ewomack

I have not pressed the "purchase" button on another coin at this time, so no new coins are on their way to me (which is usually the case when I post here). Given that, this Justinian II Follis from the rambunctious 8th century still remains my latest ancient. This one is pretty rough, and I deliberated about buying it for a long time. What remains of the portrait of Justinian II on the left eventually made me take the leap. It looks much better in hand, though its flaws become very obvious when magnified. In the end, it was affordable and extended my Byzantine pile from Anastasius I up to the second reign of Justinian II, or from 491 to 711. For those who don't know the story of Justinian II, it's a fascinating one. He ruled from 685 to 695, was overthrown, had his nose slit, then plotted revenge, returned to Constantinople through a water pipe, and retook the throne in 705. Supposedly he wore a golden nose over his slit nose when he returned. His obsession with revenge turned into a reign of terror and he was overthrown in 711. This was all part of the "Twenty Years Anarchy" that threw the Byzantine empire into quite a tizzy. Brutal, but fascinating. Justinian II (705-711), second reign, Æ Follis, Constantinople, Obv: Legend obscure, crowned facing busts of Justinian and Tiberius, each wearing chlamys and holding patriarcal cross set on globe inscribed PAX; Rev: Large M, cross above, Γ below, CON in exergue; 19-20mm, 3.81g; Berk-806, MIB-43, DO-12c, Sear 1428

Wow, @Jims,Coins, you were in Sardis during the same excavations mentioned in the book. Did you see any digs? Did you see anything come out of the ground? It would be fascinating if you still had some coins from that visit.

The Great Intoxication... coins? Along with a few examples that intoxicate me. Pisidia; Selge; c. 250 - 190 BCE; AR Obol; 0.89 grams; Obv: Facing gorgeoneion; Rev: Helmented head of Athena right, astragalos to left; SNG Ashmolean 1546 - 50, SNG BN 1948-54 Marcus Aurelius. AR Denarius. Struck 161/2 AD. M ANTONINVS AVG, bare head right / CONCORD AVG TR P XVII, COS III in exergue, Concordia seated left, holding patera, resting left elbow on statuette of Spes set on base. 18mm 3.4gm Romanus I Lacapenus (920 - 944); Constantinople Æ Follis; Obv: +RwMAN bAS-ILEVS Rwm’ Facing bust of Romanus I, bearded, wearing crown and jeweled chlamys, and holding labarum and globus cruciger; Rev: +RwMA/N’ENΘEwbA/SILEVSRw/MAIwN; 27mm, 8.09g, 6h; R.1886-8, Sear 1760

