Byzantine copper coins are often overstruck on previous Byzantine copper coins. Often the undertype is almost obliterated and only traces remain. But remarkably often the undertype can be made out. Here is a coin that was overstruck twice and all three types can be identified. (Skip the rest if all you like is beautiful high-grade Greek silver.) The coin is of Heraclius, 610-641, DO 76, struck year 3 = 613 AD (II over I, on the right of the reverse). These first two images are oriented so the the obverse and reverse are right side up. The reverse should have a big "M" of which only the right side vertical bar is clear, but the II over I to the right is clear. So it the chi-ro normally between the top V strokes of the M. The obverse has narrow full-length figures of Heraclius on the left and his son (smaller) on the right with a + between their heads. Lettering between is often blundered but should include "hER" and this one might. Sear 805. (The Sear plate coin is also obviously overstruck, but not in a complicated way.) When a Byzantine coin is badly overstruck, it is helpful to keep in mind that Byzantine die axes are usually 6:00. So, to find the strike opposite an identifiable strike, flip it over top to bottom (that is, pivot on the 3:00 to 9:00 axis) and you are likely to be able to see the other side right side up. If you take the obverse photo and treat 5:00 as the top you get this: Wow! It looks a lot different. Now there is a large single head facing with a pointed beard. The letters just to the left seem to say FOC.. . He is holding a very long globus cruciger (cross on a globe) in his left hand (the coin's right side). The reverse (again flipped so the bottom of the obverse is the top of the reverse) clearly shows XXXX year V = 5, and a bit of the horizontal "ANNO" above it (the final "NO") and maybe some of the mintmark in exergue: NIK(?). [I am uncertain about the mintmark.] It is clearly Focas (Phocas), 602-610. Sear 640 (if Constantiople, 658 if Nikomedia). (The plate coins is also overstruck. You can see some undertype lettering from 1:00-2:00 on the reverse.) Now, look at 5:00 on that reverse photo above. See the + (cross) at the edge? Turn that upright and flip the coin as described: Now at 12:00 on the former reverse we can see the + and below it the top of a crowned facing bust with "RIC" to the left (from MAVRIC) and "TIb" to the right. Maurice Tiberius! 582-602 AD. (DO 41 or 44, Sear 494 but with cross above the head). Perhaps two vertical strokes of the narrow reverse "M" are visible on the reverse. So, it has three identifiable strikes. Do I see another, larger, head just to the left of and behind the small head of Heraclius in the first photo? Well, the "nose" is really just one of the pendilia (dangling things) from the head-decoration of Heraclius, so it is not a nose. Trying hard to see something, it almost looks like a 1/2 length broad-shouldered emperor could be depicted. But, the three certain strikes have garbled the image so much I can't make out anything else that would belong to a potential fourth strike. I call it a triple strike, Maurice first, Focas on top of that, and Heraclius , most recent, on top of that. Pretty neat!
WOW, great detecting work. I like to see how coins were re-purposed. You are right, I can see the bust in your second set of pictures. You can see Hercules in this view and Roma when rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
A rarity is a Heraclius not struck on something else. Some may have been struck well enough to erase the whole undertype design but I suspect many that look clean really had an undertype. I have shown this several times before but repeat it here for new folks. On the obverse, Heracilus and son appear horizontally with heads to the right and cross between. Upright is the facing bust of Phocas with letters OCAS just to its left. The F of FOCAS lost to the b of TIb at 9 o'clock which is odly more bold than some of the later strike details. I can not prove to my satisfaction whether that TIb belonged to Tiberius Constantine or Maurice Tiberius but I suspect my coin is a brother of Valentinian's triple. My reverses show two Constantinople mintmarks. The Heraclius coin has a large M (top to right) while the Phocas had XXXX of which the bottoms of a couple letters show. The Heraclius strike contributed ANNO at the top now but there is a u just right of Phocas' XXXX indicating his coin was a year five unless some I's got erased in the later use. I can not identify anything on the reverse from the first strike. I love overstrikes when you can read the under. Some dealers charge extra while others consider them defective coins and give a discount. Opinions do vary.
pretty sweet ... yah, I'm a huge fan of over-strikes (congrats on a cool coin) Mentor => man, your coin rocks!!
That is very cool, Warren. Great work on figuring that out. I also love over strikes and counter marks. John
