Got Jesus?

Just received this Byzantine anonymous Jesus follis as a gift from a good and generous forum member. If you are reading this I just want to say, you rock! Thanks again!

Haven't really looked at the history/reasoning behind these yet but basically during this time in Byzantine numismatic history, the traditional imperial portrait on the obverse of Byzantine bronze folles was replaced by a depiction of Jesus, and His title of "King of Kings" was put on the reverse.


Under joint reign of Basil II and Constantine VIII, Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire
AE follis
Obv: +EMMANOVHL, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger ornamented in each limb of cross, pallium and colobium, holding Gospels in both hands, IC to left, XC to right
Rev: +IhSuS / XRISTuS / bASILEu / bASILE, ornamentation in top and bottom
Mint: Constantinople (struck 976-1025 AD)
Ref: SB 1813



Byzantine Empire around 1000 AD:

 

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Great new addition, Jango ...

=> wow, that was certainly a nice gesture by that forum member (well played)

 

Great addition and certainly the best price for the example!!! Congrats and Congrats to the mystery member. Everyone needs Jesus....on a coin.

 

Here is my Class A1 AD 969-976.

 

Wonderful gift VK.

 

Cool coin, and the price was right.

 

Thanks for the comments all!

 

http://home.comcast.net/~wdaehn/TCACC/OtherDocs/AnonByzBronze.pdf

Here is a link to a paper I wrote on Anonymous Bronzes for my coin club if interested.

 

Praisin' Jesus!! for the coin. Congrats.

 

Here is a 13th Century historic medieval Venetian coin (grosso). The reverse depicts the image of Jesus Christ seated on a throne.


The obverse depicts Doge (Jacopo Contarini) together with the Venetian city’s Saint Mark. The Doge is on the left receiving a tall flag from St. Mark on the right.

 

Awesome coin Jeff, i have Jesus coins in,

Gold..




Silver wash..



Bronze..

 

Nice coins guys! Love the gold especially Eng.

I also have this type, except mine is in the name of Doge Ranieri Zeno:

 

There has always been dispute in the Christian religion over the appropriate (or not) depiction of God or Jesus. Remember the Jews did not show images of people in their art let alone God and avoided using his name in most ways. The idea of placing the face of Christ on the coins was at least controversial and ranged from rulers who did not to those who issued these anonymous coins.

My favorite Christ coin is my John VIII silver. John was the next to last Byzantine ruler and the last one with coins I could afford. Constantine XI coins are super rare and very pricey.

 

Yeah, I believe there are like 22 known. At one time Harlan Berk, (and Bank Leu whom he bought them from), owned all but one of them. Before about 1970 there was only one coin known from that ruler.

 

Hello. On the eve of Maundy Thursday, I have but only these two dear and poor coins to show. hope to have the Spirit of Jesus in my heart.

 

Whats really impressive is the amount of legend on your coin Doug!!! Kudos to you! Is your coin the whole unit or the half unit?

 

That's a fantastic example Doug.

 

It is the larger stavraton or half hyperpyron and has the name John quite clear at the top of the John side. It came from Stacks years ago when I was willing to pay extra for such things. I am personally of the opinion that coins like this should be priced by details like which parts of the legend are readable rather than how little wear they have. Mine is not the best I have seen but is better than many.

 

Well okay, if you guys insist ...

=> man, I never miss an opportunity to show-off my junk!!



FLASH!!

 

Hey, AN, what is the diameter (and weight) of your Class A1 follis? I ask because A1 looks essentially identical to A2 but is significantly smaller and lighter. (The key difference is the lack of ornaments above and below the reverse legend.) When someone on eBay says his coin is A1 the chances are good it is really the commoner A2. Yours is missing the entire first line (IhSUS) of the reverse legend, so I bet your flan is small.

I wish members would include at least the diameter when they show us a coin. Unless you know a coin type well, it is hard to tell the size of a coin from a photo alone.



This Class A1 example is 24-22 mm and only 5.74 grams, lighter than A2 examples (I have one A2 example at 19.76 grams! However, 8 grams is not uncommon). Note the ornament below the legend on Steve's example above (and the same ornament would appear above were it not off the flan), and the lack of ornaments on this Class A1 example.