Archaeological Exploration of Sardis: Byzantine Coins, Monograph I, by George E. Bates, Harvard University Press, 1971 Coins In Action Archaeological studies give a fascinating glimpse of coins in action and their historical value in the field. Plus, they describe what can happen to long buried coins and the general location and situation of the coins found. This 1971 publication records the results of excavations at the ancient city of Sardis, located in modern western Turkey, from 1958 to 1968. Though the team uncovered more than Byzantine coins, this volume focuses exclusively on that era. Later monographs apparently included earlier finds. The excavation catalogued 1,234 Byzantine coins in total, but noted that many beyond that number disintegrated upon handling or cleaning. This may seem less surprising after the author points out that the "rather drastic" cleaning involved caustic soda and zinc pellets and "not the sort normally employed with museum specimens." Many of the recovered specimens included illegible areas, sometimes making exact attribution difficult. Regardless, enough examples remained attributable to determine dates of Byzantine coinage at the site spanning from 491 to 1282. The vast majority of finds (80%) dated during or prior to the Emperor Heraclius (610 - 641) and regnal years on certain coin types helped identify 616 as a significant date in the city's history. The text theorizes an overthrow and destruction of Sardis around that date, possibly by Persian armies (subsequent studies may have turned up new information). Since this text appeared prior to the Sear catalog, most references point to Dumbarton Oaks or other sources available at the time. One of the types mentioned above appears in the 121 plates in an appendix. The plates show photos of plaster casts rather than actual coins because, according to the author, direct photographs of coins rarely show enough detail (this may reflect the book's age). The type that led to the 616 date resembles a Sear 806, seems decently preserved, and shows a regnal year of 6. These types provided the latest known date examples before a large date gap occurs in the finds. This gap extends for at least a quarter century. Since the city mostly fell into ruins presumably around 616, and the team found no signs of rebuilding, the later coin finds may have originated from troop encampments or road workers. A few local settlements also appeared around the city in later centuries, but none of them seemed to have rebuilt or re-established Sardis as a city. Ultimately, legible examples of that specific Heraclius coin type helped establish the probable date of the city's final downfall. The entire collection includes examples dating from Anastasius I (491 - 518) to Michael VIII (1261 - 1282). Most of the examples came from the Constantinople, Thessalonica, Nicomedia, and Cyzicus mints. A very small number came from Carthage, Numidia, and Rome. Just about every known denomination also appears: Follis, half-follis, Decanummium, Pentanummium, Nummus. No exceedingly rare coins appear in the extensive catalog that makes up the bulk of the book. Though someone did find a gold Tremissis of Justinian II, possibly Sear 1419, 1420, or 1421, at the top of the Acropolis. Only two other gold coins, and one silver coin, emerged from the ruins. All other examples featured copper fabric. People fleeing the city may have taken their valuable gold and silver with them, or the invaders took it all upon conquering the city. In either case, the relative absence of gold and silver seems understandable. Along with coin attributions and descriptions, the catalogue includes many of the coins' approximate locations when found. One Anastasius I Nummus, mostly illegible, came from a bowl in a wall of one of the many Byzantine shops. Others came from drains, from catch basins, from mosaics, in wall niches, in windows, in water channels, in road rubble, and numerous other locations. One Justinian I Follis appeared with two Roman coins of Julia Domna. One Justin II Follis appeared with a coin of Constantine I in "the House of Bronzes." A Maurice Follis and a Heraclius Follis both appeared with a Herm statue. An appendix includes a map of the entire site, so one can nearly pinpoint the final spot that many of the coins remained in for centuries. At one point, the author noticed that many of the reverses of the recovered coins appeared much sharper than their obverses. He cites an explanation from another professor that "the molecular structure of a reverse may be more closely impacted by the strike and thus may retain its impression better than the obverse which is on the other side of the coin from the blow received in striking." Whether one can actually prove this or not, it remains an interesting theory. Though likely dated, this book provided enough fascinating information about finding coins "in the wild" to justify reading. The black and white plates do demonstrate, as the author says, that "few excavation coins, particularly those of copper, are apt to be of a quality which would appeal to museums or collectors." Perusing the plates, which display casts of the site's best preserved specimens, many will likely agree. Regardless, the text reveals fascinating aspects of an ancient coin's life, including its usefulness to archaeology, its location within an ancient city, and the approximate context of its original usage. It also provides a glimpse into how ancient people used ancient coins, which remains one of the reasons that people still collect them today.

Thanks again, @Nerosmyfavorite68. The quality over quantity approach obviously comes at a price, of course, but I have found it more satisfying regardless. So I buy fewer, more expensive, coins as a result. Quantity collectors who want to "scratch that itch" to obtain more examples quickly may find the quality approach slower and more frustrating. There were a few longer stretches where I found absolutely nothing that I wanted to add to the pile. I eventually learned to deal with those inevitable dry spells, but they were slightly irritating. It did take me two solid years to collect only 30 coins, after all. From what I can tell, many people here buy far more than that number annually. People can take various approaches, which is what makes this hobby interesting. No hard and fast rules really exist. One ultimately collects what they want to collect.

