I don't add Byzantine coins to my collection as I would like too. Here is a new one of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (913-959 A.D.) Æ Follis O: RWMAN bASILEVS RWM; Crowned, bearded, facing bust of Romanus, wearing chlamys, holding labarum and cross on globe. R: RWMA - N EN QEW bA - SILEVS RW-MAIWN; Legend in four lines. Constantinople Mint 3.56g 25mm Sear 1760; DOC 25
Hate to break it to you, but the attribution is not correct. Its actually Constantine VII with Romanus: Byzantine Empire: Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (913-959) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1760; DOC 25) Obv: RWMAN bASILEVS RWM; Crowned, bearded, facing bust of Romanus, wearing chlamys, holding labarum and cross on globe Rev: RWMA - N EN QEW bA - SILEVS RW-MAIWN; Legend in four lines Here is a coin of Nicepohorus II Phocas: Byzantine Empire: Nicephorus II Phocas (963-969) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear 1782; DOC 8) Obv: +ҺICIFRb ASILЄVRШ; Crowned bust of Nicephorus II facing, bearded, wearing robe with V-shaped opening and crown with cross and pendilia; in right hand, cross scepter; in left, globus surmounted by trefoil Rev: +ҺICHF / ЄҺΘЄШbA / SILЄVRШ / MAIШҺ in four lines Dim: 23.5mm, 6.03g, 6h
Not Constantine VII either since the portrait+ Legends only name/depict Romanus I. + Constantine VII was only a junior emperor at the time. Here is a coin of mine with Constantine VII, (over-struck on your coin type of Romanus) + My Romanus I coin. Obverse: + RωMAN’ bASILЄVS RωM’ (“Romanus, King of the Romans”) Reverse: + RωMA / N’ ЄN ΘЄΟ bA / SILЄVS Rω / MAIωN (“Romanus, by the grace of God, King of the Romans”)
The story of the OP type is told here: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Byz/ConVII.html Read it and you will see why coins of Romanus I are sometimes attributed to Constantine VII, even though their legend references only Romanus. Romanus I ruled 920-944, inside the reign of Constantine VII (913-959). The site explains how this happened. The OP coin is best attributed to Romanus I. Here is a Constantine VII: Here is a Romanus I: These are discussed on that web page, so I will not discuss them more here. http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Byz/ConVII.html
I love this period of Byzantine history as well as the coins. Constantine VII with Zoe Romanus II Constantine VII alone Nicephorus II Focas
Bringing this back to light. Just got one of these at the fun show, does anyone know what the reverse translation is?
That one and the Nicephorus are far nicer than usual. Most are badly overstruck. They are all really nice coins.
Is this what you mean by badly? My other coin of this period was selected not for the rulers but as my only gold over silver plated coin.
My solidus is more real than Doug's, but.... BYZANTINE EMPIRE, Constantine VII Porphrogenitus & Romanus II AV Solidus, clipped and ex-jewelry. 1.22g, 9.6mm. Constantinople mint, AD 945-959. Sear 1751; DOC 15. O: [+IhS XPS RЄX RЄGNANƮIUM], bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction and holding Book of Gospels in left hand. R: [CONSƮANƮ CЄ ROMAN AVGG], facing busts of of Constantine VII, with short beard and wearing loros on left, and Romanus II, beardless and wearing chlamys on right, both crowned and holding between them long patriarchal cross. Notes: Clipped down into a small medallion showing the face of Christ. Possibly worn in antiquity as a pendant or earring.
I meant this: The type is of Constantine VII, 913-959. This type was issued from 945 to c. 950. 27 mm. 6.14 grams. Facing bust of Constantine VII, holding globus cruciger in left hand CONST bA - S ... around ["N" looks like "h" on all of these coins] Four line reverse legend: CONST/ENOЄbA/SILЄVSR/ROMЄON Romanus I, Sear 1760Sear 1761. In one way it's good--the undertype can be determined (Romanus I, Sear 1760). On the other hand, if I want a nice clear piece of Constantine VII alone, and I do, this coin of mine will not serve.
Coin collectors regularly bump heads over the relative conditions of their coins but, with Byzantines, the winner can be the worst. There is a certain satisfaction to being able to recognize what happened to create some of these coins. It is a little like those Ugly Dog contests.
