Maurice Tiberius follis

Newest pickup and my first Byzantine coin purchase in over a year. Always liked the forward-facing bust coins and really wanted to add a nice one to my collection that was within my poor-man's budget. It's not in hand yet (these are seller's photos). This time around I don't think I'll be abandoning Byzantine coins for another year; I've been eyeing some pretty nice ones lately

Here's a biography on Maurice Tiberius:http://www.unrv.com/bio/mauritius-tiberius.php
(interesting tidbit: his murder helped set off a chain reaction that would lead to the last and most devastating of the Roman-Persian wars, making the area afterwards ripe for the picking for the later Muslim invaders)

Maurice Tiberius (582-602 AD)

Obv: Garbled legend, crowned and mantled bust facing, crown with trefoil pattern, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter
Rev: Large M (40 nummi), with ANNO left, cross above, and regnal year in right field, THEUP in ex, Theopolis (Antioch)
Sear 532

 

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Nice pickup from Theupolis. For those who don't know, they renamed Antioch Theupolis, (City of God), after the rebuilt it after devastating earthquakes in the 6th Century.

 

It's got very attractive detail. I'd be happy to own that piece. What's the size/weight?

 

Looks nice VK. Congrats. :thumb:

 

Great addition. His coins are the types I am most attracted too for some reason.

 

I was actually lucky to buy a large lot of Byzantines once at G&M that contained quite a few of these, (20 or so). The hoard must have been deposited during his reign since they are the newest in the lot, all higher grade, and every one from Theupolis. So, I have a whole bunch of these from Theupolis and not a single coin of his from Constantinople.

Yeah, he was a friend of Khusro II and his murder instigated the major Persian offensive that would have destroyed the Byzantines if not for errors on Khusro's part. But it did weaken both empires so much neither could put up much of a fight against the Arabs.

 

Another winner, Jango ... keep-up the good work!!

 

Thanks guys. Im going to take it a step at a time, getting into Byzantines. I have more of a thing for the earlier coins (Anastasius, Justinian I, MT, etc) so I want to make those the focus of my Byzantine collection.

 

awesome, I already have two coins waiting to impress ...

=> good luck with your new "coin-avenue"

 

Good choice. Early byzantine is very popular, large coins, interesting denominations, and its actually possible to find well struck coins!