I'm glad someone at least might have an interest in buying these - I thought spending money on Byzatines would end up equivalent to tossing money into a shredder. 😁 Thanks. I think you may have captured my theme and expressed it better than I ever have. I am a sucker for nice Byzantine portraits, even if the rest of the coin looks sandblasted. That may help explain why I even bothered with the Justinian II, second reign coin. That portrait on the left wouldn't leave me alone, even though the remainder of the coin looked pretty iffy. I think you expressed something I may have been doing unconsciously. I think I do want to challenge people's assumptions about the "beauty" of Byzantine coins. Maybe that explains my strange obsession? I find them strangely, uniquely, and ineffably beautiful, maybe I just want others to feel the same? Yes, the human brain seems to work in phases of novelty. This Byzantine obsession of mine is probably the longest consistent one I've ever experienced. I started buying these things in July 2022 and the only other thing I've bought since then is a single Greek obol. Otherwise, all Byzantine. My brain may need a break. I don't think that US coins (except maybe for half cents) will ever deeply capture my attention again. I find the hunt for ancients more satisfying.

A large chunk of my free time goes to reading. The last 10 books I've finished since April are: 1. Fallen TImbers 1794 by Winkler 2. Indian Buddhist Philosophy by Carpenter 3. A Clergyman's Daughter by Orwell 4. India: South Asian Paintings from the San Diego Museum of Art 5. Dialogues and Letters by Seneca 6. Nietzsche: A Philosophical Biography by Safranski 7. Danville by Merritt (a photo history of Danville, Kentucky) 8. The Little Book of Hindu Deities by Patel 9. Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy by Van Norden 10. War in Japan 1467 - 1615 by Turnbull Currently reading The Nothingness Beyond God: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Nishida Kitaro by Carter (Japanese Philosophy). I was a philosophy undergrad with a large interest in comparative philosophy, so I read all kinds of philosophy from all over the world. I decided to get a more "useful" Master's degree after briefly exploring a career in academia in philosophy. I think I made the right decision for me. As for knives, I only have a few small carving knives that I rarely used. It didn't take long for me to realize that there wasn't a budding wood carver inside me struggling to get out. I did, however, learn that most injuries from knives come from people dropping them on themselves. I almost learned that the hard way.

Thank you! Your second message makes sense, because the 882 shown was probably one of the cheapest coins in the entire lot. It was just sitting there waiting to get purchased. I really liked the portrait of Heraclius, and I didn't yet have a Heraclius, so I added it to the pile. Thank you! There really isn't a goal apart from obtaining nicer examples of bronze Byzantine coins that appeal to me within a "decent" price range. At one point, I thought of trying to attempt an example of each emperor, but, as I made my way into the 8th century, I realized that even "okay" examples can cost far more than I'm willing to pay for a bronze coin. From what I've seen so far, even "acceptable" Æ examples of Philippicus, Anastasius II, Theodosius III, and Artavasdus can sell for 4 figures. Examples of Philippicus and Theodosius III recently sold at auction for over $1,000 each. They were "okay" looking examples, but nothing beautiful. That's beyond what I'm willing to pay, so, unless I come across cheaper examples, I won't be obtaining those emperors. Along those lines, the least appealing coins of the 30 above, with the exception of the Tiberius II Constantine, were by far the most expensive to obtain. I bought them with mixed feelings. In fact, the more I think of it, 30 feels like a good number to think about taking an extended break from buying. I've been searching and buying these for 2 straight years now on an almost daily basis. I've spent considerable time and money on the examples above, and it might be time to back off for a bit and do other things. I have been selling my US coins, so I may focus more on that. I highly doubt that I'll quit altogether, but I will probably slow down considerably. Though 30 isn't a large collection by any means, for some reason hitting that milestone made me stop and think about where I want to go from here. I don't really know yet. I did really enjoy putting that collection together, in any case.

Thank you. Yes, I think the coin is pretty decent myself. In hand, it looks pretty good. But, magnify it even a little and it begins to look like smoldering ruins. If it wouldn't have had that pretty detailed portrait of Justinian II staring back at me almost diabolically, I would have passed it right over. The price also makes me less happy about it. It wasn't exorbitantly expensive, but it cost more than most of the nicest examples that I've found. The Leontius coin I've shown was even more expensive. As I said in my other thread, it's both understandable and frustrating that the least appealing coins in the pile were also some of the most expensive. That's how this hobby works, I guess.

