Featured Finally got another sought-after coin

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by ValiantKnight, Nov 2, 2019.

  1. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Marked another white whale off my list, a Rome-mint Justinian follis. I love anything Italian Byzantine (and western Byzantine in general), and getting an example of this type was a must for me, especially to complement the Justinian Rome half-follis I already have. Folles and half-folles from Rome during the Byzantine era are rare and so do not come up for sale often. By some strange twist of fate, three different Rome folles were put up for sale this past September; two were in a CNG auction, while mine popped up on VCoins shortly after. I was hoping to snag the lesser-condition of the two from CNG, but it proved to be a popular one and the price went past what I was able to shell out for it. Fortunately, a few days later after the auction ended, I found out a new Rome/Ravenna Byzantine coin had been listed on VCoins. It turned out to be a Rome-mint follis! So I wasted no time in jumping on it!

    Justinian I, Byzantine Empire
    AE follis
    Obv: D N IVSTINI-ANVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, bust right
    Rev: Large M, cross above, cross to left, star to right, all within wreath
    Mint: Rome
    Mintmark: ROMA (in exergue)
    Date: 537-542 AD
    Ref: SB 293

    justinianromefollisVK.jpg

    Even after the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire in 476, coins continued to be struck at Rome, first with large bronze coins depicting Zeno struck by Odoacer as a symbol of the latter's subordinate status, then with coins struck under the rule of the Ostrogoths. After the start of the Byzantine invasion of Ostrogothic Italy and the restoration of Rome to the (Eastern) Roman Empire, coins continued to be minted, this time under direct Byzantine rule. The bulk of Italian minting went to the provincial capital of Ravenna, but Rome continued to pump out coins even toward the end of Byzantine rule in peninsular Italy (the Exarchate of Ravenna) in the mid-8th century AD. Some minting was continued under Carolingian and papal supervision; of course, these coins are very rare.

    Rome had a tumultuous history during this time, having been first taken by the Byzantines in 537 AD, lost to the Ostrogoths in 546, reoccupied by the Byzantines shortly after, and lost again to the Ostrogoths in 549. It was not until 552 that the Byzantines were able to recapture and hold onto Rome for good (at least for the next two centuries).

    From Wikipedia's article of the history of Rome, descriptions of the state of Rome during the early-mid 6th century AD (the beginning of the so-called "Dark Ages"):

    Despite the switch to Germanic rule, and later, Byzantine rule from Constantinople, the Roman Senate continued to function during this time, although with reduced powers, importance, and prestige. It's last recorded act was in 603 with the approval of statues of Byzantine emperor Phocas and his wife Leontia, and is no longer mentioned after this date; by 630, the Curia Julia had become re-purposed as a church.

    For anyone that might be interested in reading more about this important period in Rome's history, I wholeheartedly recommend The Gothic War: Justinian's Campaign to Reclaim Italy by Torsten Cumberland Jacobsen.

    gothicwartorsten_zpshfraqqce.jpg

    Gothic War, 535-554 AD (in German but pretty easy to follow IMO, except it might be helpful to know Ostromisches Reich=Eastern Roman Empire)

    ErsterundZweiterGotenkriegWikipedia.png

    Feel free to post anything relevant: anything Justinian, Italian/Western Byzantine (incl. Syracuse, Sicily), or Ostrogothic!
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2019
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  3. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Great coin & cool it's from the Rome Mint.

    [​IMG]
    Justinian I (527 - 565 A.D.)
    Æ Follis
    O: DN ISTINI-ANVS PP AVG Helmeted and cuirassed bust of Justinian facing, holding globus cruciger and a shield.
    R: Large M, cross above, ANNO left, regnal year XXXI right, G ( = officina 3 ) below, THEUP in ex.
    Theoupolis - Antiochia
    18.64g
    32mm
    SB 220
     
  4. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Nice late-reign Antioch follis Mat.
     
  5. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Congrats, VK!!
     
