Dumbarton Oaks Collection Online

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Milesofwho, Jul 22, 2019.

  1. Milesofwho

    Milesofwho Omnivorous collector

    Today, Dumbarton Oaks’s Online Catalogue of Byzantine Coins launched. This makes me very happy! I had heard that the catalogues would be updated, but this is everything I could want when researching such a large collection. Anybody else have any thoughts on this?
     
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  3. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Thanks for the link.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2019
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  4. PlanoSteve

    PlanoSteve Well-Known Member

    Wow, that looks like an awesome resource. And I would say great pics!
     
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  5. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Very cool. And the museum isn't too far away from me. Perhaps a visit is in order :)
     
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  6. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I have a few issues with my first visit based on a couple 'test' searches that found a lot less than I hoped. The photos of the two sides were separate large (4000x4000). They had 18 coins of Justinian II (my first search) with a few coins of other rulers that were not from the search parameters.
    https://www.doaks.org/resources/coins/catalogue#b_start=0&c6=justinian+ii
    I have one that was a rough match of one of theirs. Their coin was rather low grade but the photo was excellent and too large to show here.
    https://www.doaks.org/resources/coins/catalogue/bzc-1974-5.16/@@images/image/zoom

    https://www.doaks.org/resources/coins/catalogue/bzc-1974-5.16/@@images/reverse_image/zoom

    This is mine but year 2 compared to their year 8.
    rz0405fd3398.jpg

    OBVERSE
    Frontal bust of Justinian II wearing chlamys and crown with cross on circlet. Globus cruciger in right hand. No inscription.


    REVERSE
     with cross above, Γ below, N|N|O in left field, and H in right field.

    ACCESSION NUMBER BZC.1974.5.16
    RULER Justinian II
    DATE OF REIGN 685–695, 705–711
    METAL Copper
    DENOMINATION Half Follis
    MINT Constantinople
    DATE 691/692
    DIAMETER 22.0 mm
    WEIGHT 4.34 g
    RELATION OF DIES 12:00
    SHAPE Flat

    COMMENTARY
    This coin was struck on a triangular flan. Cf. DOC 2.2:586, no. 24.

    MIB 3:265, no. 47 (citing this coin as DO [n.a.]).

    ACQUISITION HISTORY
    From Henry Weller, 19 April 1974

    I was surprised they mentioned the triangular flan but did not see fit to mention it was a cut quarter of an earlier follis. A second search for Justinian I half follis did turn up one with a follis size obverse die which was commented upon. Excellent! It will take a while to warm up to their decision to show only obverses on their search results page but I applaud any museum willing to post anything. You can download electronic versions of the printed DO catalogs which seems like the better option here. Perhaps thing will go better with practice using the search facilities.

    We enjoyed our visit years ago. Then they had few coins on display but the grounds were beautiful and worth the trip across town.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2019
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  7. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    That is a really interesting coin @dougsmit! I have been listening to The History of Byzantium podcast on my way to/from work and around the house doing chores. I'm just past the reign of Irene...I have found myself drawn to Byzantine coins lately but I find the research to be quite daunting.

    Maybe the family and I will take a trip down there in the fall when the weather cools off a bit. Too hot and humid right now.
     
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  8. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I recommend Byzantine AE to you. It is an area where a person with a clue can find treasures in a junk box. There are high grade, popular common coins but there are others (mostly later) that are small, ugly, super rare and a challenge to ID. Of course my favorites are the messy overstrikes.
    rz0335fd2410.jpg
     
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  9. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Wow those are a hot mess! Very cool :)
    I am hoping that someone will have a junk box at the Baltimore show in November that FFIVN and I can dig through.
     
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  10. BenSi

    BenSi Well-Known Member

    Your right, they need more examples.

    This coin has been sold for years as Richard the Lionheart based on where they were found. It has had a few stories in the past associating it with other rulers.

    This catalog has it as uncertain ruler. I am not surprised.

    https://www.doaks.org/resources/coins/catalogue/BZC.2015.007
     
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  11. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Looks like they have only uploaded the types they've acquired since the print volumes came out, but plan to add the whole collection eventually. I look forward to that, because the photos are a lot better than in the pdfs. (Agreed that we need to see the reverses in the search results.)

    Screen Shot 2019-07-23 at 9.25.17 PM.jpg
    Constantine IV decanummium overstruck on a Constans II follis - oh those wacky Byzantine bronzes! :D
     
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  12. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    The strength of the strike of the overtype suggests we would not see anything here had the centering been correct. Many overstuck coins go unnoticed because the mint workers did their job correctly at least on occasion. This is a wonderful coin from a Constans point of view on the obverse. Imagine what we would have had if the Constantine portrait were rotated so we could see his face. As is, it is a great coin. We must watch for the upgrade version.
     
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  13. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Thanks, @dougsmit. Yes, if only the obverse were rotated! I like it that the undertype (SB 1014) has portraits on the reverse too, including Constantine IV in the middle. (Not my coin, though I should get one):
    Screen Shot 2019-07-24 at 9.27.29 AM.jpg

    Here's the missing face from on top (SB 1182, also not my coin):

    Screen Shot 2019-07-24 at 9.31.20 AM.jpg
     
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