In July 2022, I discovered Byzantine coins. After collecting US, Japanese, Roman, medieval, and other types of coins, Byzantines grabbed me like no other series yet. I still do not fully understand why. But a pile of 10 coins turned into one of 20 and now into one of 30. Throughout, while learning both about Byzantine coins and history, I've tried to focus mostly on coins that appeal to me rather than filling holes. Given this, I have duplicates from some emperors and the collection was dispersed through time until very recently. Not surprisingly, some types proved much tougher to obtain than others, and so the motto "good enough for the type" emerged. As such, some of my less appealing examples were also among some of the most expensive. It's been a fun dive into an area of history and coinage that I once knew absolutely nothing about. So, I thought I would share the lastest "divisible by 10" collection milestone of my Byzantine pile. Anastasius I 491 - 518 Anastasius I (491-518), Æ follis-17.41g, 33 mm, Constantinople mint; Obv: DN ANASTASIVS PP AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Anastasius right; rev: Large "M", delta below, cross above, star to each side, "COM" in exergue; Sear 19 Justin I 518 - 527 Justin I (518-527), Æ follis- 17,95 gram- 31 mm, Constantinople mint; Obv: DN IVSTINVS PP AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; rev: Large M, below, A; *-* in fields, above cross, CON in exergue; Sear 62; MIB 11 Justinian I 527 - 565 Justinian I Follis (540/1 - Year 14), Constantinople mint, Obv: DN IVSTINIANVS PP AVG, helmeted, cuirassed bust facing holding cross on globe and shield; cross to right. Rev: Large M, ANNO to left, cross above, XIIII (date) to right, A below, CON in exergue, Sear 163 Justin II 565 - 578 Justin II & Sophie (Year 5, 569 - 570), Æ Follis, 31.4mm, 11.83g, Nicomedia, Obv: DN IVUSTINUS PP AVG Justin II and Sophie seated facing forward, each with nimbus, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter; Rev: ANNO U, large M surmounted by cross, with B below, NIKO in exergue, Sear 369 Tiberius II Constantine 578 - 582 Tiberius II Constantine. 578-582 AD. Æ Follis (37mm, 16,64g, 12h). Constantinople mint. Dated year 5 (578/9 AD); Obv: d M TIb CONS-TANT PP AVC, crowned facing bust in consular robes, holding mappa and eagle-tipped sceptre; Rev: Large M; cross above, ANNO to left, u to right; CONE. MIBE 25; Sear 430 Maurice Tiberius 582 - 602 Maurice Tiberius. 582-602. Æ Decanummium 17mm, 3.1g Theoupolis (Antioch) mint. Dated RY 8 (AD 589/90); Obv: blundered legend, Crowned facing bust, wearing consular robe, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter; Rev: Large X; cross above, R below; A/N/N/O U/III (date) across field; Sear 536 Phocas 602 - 610 Phocas (602-610), Æ Follis (33mm, 11.79g), Cyzicus, Dated RY 4 ? (605/6); Obv: δN POCAS+PERPAVG, Crowned bust facing, wearing consular robes and holding mappa and cross, small cross to left; Rev: Large XXXX, ANNO above, II/II (date) to right, KYZA, Sear 665 Heraclius 610 - 641 Heraclius (610-641), Æ Follis (30/32mm, 16,54g); Sicily, undetermined mint, 616-622; Obv: coin of Anastasius I from Constantinople countermarked by crowned and bearded bust of Heraclius facing forward wearing chlamys, with Monogram to right; Rev: SCL topped by a line within small oval, stamped below the "M" of the original coin; MIB Km 4, Sommer 11.113. Ex Rauch 86 (2010) lot 1380, Sear 882 Constans II 641 - 668 Constans II (641-668), AE Follis / 40 Nummi, Syracuse, 652-3, AE 23-27mm. 6g. Constans standing facing, wearing crown and chlamys, holding globus cruciger in right hand; I/H/Δ to l., I/A to right / Large M; cross above; SCL. MIB 208, DOC 179, Sear 1108 Constantine IV Pogonatus 668 - 685 Constantine IV Pogonatus (668 - 685), with Heraclius and Tiberius, Æ Follis (20mm, 4.38 g). Syracuse mint; Obv: No legend, Crowned and cuirassed facing bust, holding globus cruciger; Rev: Large M, flanked by Heraclius and Tiberius standing facing; TKW monogram above, [SC]L in exergue; MIB 104; Sear 1207 Justinian II, First Reign 685 - 695 Justinian II (685 - 695), first reign, Æ Follis, Syracuse, Obv: Justinian II standing facing holding spear and globus cruciger, branch to right; Rev: Large M, monogram (Sear #38) above, C/VP/A to left, K/OV/CI to right, SCL in exergue; 25.34mm, 5.44g; Sear 1301 Leontius 695 - 698 Leontius (695 - 698), Æ Follis, Constantinople, Obv: Legend obscure, bearded bust of emperor facing, wearing crown and loros, and holding globus cruciger, small cross in right field; Rev: large M, ANNO on left, probably year 1, officinal Δ; 23-24mm, 4.01g, MIB 32 var., Sear 1334 var Tiberius III Apsimar 698 - 705 Tiberius III Apsimar (698-705, struck 698-702), Æ Follis, Syracuse, Obv: no legend, crowned and cuirassed facing bust, holding spear and shield; star to left; Rev: Large M, monogram above (Sear Monogram #42), palm fronds flanking, SCL in exergue; 15-19mm, 2.4g; DOC 32, MIB 79, Anastasi 337, Sear 1395 Justinian II, Second