTUS / bASILEU / bASILE
Legend in four lines, pellet below
30-28mm
10.47 grams
SB 1818

 

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Sounds interesting @KParsons .

I am curious to know if A1 circulated with A2 follis or was it the original issue and A2 followed. I am traveling so I do not have access to my library. This of course would be important in your die size study.

 

@KParsons , I looked at my six A2 coins and could not be confident any were overstruck, much less actually identify an undertype. I hope someone will find a Class A2 with an identifiable undertype.

 

Even if you believe in Class A3 as distinct, which I do not, they are not usually identified as this big. Coins this big have, I think, always been classed as A2.

 

Thanks a lot for taking a look, @Valentinian ! It's certainly worth taking a look.

The place of A1 relative to the A2 coins has been addressed by multiple authors. Only one author presented arguments that might place A1's after other A2 coins, but the mountain of evidence is clearly in the favor of A1 coming before A2 - and production stopping with the issuing of the 'large module' A2 coins.

There are, however, a couple things I can mention regarding A1 coins. First, there are some A1 coins that have a dot on the reverse (top or bottom). Even Metcalf mentioned this. It is rare, but does exist. Second, the distinction between A2-Variety 2 coins (no ornaments on the reverse) and A1 coins has not been made clear. Generally, weight is a factor, but as mentioned before, there are lighter 'large module' coins and there were heavier A1 coins, so how is one to tell the difference? - and is the difference even meaningful? These are things that should be addressed as well when tackling the A2 ornament questions.

Ok - I said I would post photos of my first confirmed A2 overstrike. It is an A2-Variety 32 struck over an A2-Variety 24. It's very clear on the obverse, but harder to see on the reverse photos, but trust me it's there. The top rev ornament is mostly the Variety 32 cross, with traces of the other and the bottom rev ornament is the Variety 24 ornament. It weighs 5.0 grams and has a max diameter of 27mm. Go find some more!

 

I don't see it so that means my reporting on my few A coins would be meaningless. The only undertype I see is the Gordian III on the last one. I might ask if there has been any study of the letter styles as they go with weight or ornaments? I bought the first below solely because I liked the A's as used on it. I suspect other letters would show similar variations if studied.

 

No problem! I didn't see it at first, either. Let me demonstrate on my coin and then tell you what I see on yours. I've drawn the ornaments on the obverse and reverse of each variety over the coin so you can see them.

First, here are the variety 32 ornaments on the obverse drawn in white:

Here are the variety 24 ornaments on the obverse in blue - you can make out part of Christ's head and the second nimbus on the undertype as well:


Now, here is the variety 32 ornament on the reverse (only the top one is clear):

Finally, you can make out most of both the variety 24 ornaments on the reverse:

 

@dougsmit - thanks so much for posting photos of your A coins! Your overstrike on Gordian III is remarkable!

I see evidence of overstriking on all 3 of your other coins as well. One of the best tools I use is simple photo editing software that allows me to control light, exposure, contrast, etc. I find that the "shadow protection" (lighten up the shadows to see the details), "contrast" and "brightness" settings help the most.

For example, the first photo (really cool A's!) is an A2 variety 1. Here is a high contrast version of the obverse:

I see some potential design elements - none that make sense to me yet, but clear signs that something is going on underneath. Key places to look for clues are the fields where nothing is supposed to be and near the rims - beyond the die / design elements of the overstrike. Of course, some of these things may be due to corrosion, pitting, harsh cleaning, and the like, but some of the lines I see here look like design elements for sure. Below, I've drawn some of these things on the photo:


The "high contrast" rev photo is here:

I don't see as much, but what I do see is very interesting. Nothing to confirm what type may be underneath.

 

Here are photos of your Variety 31 - check out the obverse rim from 9:30 to 11:30. Looks like those could be letters. Both sides show signs of 2 borders around the edge - most evident on the rev from 1:00 to 6:00. Could be a die shift, could be an overstrike.


Finally, your variety 39/40 (book unclear), which I've oriented per what looks like it might be another bust of Christ from an understrike. I've oriented the reverse the same way and there seem to be letters at the bottom of the rev photo from 4:00-6:00?

 

The only place I'm aware of where any of the letter styles has been documented is in the Dumbarton Oaks Catalogue (Volume 3, Part 2) by Philip Grierson. Grierson notes that there is wide variation of the letter styles - particularly the letter A, so he notes what the style of A is on each of the coins in the collection where he can see it. The note below is from page 648 of that catalogue:

 

I wrote the OP page on anonymous folles:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ByzAnon/
but I didn't have a high-grade Class A2 example until this one arrived today:


27 mm. 11.70 grams.
Class A2. Sear 1813
Dumbarton Oaks Variety 40.
Note the complex "A" forms on the reverse. @KParsons previous post notes there are several varieties of "A".

Now that coin is the first coin on the "Anonymous folles" page.

 

That obverse is so crisp! Ouch!

 

That is a wonderful coin. The A style is a bit like my first coin but more complex. Both have what appears to be an I down the middle.

 

The ”Anonymous” series also provides a rare example of a specific innovation of coinage described by a contemporary Byzantine author. The historian John Skylitzes, writing in the second half of the 11th c. ascribes the introduction of the series to the piety of John Zimiskes: “And he [Zimiskes] ordered also the image of the savior to be engraved on the nomisma and the obol [i. e., follis], which had not been done before this. And Greek letters were engraved on the other side to about this effect: “Jesus Christ, King of Kings”. And the emperors who succeeded him did likewise”. Grierson has pointed out that Skylitzes is inaccurate in one point: no anonymous gold coins (nomismata) are known, but his description of the obol [follis] is accurate.

Thanks for all the wonderful write ups and photos! I'll show just one of mine, a neatly cut down example of class E; SB 1855.

 

I'm late to the discussion as I have been working on a hoard of several hundred of these this week (including others). I do feel that an A3 is warranted. If for nothing else but to distinguish the size and weights. If anyone has handled a lot of these it becomes clear they are not the same coins in the sense that some might think. Yes, they are the same design, but the weights, flans, quality of work is completely different. Why is this? We will never know for sure. It might be the work of separate mints. But more likely I prefer to think the weight standards were reduced at some point, creating a 'new' type. But there is so much information that we, as plebeians, dont have access to. I am sure hoard evidence would tell us a lot, but that information is not widely disseminated.

If nothing else, the addition of the class will be able to help collectors differentiate what they are buying. I find A2's to be much more pleasing to the eye but are often much more worn than 'A3'.

 

That's a very nice coin, Valentinian. Christ's Head/Face is incredible!

 

Over the past month, I've been fortunate to pick up a few of the "lesser-seen" anonymous folles and I'd love to share them with you all!

Class A1 (the OG):

John I, Ruled 969-976 AD
AE Class A1 Anonymous Follis
Constantinople Mint
Obverse: + EMMANOVHL, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, two pellets in each cross limb, pallium and colobium, holding ornamented Gospels with both hands, to left IC, to right XC.
Reverse: + IhSuS / XRISTuS / bASILEu / bASILE (Jesus Christ King of Kings) in 4 lines.
References: Sear 1793
Size: 25-26mm, 6.02g
Notes: Frequently over-struck on folles of Nicephorus II or Constantine VII.
Ex: Anthony DiDonato Collection

Any help identifying the understrike coin?

​

Class D:

Constantine IX
AE Class D Anonymous Follis
Constantinople Mint, 1042-1055 AD
Obverse: Nimbate figure of Christ Pantokrator seated facing on throne, holding Gospels; barred IC-XC across field.
Reverse: – + -/IS XS/ЬASIL[Є]/ЬASIL/- (crescent) – in five lines.
References: DOC pp. 685-7, Sear 1836
Size: 30mm, 7.4g
Notes: Appears to be overstruck or double struck based on arch from 1 to 3 o’clock on reverse and other areas around edges. They are often overstruck on class C folles attributed to the period of Michel IV (1034-1041 AD).

Class K:

Alexius I Comnenus, Ruled 1081-1118 AD
AE Class K Anonymous Follis
Constantinople Mint, 1085-1092 AD
Obverse: IC-XC to left and right of Christ Pantocrator, nimbate, bust facing, right hand raised, book of gospels in left, all inside border of large dots.
Reverse: MP-ΘV to left and right of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary), three-quarter length figure standing facing, orans,, all inside border of large dots.
References: Sear 1901
Size: 26-29mm, 7.2g
Ex: Barry & Darling Ancient Coins
Notes: Overstruck on Class J follis (I believe?).

​

So that makes: A1, A2, C, D, H, I(x2), K in my collection.

 

That is a very nice Class D. Congrats!

 

I just got a ring light and this was one of the coins I just tried it out on. I am still getting there ( Silver coins way to bright.) I have posted this coin before but I think this photo is much better. Class A2 29mm 12.45gm It is the reverser that really caught me. Just excellent.

 

beautiful coin and photo