Hi all! I've been trying to ID this coin I saw online recently. It seems to be either an LRB or early Byzantine, with text on the reverse that appears to read I+B / AAES I've been trying to get better at identifying late roman coins, but this one has me stumped. I can't find anything similar on Google or acsearch. Can anyone help? Thanks!
I'm not a Ancient coin specialist but looking outside the box, It looks like a fake to me . JMO . Sal
This is a Byzantine nummus. The letters above the line on the reverse mark this as a 12-nummi piece (I+B, meaning 10 + 2). The letters under the line indicate that it was minted in Alexandria. It was minted in the name of Justinian I, who reigned from 527 - 565 A.D. If you go to Wildwinds' Justinian I page and scroll down to SB 247 (Sear, Byzantine Coins), #247, you can see another example of your coin.
I agree with gsimonel but can't discern enough of the obverse legend to see if it is from Justinian I or Justin II. Larger/higher resolution images might help. http://labarum.info/lbr/show.php?coin=3890 I have a Justin II 12 nummi that was part of a large group lot. Justin II, CE 565-578 AE 12 nummi, 14 mm, 2.9 gm. Alexandria Obv: DN IVSTNVS PP AV, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right Rev: Large I-cross-B, mintmark ALEZ. Ref: SB 389, DOC 188
