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Message:: [QUOTE="Valentinian, post: 2848337, member: 44316"]Byzantine copper coins are often overstruck on previous coin types and the quality control was often so bad that the undertype can be identified, which then determines their chronological order. Evidence of this type was critical for putting the "anonymous bronze" in relative order. But, the phenomenon is common on earlier issues too. Sear, in Byzantine Coins and Their Values, often notes that certain types are commonly found overstruck on certain earlier types. [ATTACH=full]675471[/ATTACH] This a a follis of Nicephorus II, 963-969 overstruck on a follis of Constantine VII, 913-959. Sear 1782 on Sear 1761. The obverse type is Nicephorus II facing holding labarum and globus cruciger with legend nICIFR .. around. The reverse is a legend in four lines: +nICHF/EnΘEWbA/SILEVSRW/MAIWn.  On this example the bottom three lines are there and the top line is not. On the obverse you can see the lettering of the reverse undertype  at 7:30 - 4:30. Since Byzantine copper regularly has a 6:00 die axis, you can use that fact to flip it over and find the orientation of the other side.[ATTACH=full]675472[/ATTACH] Here is it rotated 90 degrees and the sides reversed. Now you can see, beginning at 7:00, the legend +CONST... and a bit of the bust type (the right shoulder of Constantine VII, and his globus cruciger at 9:00). The beginning and the end of the reverse undertype legend shows:+COnST'/EnΘEWbA/SILEVSR/OMEOn  (Bold indicates letters you can make out. Dumbarton Oaks says the undertype was from c. 945-950 and the overstrike from 963-969. DO Nicephorus II 8 over DO Constantine VII 26. Show us any Byzantine overstrikes you have where the undertype can be identified.[/QUOTE]

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