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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2524919, member: 19463&quot;]A highlight of the text reverse period was the huge series of Christ type folles many of which are called Anonymous because the name of the emperor does not appear on the coin.&nbsp; There are many &#039;classes&#039; of these coins. This is an A2.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]538814[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Later coins of the gold group are often alloyed with silver producing electrum. They vary greatly in alloy. This also illustrates that many coins showing Christ also show a portrait of the ruler.&nbsp; Here it is Michael VII. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]538815[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Coins of the period in a relatively pure metal were struck flat like this copper of Alexius I.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]538816[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Those alloyed with silver (billon or electrum) tend to be cup shaped).&nbsp; This is Andronicus I.&nbsp; Mary is on the obverse while Christ crowns the ruler on the reverse.[ATTACH=full]538821[/ATTACH] </p><p>Later periods produced scraps of copper with little or no silver.&nbsp; Many were produced by Latin rulers or neighboring Bulgarians.&nbsp; This appears to be a copy of an Alexius III.&nbsp; </p><p>[ATTACH=full]538818[/ATTACH] </p><p>My final Byzantine is a very good silver coin of the next to last emperor John VIII.&nbsp; His brother Constantine IX was eliminated by the Ottoman Mehmed II ending the Byzantine Empire.&nbsp; Constantine&#039;s coins are very rare.&nbsp; </p><p>[ATTACH=full]538819[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>OK, what should I have included to have a good overview of Byzantine?&nbsp; You will note that I made no effort to make this fully informative completely identifying each coin.&nbsp; That would have made this post a book.&nbsp; Feel free to study these coins and decide which ones are needed for your Byzantine collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;Feel free to start other threads to show what would be a solid basis for a collection of other specialties.&nbsp; Can you do yours in just ten coins?&nbsp; I failed here so don&#039;t feel bad if you have trouble.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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