  6. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Excellent capture, Mr VK!
     
  7. Deacon Ray

    Deacon Ray Artist & Historian Supporter

    I like the coloring and word ROMA on the reverse is very cool!
     
    TIF likes this.
  8. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Nice, detail and patina are great. Congrats.
     
  9. ancient times

    ancient times Legatus Legionis

    congratulari, realis nice quod
     
  10. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Very nice pick up. I enjoyed the write up and will look for a copy of the book recommendation. Thank you.

    A $15 Justinian I purchased from Valentinian some time ago .. despite its wear and roughness at 33mm these are very cool in hand:
    upload_2019-11-2_17-54-40.png

    Justinian I, AE Follis. Constantinople. 527-565 AD. DN IVSTINIANVS PP AVG, helmeted, cuirassed bust facing holding cross on globe and shield; cross to right / Large M, ANNO to left, cross above, year to right, officina letter below, mintmark CON. Year 34
     
  11. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Here is one of my J-1[​IMG]
    BZ Justinian I 527-565 CE AE Folles 30mm 17g 40 Nummi M monogram
     
  12. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    That is a splendid coin, VK. And a fine write-up too.

    Has anybody read Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp? It is an alternative history of Rome at the time of the Gothic Wars - Wikipedia has an article on it with a rundown of the plot. A c. 1938 American archaeologist finds himself in Rome in the 6th century with nothing but the clothes on his back and a pocketful of Italian money of the Mussolini era. As I recall, his first visit is to a money-changer who goes over his weird coins (nickel!) and makes a deal...alternate history with coins!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lest_Darkness_Fall
     
    panzerman likes this.
  13. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Thanks all for the kind words, coins, and likes!

    I haven’t but it definitely seems like an interesting read. I do wonder sometimes what ancient people would think about modern coins and banknotes. Or digital/electronic currency!
     
    Marsyas Mike likes this.
  14. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    While searching for more Justinian Rome folles to ogle over, I found on an NGC article about post-reform Byzantine bronzes what looks to be a possible obverse die match to my follis. Any thoughts?

    NGC’s coin:

    7010B6AF-9F53-4F39-8748-044384BF3C12.jpeg

    82FF5BB7-1F6D-4FAB-AEC1-5C5D703DF877.jpeg
     
  15. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Looks a die match to me, at the back of his head above his ear second hair strand has a kick in it on both obverses and rest of hairlines in that area match.
     
    ValiantKnight likes this.
  16. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Ancient Aussie likes this.
  17. BenSi

    BenSi Well-Known Member

    Also noted in Wayne Sayles series of Ancient coins, lists this coin from Rome as a masterpiece of byzantine coinage.
    Congratulations!
     
    Paul M. and Ancient Aussie like this.
  18. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Thanks @BenSi ! I can definitely see why; the portrait style on mine and similar ones seem pretty realistic compared to your typical Byzantine coins. It’s funny too, since Justinian’s Rome mint also produced folles towards the other end of the spectrum when it came to the quality of the style, as seen with this example from Wildwinds:

    BE216BE6-ACF7-4633-97A2-D5A58069CF2D.jpeg

    Definitely more amateur in style than mine. Wonder if maybe the good engravers were killed/driven out by the fighting, and the Byzantines had to improvise with those with less experience. And/or possibly the Byzantines simply needed money quick to pay for the troops that took Rome, and as a result had to forgo good quality work. At least, until they had trained/found better engravers to make the higher-quality folles.
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2019
  19. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    Congrats VK, that cool ROMA mint mark is sweet! Here's a Justinian (or maybe Justin?) coin from not the usual Byzantine stomping grounds.

    Capture.JPG

    Justinian I. A.D. 527-565. Pentanummium

    O: DN IVSTINIANS PP AV, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; R: VIC-TOR, Emperor standing facing, head left. holding spear and globe. Cherson mint. SB 197, 18x15 mm, 3.0g
     
  20. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Great addition VK!
     
  21. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Nice addition!
     
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