I think I am Finished with this Byzantine

Below is a Byzantine that I can't get much better. I think it is Justin II with Mint Mark TES SB 365. Am I close? And, am I being a pest?

 

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I know nothing about ancients, but I think you should continue if you wish. I'm curious how the coin turns out.

 

Thanks Robert. I don't think I can do any more without harming it.

 

Get opinions from the wizards?

 

Hey, you ancient coin people! How about some advice?

 

They will come along soon enough. I have been working them overtime today.

 

I don't know if you can improve upon what you've got. I do see that it is a 20-nummi piece (half follis). I think you are right about the mintmark which narrows it down a lot. But to be honest I can't determine who the portrait is.

 

I picked Justin II because it was the only one with a very similar configuration. I can't tell for sure either. Thanks for the feedback.

 

I think you've gotten it as clean as possible, and I agree with you that any additional cleaning might harm it.

 

Then you should stop cleaning post haste, cease and desist, shut off the power to the Dremel Tool, put all cleaning agents aside, step away with your hands in your pockets and have your wife put the coin away.

 

Well...yeah, but why stop your modus operandi now?

 

IMHO I would pass this coin. When purchasing ancient coins, especially Byzantine, I look for fine enough or even medium condition. Then I try to figure which one is scarce or lacking from my collection.

 

I'm sure that nobody would buy the subject coin. What I post is my project results. I get uncleaned and, as much as possible, unrecognizable. Then I clean them and attempt to ID them. When that is finished I log them and put them in my albums. They are intended to be in my collection forever.

 

In that condition, it is hard to tell but I would say it is a Maurice Tiberius Half Follis. What is left on the obverse doesn't look like the Justin II types

 

Thanks for the lead and welcome to Coin Talk.

 

Thanks! A trick I use for worn trachys is to view them under low light at an angle. Often times the harsher lights will wash away details barely left on the coin. You might want to try that and see if you can't make out a few letters on the obverse.

 

Thanks. This coin has the M on the reverse. Right of the M in vertical in X over X over III. I can't find any like that.

 

Very sorry. I think I was looking at the wrong coin. Let me regroup and get back to you guys.

 

The half-follis, with Justin II and Sophia seated, is pretty easy coin to buy in decent grade, but it seems that OP coin is the facing portrait type of Justin II, which I think is much more difficult to locate in mid grade.

This is the more common seated type, recently purchased, December 2020, at $7.50:

Justin II and Sophia, half-follis, Reginal Year 10, Thessalonica Mint, Sear 366, MIB 70.

5.61 grams.