I don’t always collect Trachea but when I do……….

Trachy or the plural Trachea, harsh words, ugly coin?

These coins were more complex to make, simply because of the two strike process, we have long threads that show off the obscure , hard to attribute examples. I think these threads can be a turn off to a new collector, so I descided to start a thread of the rarer examples, the ones they got it right.


Brief history , the second major Byzantine coin reform occurred under Alexius Comnenus in the 12th century. Cup shaped coins were already a part of Byzantine currency in gold coinage but a major part of the reform was to use the design more commonly, in billion coins. Because of the quaintity the mints produced they very rairly came out perfect, miss matched sides, blundered portraits ( because of the two strike process.) and loss of the beauty of the original design. So don’t get me wrong, many times the misstruck coins are attractive but truthfully most are not.


Now occasionally beautiful examples come to market, days where they just got it right. In this last month I have managed to aquire several of them, all a higher grade,



Manuel I Comnenus. 1143-1180. BI Aspron Trachy (30mm, 5.19 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck circa 1167-1183(?). Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing; no star to either side / Manuel standing facing, holding labarum and being crowned by the Theotokos standing left. DOC 13d; SB 1966. Brown patina. Good VF. CNG Coins



This coin by Alexius is somewhat common for 12th century trachea, it was nice to acquire example of what it was meant to look like.



Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus, 1195-1203. Trachy (Bronze, 27 mm, 2.88 g, 6 h), Constantinople, 1195-1197. Bust of Christ Pantocrator facing, raising right hand in benediction and holding scroll in left. Rev. Alexius and St. Constantine standing facing, holding between them globus cruciger, and each holding a labarum. DOC 3. SB 2011. Dark patina. Extremely fine. Nomos


Now my last example is a bit of a treasure for me, I have the smaller version with some beauty but this one really an example worth winning.


Latin Rulers of Constantinople, 1204-1261. Trachy (Billon, 22 mm, 3.10 g, 6 h), Constantinople. IC - XC Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator. Rev. Archangel Michael standing facing, holding lis-tipped scepter in right hand and globus cruciger in left. DOC 16. SB 2036. Exceptionally well centered and struck. Extremely fine. Nomos



If you have a good example of trachy from any time period, any metal, please share it.

Thanks for looking.

 

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@BenSi, hearty congratulations on getting more than one of these, at one throw. The reverse legends on the first two made me sit up in my chair.
...But, yeah, they're all great. This is a repost, maybe from Medieval Monday (without much in the way of context), but it's an example of your Latin issue --with cordial thanks for the Dumbarton Oaks reference. (No less thanks to you, if memory serves, the DOC website is bookmarked, and all but the biggest .pdfs of the catalogue are downloaded --although that might've included the operant volume. ...It would be great to see what it has in the way of variants, starting with this issue.)
...Back to reverse legends, that was the selling point on this Latin one, imitating Manuel I.

 

I like this Andronicus due to the high grade, nearly as-struck, complete with high silver and flow lines. Gorgeous!

 

Love these. Have just purchased three different references on Byzantine coins (Sear, Whitting, Grierson) so that I can start collecting in a more knowledgeable/serious way.

 

Wow, those are exceptional!

 

Nice trachys all! Great pick ups @BenSi !

 

I don't collect these, but every now and then, one has appeared in my collection. Usually the ones that appear are examples where they got it right - yours are wonderful examples @BenSi

Manuel I Comnenus, 1143-1180, BI trachy (31 mm, 3.78g, 6 h), Constantinople mint
Obv: MP-ΘV, the Virgin Mary, enthroned facing, nimbate and wearing pallium and maphorium. She holds nimbate head of infant Christ before her
Rev: MANOVHΛ ΔECΠOTHC, Manuel standing facing, wearing crown, chlamys and divitision, holding labarum and patriarchal cross on globe
Ref: DOC 12

 

One of my favorite these days Ae18x17mm 0.98g

 

Really nice group...I guess I need to get busy with my camera. Too many unprocessed coins in my folders.

 

Sorry guys and gal's, I hit the wrong button. I'll finish and republish.

 

Been all of there, done all of that. :<}