Have to admit I like the larger coins, and that usually lands into the Byzantine era. So I managed to get this from @Valentinian a little while ago. Now I constantly find myself searching for good Byzantine coins. Michael II and Theophilus, Follis Constantinople 820-829 AD. / AE28 , 8.12g O: mIXHAL S ThEOFILOS, Michael with crown and chlamys, short beard, on left and Theophilus with crown and loros, no beard, on right. Busts facing, cross between their heads R: Large M, XXX left, cross above, NNN right and theta below SB 1642
Oh that an awesome byzantine coin IR...al large coin with the facing busts like this is high on my list. this little thing is the closest i have, it's pretty decent for the type...but not nearly as nice as one like yours. Byzantine Empire. Constantine V with Leo IV. Æ Follis. 751-775 AD O: Constantine V and Leo VI. R: Leo III. 20x16 mm, 2.0g, Syracuse mint. SB 1569
Here is one of Theophilus alone: Theophilus, 829-842 28 mm. 7.87 grams. Sear 1666 ΘE-O FIL bASIL "These are the last Constantinopolitan folles to bear the traditional mark of value for this denomination -- M" Sear p. 275 The sides that used to give the date in the format "ANNO" down the left and the regnal year in Roman numerals on the right now have "XXX" and "NNN" in a meaningless immobilization of the type. It is interesting that we spell his name "Theophilus" when he spelled it, on coins, with an F instead of phi for our "ph".
That is a very nice coin @icerain , the condition exceeds the typical ones you normally find. Congrats, consider yourself lucky . Here is my specimen that I was lucky to pickup a while ago along with some other Michael/Theophilus coins from my collection: Byzantine Empire: Michael II the Amorian (821-829 CE) Æ Follis, Constantinople (Sear-1642; DOC-9) Obv: Crowned facing busts of Michael, wearing chlamys, and Theophilus, wearing loros; cross above Rev: Large M; cross above, X/X/X to left, N/N/N to right, Θ below Byzantine Empire: Michael II the Amorian (820-829) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear-1652; DOC 21; Anastasi 513) Obv: Two busts facing, Michael on left, bearded, wearing chlamys and crown with cross, Theophilus on right, beardless, wearing loros and crown with cross Rev: Large M; cross above, Θ below Byzantine Empire: Theophilus (829-842) AE Follis, Constantinople (Sear-1667) Obv: ΘEOFIL bASIL Three-quarter length figure facing, wearing loros and crown surmounted by tufa, holding labarum and globus cruciger. Rev: + ΘEOFILE AVGOVSTE SV hICAS. Legend in 4 lines. Byzantine Empire: Theophilus (829-842) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear-1681) Obv: Crowned bust facing, wearing loros holding globus cruciger Rev: Large M; X/X/X to left, cross above, N/N/N to right, Ө below Byzantine Empire: Theophilus (829-842) Æ Follis, Syracuse (Sear-1680; DOC 29c; Anastasi 555 bis) Obv: ΘΟ FILOS; Theophilus facing, bearded, wearing loros and crown with cross, holding in right hand cross potent on base Rev: +MΙΧAΗL S CONSt; Two busts facing, Michael on left, bearded, Constantine on right, smaller, beardless, each wearing chlamys and crown with cross; Above heads, ✶
Those are some awesome looking Byzantines. Would love to add more in those condition to my collection, but they are not easy to find in those grades and they do get expensive too.
My examples which are of lower grade than those of Guant.Geek: Michael II, Syracuse, Sear 1652: Theophilus, Sear 1667:
