Simon

Elena Baldi to continue Wulfing catalog project for a third year | Department of Classics (wustl.edu) Different project but Elena Baldi has been working on these projects for some time it seems.

That coin is very cool and a nice find. Is it published anywhere?

Finally, a clear example of SBCV-2013 , I have dozens of this denomination from Alexius III, ( SBCV-2011,2012 and 2013) the coin listed as SBCV-2013 has the addition of the Comnenus added to his name. The way these coins are minted it is extremely difficult to find a n undisputable example, the legends are missing or incomplete. Most dealers and auction houses list coins as 2012/2013, rarely being to clearly identify it as one or the other. This coin is 2013. BTW it differs in the description in CLBC, the legend matches just not partially in center OWK. Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus, 1195-1203. Aspron Trachy (Bronze, 26 mm, 3.66 g, 6 h), Constantinople. KЄ ROHΘЄI / IC - XC Bust of Christ Pantocrator facing, raising right hand in benediction and holding scroll in left. Rev. Alexius and St. Constantine standing facing, holding between them globus cruciger, and each holding a labarum. DOC 3a. SB 2013. Good very fine.

A new treasure to add, finally added this one from Nomo to my collection, it checks off a box. They do not come to market often, ironically CNG just posted one and I saw a very nice but expensive example on Vcoins. Regardless these coins are hard to come by. The coin is important because it actually helps dates the coin reform as 1092, this and an electrum trachy ( I don't have yet) and the lead tetartera commemorate the coronation of Alexius young son John II. Description from Obolos. Alexius I Comnenus, with Irene and John II, 1081-1118. Aspron Trachy (Billon, 26 mm, 3.63 g, 6 h), Post reform coinage, coronation issue, Thessalonica, 1092-1093. [K]E POHΘEI Iω Δ[ECΠT] / IC XC John II, on left, standing facing, holding labarum in right hand and globus cruciger in left, and Christ, on right, crowning the emperor with right hand and holding Gospels in left. Rev. AΛEZIω ΔE [EIRHN AVΓЧ] Alexius I, on left, holding akakia in right hand, and Irene, on right, standing facing, together holding patriarchal cross between them. DOC 24. SB 1916. Extremely rare. Some encrustations, otherwise, very fine. The coronation coinage of Alexius I commemorates the coronation of Alexius' and Irene's infant son, John II. There are two denominations, both sharing the types seen here; an electrum aspron trachy, SB 1914, and this billon aspron trachy. The coronation of John occurred only once he had been baptized, and most authorities place the event on 1 September 1092. This date of his coronation not only coincided with a new indictional (financial) cycle but with the new indictional year as well. These coronation coins are all extremely rare, with just a handful known of both denominations.

I like yours more, the coin is common but your example is beautiful.

I am looking at the most basic book, H J Berk. This looks close to me. Including the hair style but your coin has no legend. The example Berk shows does. I cannot seem to find anything similar without a legend and Constantinople mint mark.

This was a great win this year, I bought the coins sight unseen but they all included the flips from Leu and CNG. I got it from a non-ancient auction house so the price was very cheap. The best coins came from Leu. I do not know what happened to the previous owner, all the coins seem to come from 2 years ago and the hammer price was almost 6 times what I paid. Some one was either dabbling in ancients or they passed, and the estate sold them. I do not think I will ever know that part of the story. Here are some of my favorites from the group. Phocas, 602-610. Follis (Bronze, 20 mm, 3.92 g, 7 h), Cyzicus, RY 2 = 603/4. δ m FOCΔS PЄRP AVG Crowned bust of Phocas facing, wearing consular robes, holding mappa in his right hand and cross in his left. Rev. Large XXXX in center; above, ANNO; below, KYZB; in field to right, II. DOC 70 (unlisted officina letter). MIB 76. SB 665. Somewhat smoothed, otherwise, very fine. Leo VI the Wise, 886-912. Follis (Bronze, 26 mm, 7.29 g, 6 h), Constantinopolis. +LЄOn bASILЄVS ROM' Bust of Leo VI facing, with short beard, wearing crown ornamented with cross and chlamys, holding akakia in his left hand. Rev. +LЄOn / Єn ΘЄΟ bΑ/SILЄVS R/OmЄΟҺ in four lines. DOC 8. SB 1729. Attractive earthen highlights. Minor scratches, otherwise, very fine Theodore II Ducas-Lascaris, emperor of Nicaea, 1254-1258. Trachy (Bronze, 26 mm, 2.26 g, 6 h), Magnesia. A in circle / TPV - ΦⲰ St. Tryphon standing facing, beardless and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion, holding cross in his right hand; in lower field to left and right, fleur-de-lis. Rev. [...]K / O Λ[ACKAPIC] Theodore II standing facing, wearing ditivision and loros, holding labarum in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left; in upper field to right, manus Dei. Lianta, LBC, 305. SB 2142. Minor edge crack, otherwise, very fine. Justin II, 565-578. Pentanummium (Bronze, 15 mm, 1.90 g, 5 h), Theoupolis (Antiochia). Monogram of Justin II. Rev. Large Є; in field to right, cross. DOC 186. MIB 65a. SB 386. Attractive earthen highlights. Very fine. Now this one I have shown before , it came from same lot. Maurice Tiberius, 582-602. Half Follis (Bronze, 23 mm, 5.63 g, 6 h), Theoupolis (Antiochia), RY 2 = 583-4. ΠITATISSNVPTIS Crowned facing bust of Maurice Tiberius, wearing crown surmounted with cross and consular robes, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter. Rev. Large XX between A/N/N/O and II; above, cross; below, R. DOC 175. MIB 97. SB 534. Good very fine.The mint of Theoupolis often confused the legends of Tiberius II Constantine with those of his successor Maurice Tiberius. It is only through the regnal years that the two can, in some cases, be distinguished. And now one of my favorites, 12th century of course. Isaac II Angelus, first reign, 1185-1195. Tetarteron (Bronze, 21 mm, 3.33 g, 4 h), Thessalonica. O / X - X / MI Facing bust of the Archangel Michael, beardless and nimbate, holding spear in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left. Rev. [...]KI/OC Facing bust of Isaac II Angelus, wearing crown and loros, holding cruciform scepter in his right hands and akakia in his left. SB 2005. Light areas of weakness, otherwise, good very fine. Another interesting point the die size is 15mm, it will go in on a paper I am working on. So, I still have another 7 coins not pictured out of this lot, all of the CNG coins and 1 Leu. All in all I think I did very well on the purchase, I cant help wonder what the interest or focus was of this collector in the summer of 21. Any new coins or group lots you wish to share please feel free, the Byzantine board has been quiet let's post some coins. I did get some new coins from Nomos but I will wait until I receive to post those.

Here is a couple examples from a group lot I bought during the pandemic, I was disappointed when I received the group lot it came from, I paid too much for the lot. I am just revisiting them today. This half follis of Justinian has a nice weight and heavy green patina, the mint is unclear, I am thinking Constantinople. This Hercules coin does not have an attributable mint. And a Constans II

My career is in art and sales of art. The coins that we enjoy from the Christian Roman Empire are a type of abstract creations working under a simple philosophy of spiritualism, all beauty is from within, and our outward appearance hinders that beauty. Abstract work always requires a greater participation from the viewer, more thought. The most popular art in this world is the literal work, work that requires no thought to understand. More people buy Kincade’s. than Pollacks and Picassos’, that’s okay, not everyone wants to think when they look at art, the sometimes just want to enjoy the view. I personally chose to skip that topic you mentioned @ewomack, the thread opens the door to arguments and hurt feelings. It is easy to find reasons not to like each other and divide collectors, it is far more difficult to unite people. One other comment, most Christian Roman Empire collectors(Byzantine) started out collecting Roman Imperial or other earlier time periods before they collected Byzantine( I did), it seems to be evolution or simple a change in taste.

It is a very nice example @JeandAcre, the archangel on this type has three variations but they are in the notes, not a change in number. It has to do with the device in his right shoulder, trifold device, jeweled scepter and another that escapes my attention right now. Your has that invert on Isaac II chest. I only have one other example similar. The denomination tetarteron basically ends near the end of the empire, the name changes, to assarion after Andronicus II. David Sear calls the flat coins Assarion but Simon Bendall kept using the term tetarteron. Twenty years ago I got assistance from a great collector named Chris Connell, he has several articles in the Celator. I asked a question on Yahoo forums about the late denominations. Here is his reply that he allowed me to share back then. I posted the same question on the Byzantine Yahoo Groups. I received this reply from a fellow collector.The coins that David Sear calls assarion are called tetarteron by SimonBendall. The word assarion means "smallest," so it appears to be anickname for the tetarteron. The assaria and tetartera that I have seenare flat coins, not scyphate.Tornese appears to be a French name for a billon coin that was appliedto low denomination Byzantine coins whose name in that culture we arenot sure of. It appears that Tornese are billon, where tetartera arecopper.The AE stamenon appears to be a word applied to billon and coppertrachea. These coins are scyphate (the word scyphate, btw, is adescriptive word for cup shaped coins).The follaro was the Byzantine Empire's last copper coin, struck afterthe other coins were no longer minted. The follaro is too tiny and tothin a coin to be scyphate. Its name is also an Italian word for a coinwhose actual name in the Byzantine culture we do not know, but I suspectthat the Byzantines called it a follis, even though this tiny crude coinwas a far cry from the follis coins of the early empire.--Chris Connell As for me, I started just collecting this denomination from the 12th century, it has left me with many mysteries about the coin and the values it represented. As for SBCV-2005 I am ashamed to let you know how many examples I have but here is one in great condition I won in a group lot I recently purchaed. It was from a Leu auction. Isaac II Angelus, first reign, 1185-1195. Tetarteron (Bronze, 21 mm, 3.33 g, 4 h), Thessalonica. O / X - X / MI Facing bust of the Archangel Michael, beardless and nimbate, holding spear in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left. Rev. [...]KI/OC Facing bust of Isaac II Angelus, wearing crown and loros, holding cruciform scepter in his right hands and akakia in his left. SB 2005. Light areas of weakness, otherwise, good very fine.

Congratulations @Ancient Coin Hunter, Nice coin, interesting ruler.

Great Coin @Severus Alexander

One more. Got it from Nomo Oct 2021 Constans II, with Constantine IV, 641-668. Follis (Bronze, 23.5 mm, 4.06 g, 6 h), Syracuse. Constans on left, resting right hand on hip and holding long staff in left, and Constantine IV, on right, holding globus cruciger in right hand, standing facing. Rev. SCL Large M; monogram above. Anastasi 157. DOC 180. MIB 209. SB 1109. A wonderful example, well struck and with an attractive brown patina. Good very fine.

I am running out of material going out of my time period. These two I love though. Part of my tetartera collection. Theodore II (Magn.) AE Tetarteron SBCV-2145 DOC IV 13 ( 1254-1258)OBV- Lys. Pellet in Upper and lower field, to either side. REV- Full length figure of emperor wearing stemma, divitision and Chalmys; holds in r hand labarum on a long shaft and in l. anexikakia. Size 18.57 Weight 1.9gm DOC lists 2 examples sized 17mm and 21mm and only one weight .95gm Theodore Ducas AE Tetarteron SBCV-2170 DOC IV 11 Var. B CLBC ( 1254-1258) OBV- Inscription in 5 lines REV- Half length figure of emperor on l. and st Demetrius beardless and nimbate. Between them a patriarchal cross-crosslet, on a long shaft decorated with crescent and pellet, the base of the shaft ending in three steps. Size 23.4mm Weight 4.8gm Doc lists 7 examples with weights from 2.63gm to 5.50gm and sized at 23mm with one variation at 17mm

Another treasure the mid 13th century. In Wayne Sayles book Ancient Coin Collecting Volume V, he lists this as a Masterpiece of Romaion coinage. I have had many examples but none as nice as this. I love the head of hair on St George. JOHN III DUCAS AE Tetarteron S- 2116 DOC 57 ( 1222-1254) OBV Bust of St. George , beardless and nimbate, wearing tunic ,breastplate, and saigon; holds in r. hand spear, resting over shoulder and in l. shield. REV Full length figure of emperor wearing stemma , divitision, collar piece, jeweled loros of a simplified type, and saigon; holds in r hand labarum on long shaft, and in l. anexikakia. Size 23mm Weight 4.09gm DOC lists 12 examples with weights from 1.61 gm to 3.00 and sizes 19mm to 21mm

Okay, one of my all-time favorite coin these days and it is not Byzantine. Islamic Dynasties, Zengids of Mosul: Nasir al-Din Mahmud AE dirhem, 616-631 AH (1219 - 1234 AD) 8.05gm, struck 627 AH (1229-1230 AD) in Mosul, 26.0mm. Obv: Crowned female figure personifying the moon seated facing with legs crossed, holding crescent; date in fields. Rev: Shahada and name and titles of Abbasid Caliph al-Mustansir in five lines across fields; name and titles of Nasir al-Din Mahmud in outer margin. Mitchiner WOI 1129; SS 67 This time period also includes Latin rule. Here is a large module coin from that period. Latin Rulers of Constantinople, 1204-1261. Trachy (Billon, 22 mm, 3.10 g, 6 h), Constantinople. IC - XC Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator. Rev. Archangel Michael standing facing, holding lis-tipped scepter in right hand and globus cruciger in left. DOC 16. SB 2036. Exceptionally well centered and struck. Extremely fine.

Bought a group lot that had some really nice coins in it. Here is one that will stay in my best of Byzantine collection. Maurice Tiberius, 582-602. Half Follis (Bronze, 23 mm, 5.63 g, 6 h), Theoupolis (Antiochia), RY 2 = 583-4. ΠITATISSNVPTIS Crowned facing bust of Maurice Tiberius, wearing crown surmounted with cross and consular robes, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter. Rev. Large XX between A/N/N/O and II; above, cross; below, R. DOC 175. MIB 97. SB 534. Good very fine.

Another to add, at first glance, it is ugly, but to a Byzantine collector it is very cool for multiple reasons. Rare and an ugly example from the collection of Simon Bendall. This Alexius III half tetarteron was acquired by me with a bit of luck. The auction firm CNG made a simple mistake that allowed me to win the coin. Simon Bendall had two examples in his collection when it was put up for auction after his death. The better of the two examples was placed after this example, bidding on this coin stopped short because everyone wanted the other example(I had already been outbid on the second example). I won it, it was only coin that Bendall owned that sold at a reasonable price on that sale. This ragged example has become one of my favorites in my collection. ALEXIUS III ANGELUS-COMNENUS AE HALF TETARTERON SBCV-NL DOC 6 CLBC 8.4.2 OBV Full Length Figure of the Virgin, nimbate, orans, wearing tunic and maphorion turned to r. Manus Dei in upper r. field. REV Full length figure of emperor wearing stemma, divitision, and colored piece and jeweled loros of a simplified type.; holds in r. hand scepter cruciger and in l. Globus cruciger Size 15mm Weight 1.97gm DOC lists 1 examples with weight 2.13gm and sized at 18mm This came from the collection of the late Simon Bendall. This coin is thought to have been minted in Constantinople the only half tetarteron thought to be minted from there.

Another to add, not really my time period but I thought this coin would be an excellent addition to my best of Byzantine collection. A mish mash of well struck coins.

