Greetings folks, Just came into possession of a smattering of Byzantine bronze coins, all fairly large, and was hoping I could get some help identifying them. Also, I’d love to know what sort of value they carry. These were part of a large random lot of old coins I purchased. thanks!
https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sb/i.html I'm a bit rusty on the anonymous folles series. You'll find the answers at this link. Look under the 1700s-1800s numbers; the 970s to 1050s A.D. Actually, that might answer all of them. Per the ones I could name, the bottom one seems to be a corroded Heraclius. The mint looks to be Th[eup] (Antioch) and Year 9? But 9 would make no sense for Antioch, as it was occupied by the Persians. I believe there were some obscure Heraclius coins with Theup mintmarks. It sure looks like a T to me. I'd have to see if the Theopolis (Antioch) mint had an uppercase H or lowercase h, but I can't find the reference which had plates of the enigmatic Heraclius Theopolis coins. Perhaps someone with better eyes could chime in? The next to bottom one (the one with the bucket head) is either Heraclius or Maurice Tiberius, Nikomedia mint. I never cared much for Nikomedia's style, so I have very little experience with those to nail it down. Every one but the last two ones, $2-4? Next to bottom coin, maybe $10-ish? If I'm misreading a T on the heraclius two figure type at the bottom, it might be Nikomedia.
The coin's corroded and my eyes aren't great, but that looks like a year 6on the next to last one? So if so, it would be Maurice.
The link @nerosmyfavorite68 posted is a good resource. I used that website when identifying mine: Byzantine Empire Basil II and Constantine VIII, 976-1025 AD Anonymous Follis - Class A2 Constantinople Mint 10.75 grams 30 mm SBCV 1813 Facing bust of Christ holding the Gospels. Description: "Jesus Christ, King of Kings"
Your first coin is a folis of Constantine X Ducas and Eudocia, 1059-1067, similar to this crusty and worn/corroded example: S 1853 5.00 grams The second coin looks like an anonymous of Romanus III or Michael IV, 1028-1041, Class B, similar to this example: The third and fourth folles are anonymous ones of Class A but I cannot determine whether they're A1, A2 or A3 given the wear and flatness. One way to make a fairly accurate guess is based on the weight of the coins. Class A1 folles of John I are rather small and often struck over folles of Nicephorus II or Constantine VII. They also lack the ornamentation of the A2 and A3 folles. The Class A2 folles of Basil II and Constantine VIII are larger and have ornaments on the reverse above and below the legend when visible. Class A3 folles of Basil II and Constantine VIII are smaller than the Class A2 folles, generally speaking, and they too have ornaments on the reverse. Here's a Class A2 anonymous follis of Basil II and Constantine VIII: The fifth follis is a bit of head scratcher. I think it is either a follis of Tiberius II Constantine or Maurice Tiberius wearing a helmet and cuirass. The mint appears to be Nicomedia. Here's a follis of Maurice Tiberius, Cyzicus, RY 8, 590/91: 11.9 grams And Tiberius II Constantine, a 30 nummi (three-quarters follis) of Cyzicus: 12.1 grams The last coin looks like a follis of Justin II and Sophia. I thought it might be a follis of Phocas, but I am leaning more towards Justin II and Sophia. Here are a couple of examples: Constantinople, RY 1 Antioch, RY 9 (a little shiny due to treatment with Verdicare) 11.28 grams One more, with Justin II alone, RY 1, Antioch. 15.8 grams Here's a link that you might find useful, for the anonymous folles: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=anonymous follis
The two figures on the obverse of the last follis appear to be seated. Heraclius folles have two figures, Heraclius and his son, but as far as I know they are always depicted standing on his folles issued a few years after he seized the throne from Phocas. His folles in the first few years of his reign were portrait types with him alone on the obverses, as shown below: Constantinople, RY 3