Reign 705 - 711 Justinian II (705-711), second reign, Æ Follis, Constantinople, Obv: Legend obscure, crowned facing busts of Justinian and Tiberius, each wearing chlamys and holding patriarcal cross set on globe inscribed PAX; Rev: Large M, cross above, Γ below, CON in exergue; 19-20mm, 3.81g; Berk-806, MIB-43, DO-12c, Sear 1428 Leo IV 775 - 780 (or possibly Leo III 717 - 741) Leo IV with Constantine VI (775-780), AR Miliaresion, Constantinople; Obv: ҺSЧS XRISTЧS ҺICA, cross potent set on three steps; Rev: / LЄOҺ/ S COnSτ/ AҺτIҺЄ Є/C ΘЄЧ ЬA/SILIS· in five lines; 22mm, 1.75 g, 12h; DOC 3; Sear 1585 Leo V 813 - 820 Leo V AD 813-820, Æ Follis (23mm, 4.43 grams) Constantinopolis; LEON S CONST; facing busts of Leo (l.) and Constantine (r.); Large M between XXX and NNN; cross above and A below; Sear 1630 Leo V AD 813-820, Æ Follis (23mm, 4.43 grams) Constantinopolis; LEON S CONST; facing busts of Leo (l.) and Constantine (r.); Large M between XXX and NNN; cross above and A below; Sear 1630 Michael II The Amorian 820 - 829 Michael II the Amorian (AD 820-829) with Theophilus Æ Follis; Constantinople mint; Obv: MIXAHL S ΘЄOFILOS, crowned facing busts of Michael (on left) and Theophilus (on right); cross above; Rev: Large M, X/X/X to left, cross above, N/N/N to right, Θ below; 29.12mm; 6.21 grams; Sear 1642 Theophilus 829 - 842 Theophilus (AD 829-842) Æ Follis; Constantinople mint; AD 830-842; Obv: ΘEOFIL bASIL; Half-length figure standing facing, holding labarum and globus cruciger; Rev: ΘEO / FILE AVG / OVSTE SV / hICAS in four lines; 27.66mm; 7.46 grams; Sear 1667 Theophilus (AD 829-842) Æ Follis; Constantinople mint; AD 830-842; Obv: ΘEOFIL bASIL; Half-length figure standing facing, holding labarum and globus cruciger; Rev: ΘEO / FILE AVG / OVSTE SV / hICAS in four lines; 28mm; 8.26 grams; Sear 1667 Basil I 867 - 886 Basil I (867-886) Æ Follis; Constantinople mint; Obv: +LEOh bASIL COhST AVGG, Facing half-length figures of Basil in center, Leo on left and Constantine on right, Basil wears crown and loros and holds akakia, both sons wear crown and chlamys; Rev: +bASIL COhSTAhN T S LEOhNEN QO bASIL S ROMEOh in five lines, "*" in exergue; 24mm, 7.89 grams; DOC 11.1, Sear 1713 Leo VI 886 - 912 Leo VI (AD 886-912); Constantinople; Æ Follis; Obv: +LEOn bAS - ILEVS ROM' Bust facing wearing crown and chlamys, holding akakia in l. hand; Rev: Inscription in four lines: +LEOn / Eh ΘEO bA / SILEVS R / OmEOh; 7.67g.; Berk 918, Sear 1729 Leo VI (AD 886-912); Constantinople; Æ Follis; Obv: +LEOn bAS - ILEVS ROM* Leo enthroned facing, wearing crown and loros, and holding labarum and akakia; Rev: Inscription in four lines: +LEOn / Eh ΘEO bA / SILEVS R / OmEOh; 6.90g, 28.00 mm; Sear 1728 Constantine VII 913 - 959 Constantine VII (913-959);Constantinople; Æ Follis; Obv: CONST bASIL ROM, crowned bust of Constantine facing, with short beard and wearing vertical loros, holding akakia and cross on globe; Rev: CONST-EN QEO bA-SILEVS R-OMEON, legend in four lines; 25mm.,5.05g; DOC 26, SB 1761 Romanus I Lacapenus 920 - 944 Romanus I Lacapenus (920 - 944); Constantinople Æ Follis; Obv: +RwMAN bAS-ILEVS Rwm’ Facing bust of Romanus I, bearded, wearing crown and jeweled chlamys, and holding labarum and globus cruciger; Rev: +RwMA/N’ENΘEwbA/SILEVSRw/MAIwN; 27mm, 8.09g, 6h; R.1886-8, Sear 1760 Nicephorus II Phocas 963 - 969 Nicephorus II, Phocas (963-969); Constantinople Æ Follis; Obv: +nICIFR bASIL ROM, Facing bust holding labarum and cross on globe; Rev: +nICHF / Eh TEW bA / SILEVS RW / mAIWh in four lines; 6.58g. Berk-943, Sear 1782 Anonymous Class A3, attributed to Constantine VIII & Basil II 1025 Constantine VIII & Basil II (Circa 1025); Æ Anonymous Follis, class A3, Obv: "+EMMA-NOVHA," Facing bust of Christ, left hand holding the book of Gospels, right hand making blessing gesture; Rev: "+IhSUS XRISTUS BASILEU BASILE" in 4 lines; 27mm x 29mm, 10.41g; DOC A2.41, Sommer 40.3.6, Sear 1818 Anonymous Class B, attributed to Romanus III 1028 - 1034 Romanus III (1028-1034); Constantinople; Æ Anonymous Follis, Class B, Obv: IC to left, XC to right, to bust of Christ, nimbate, facing, holding book of Gospels; Rev: IS XS / BAS ILE / BAS ILE to left and right above and below cross on three steps; 29 mm. 10.2 gm.; Sear 1823 Anonymous Class G, attributed to Romanus IV Diogenes 1068 - 1071 Romanus IV Diogenes AD (1068-1071); Constantinople; Æ Anonymous Follis, Class G, Obv: IC-XC to left and right of bust of Christ, nimbate, facing, right hand raised, scroll in left, all within border of large dots; Rev: MP-ΘV to left and right of Mary, nimbate, ands raised, all inside border of large dots; 26-28 mm. 10.2 gm.; Sear 1867 Manuel I Comnenus 1143 - 1183 Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1183), Æ Tetarteron; Thessalonica; Obv: ⨀/Γ/Є to left and P-over-w/Γ/O/S to right, half-length bust of St. George facing, holding spear and shield ; Rev: MANɣHΛ ΔЄCΠΟΤ, bust of Manuel facing, holding labarum and globus cruciger; 20 mm,3.24g; DOC 18; Sear 1975