Zangids of Mosul, Sayf al-Din Ghazi II Æ Dirham Zangids of Mosul, Sayf al-Din Ghazi II Æ Dirham. al-Mawsil mint, dated AH 567 = AD 1171. Draped bust facing slightly left, two winged creatures above, date across fields / Name and titles of Saif al-Din Ghazi II in five lines; genealogy in outer margins. Album 1861.1.; S&S Type 60.1; Whelan Type I. 12.92g, 29mm, 12h. Good Very Fine; light oxidations to rev., dark patina.

Andronicus, succesor of Alexius II (Young son of Manuel I Comnenus.) This fellow was a real piece of work, convinced Alexius II to kill his own mother then had Alexius II killed. Took Alexius young bride as his own, she was around 12, he was around 70. He ruled from 1183 to 1185 , the last of the Comnenus line in that century. This example is near perfect, it is A city tetarteron nicely struck and has aged well. ANDRONICUS METROPOLITIAN TETARTERON SBCV-1986 DOC 5 CLBC 5.4.1OBV Full length figure of Virgin nimbate, wearing tunic and maphorion, standing on dais, holds nimbate beardless, nimbate head of Christ on breast. REV Full length figure of emperor on l. crowned by Christ bearded and nimbate. Emperor wears stemma, divitision, and chlamys holds in r. hand labarum on long shaft and in l. anexikakia, Christ wearing tunic and kolobion, holds gospels in l. hand. Size 20.84 Weight 4.55gm

Alexius I Comnenus , coins from coin reform, 1092 to 1118. Easter Roman (Byzantine.) New denomination Electrum Aspron Trachy, New Denomination Billion Aspron Trachy. New Denomination City Tetarteron New Denomination copper Tetarteron

Thank you but the Eastern romans had a ceremonial sword, it was first described in the 10th century as inventory of the Emperors baggage train, It is also depicted on some of the gold coinage of Manuel, John II son. As for St Demeterius, he is a Military saint, first appearing in text in the 9th century. On the web he is depicted with a sword or a spear so neither would be strange for him to be shown with. I am right now thinking it is two different variations of the coin, however in DOC they make no mention of a Spear. They have many more examples than I do. I also checked Hendys original publication Coinage and Money), and he said sword in that publication as well. I have noticed he changed at least one-coin description in his future publication of DOC IV but not this coin in question. In CLBC they did revise it and made it a spear but without note to the change. So I saw an example yesterday on a old CNG auction and it was a sword shaped, my second example, rough on the St side seems to be a sword as well. However, after checking CNG archive and sixbid archive neither clearly shows a sword, all clean examples depict a spear or other similar device @Al Kowsky suggested. Here is Manuel Comnenus with the sword.

This is a John II half tetarteron, the official description has St. Demetrius holding a sword, however when looking at my other photographed example it appears clearly to be a spear. Is this a variation or was the description misattributed to begin with. Opinions are welcome, as are other examples. JOHN II AE HALF TETARTERON S-1955 DOC 17 CLBC 3.4.6 OBV Bust of St. Demetrius beardless and nimbate, wearing tunic, breastplate, and saigon. Holds in r. hand sword Spear and l. shield. REV Bust of emperor wearing stemma, divitision, collar piece, and paneled loros of a simplified type; holds in r. hand labarum headed scepter and in l. gl. cr. Size 16mm Weight 2.22gm DOC lists 13 examples with weights from 1.05gm to 2.92gm and sizes from 15mm to 18mm Traditional example. Looks like sword. Another example in collection, Spear? St Demetrius coins are easy to distinguish from St George, the shield is triangle. What are the dots on the mid-section of the spear? /Sword?

I have a subscription to Office, I use that method with word for my coins weekly, that programs get updates frequently as well, in fact I don't think you can get any newer software. Ken Dorney said it works with power point as well, he was the one who taught me this method with word on a previous post of his. Copy image on to word doc. Right click image on word doc, right click image and choose format picture. Then at top of screen type remove background. Then touch up anything that is missing or and area you want removed. then on right side of screen choose fill, you have about 50 colors to choose from, including this obnoxious green.