I remember seeing that Tiberius III for sale out there. The price was good. Had I not already had one from that emperor, I may have considered buying it myself. But, given that and given that I was tied up in my Justinian II obsession, I decided it would make a better addition to someone else's collection. I'm glad you landed it!

Thank you, everyone. I agree that the coin is likely safe enough. I'll check on it periodically for a while just to be sure, of course. But I think it's okay. It might not be the absolute ugliest Byzantine in my pile, but it's probably close. In hand it does look quite a bit better, as I said, but it's not incredibly amenable to magnification. If a nicer one comes along in the future, I may take another plunge on this type. One thing seems certain: the further I step into the 8th century, the more the fall of the Follis becomes ominously apparent. This thing has the diameter of a modern US Cent. It might take 3 or 4 of them to cover the surface of a Justinian I large 6th century Constantinople Follis. Coinage sizes had fallen in general since, of course, but even Justinian II's own father, Constantine IV, released some larger sized Folles. The more I learn about the 8th century, the more surprising the Byzantine empire's survival of that century seems. Those were rough times and the coins remain a clear sign of that turmoil. Anyway, thanks everyone for the advice and information as I vacillated endlessly over this one. I still have mixed feelings about it, and probably always will, but it still feels "good enough for the type" in many ways. Justinian II (705-711), second reign, Æ Follis, Constantinople, Obv: Legend obscure, crowned facing busts of Justinian and Tiberius, each wearing chlamys and holding patriarcal cross set on globe inscribed PAX; Rev: Large M, cross above, Γ below, CON in exergue; 19-20mm, 3.81g; Berk-806, MIB-43, DO-12c, Sear 1428

I was going to append on the previous thread below, but it appears I couldn't change the title to include "updates," so I'm creating a new thread and referencing the older one. Sorry if I actually could continue that older thread and just don't know how to. The dealer, who is very reputable and who I have purchased from four or five times before, agreed to send me the coin to examine. Additional information received is that the coin has "green deposits" (magnetite?). It is admittedly not the greatest specimen of this type, but it still manages to preserve some extra details of the original design that I haven't seen on other available, and even more complete, specimens. This is even more evident in hand (coins always look much better in hand, of course). As probably expected, the relatively detailed portrait of the emperor attracted me to this one. Tiberius did not fare so well, unfortunately. Like many other Byzantines I have, I both love and hate this one, too. Parts of it look decent, other parts look almost horrible. In hand, Justinian II alone looks great, along with the base of the cross and the "PAX." I probably can't adequately capture that in a photo. Given the era and the emperor, and it's relatively affordable price, I'm nearly prepared to declare this one "good enough for the type" for my purposes. That leads to the green areas. The top of the rim has the scary-looking green deposits. They look and feel stable, from what I can tell. I know this dealer would not knowingly sell a "sick" coin, but I thought I would share some photos anyway because I am anything but an expert on this subject. I have had some other Byzantines in my pile with similar green areas and they have remained stable over the past few years. Nonetheless, I'm guessing that buying a coin with such marks probably doesn't come with absolute zero risk, either.

Once again, a new coin is somewhere between the dealer and me awaiting arrival. Until it reaches its new abode, this miliaresion remains my latest ancient (sort of medieval?). Leo IV with Constantine VI (775-780), AR Miliaresion, Constantinople; Obv: ҺSЧS XRISTЧS ҺICA, cross potent set on three steps; Rev: / LЄOҺ/ S COnSτ/ AҺτIҺЄ Є/C ΘЄЧ ЬA/SILIS· in five lines; 22mm, 1.75 g, 12h; DOC 3; Sear 1585

It's true. Even semi-decent Leontius coins seem difficult to come by, but I agree that nicer ones come at a sometimes insane premium. I picked up this "okay" Æ one not too long ago. The portrait got me, since it shows some of his ferocious fuzziness. He's an interesting one historically as well. Leontius (695 - 698), Æ Follis, Constantinople, Obv: Legend obscure, bearded bust of emperor facing, wearing crown and loros, and holding globus cruciger, small cross in right field; Rev: large M, ANNO on left, probably year 1, officinal Δ; 23-24mm, 4.01g, MIB 32 var., Sear 1334 var.