Ancient Coin Hunter

Hey I've got a Focas. He was the first emperor to popularize beards, a tradition that lasted for the rest of the empire's life. (See the coin below) Also, Focas was the last emperor to erect a monument in the Roman forumThe inscription on the statue reads as follows:“To the best, most clement and pious ruler, our lord Phokas the perpetual emperor, crowned by God, the forever august triumphator, did Smaragdus, former praepositus sacri palatii and patricius and Exarch of Italy, devoted to His Clemency for the innumerable benefactions of His Piousness and for the peace acquired for Italy and its freedom preserved, this statue of His Majesty, sparkling from the splendor of gold here on this tallest column for his eternal glory erect and dedicate, on the first day of the month of August, in the eleventh indiction in the fifth year after the consulate of His Piousness.”

Short History of Byzantium by the late John Julius Norwich is a good overview to the study of Byzantine history. One good source for the specialist is Warren Treadgold (my former professor) who has written:

But, you know might have fallen out of a sailor's pocket who just traveled from Alexandria to Palestine. Who knows.

Kind of interesting because they were supposed to circulate only in Egypt!

https://m.jpost.com/archaeology/article-713002/amp

Nice @Al Kowsky coins. Anastasius' reform really created the backbone of Byzantine coinage for centuries. Plus he was the guy who accumulated 23 million solidi in the treasury which was later spent by Justinian on Hagia Sophia and Western wars of reconquest!

As @Simon's article mentions, the "follis" decreased in size until the 10th century when the Christ folles started being issued. Here is a 9th century example: Constantinople mintMichael II the Amorian and Theophilus, AE Follis, 23 mm 6.2 grams, glossy black patina820-829 A.D.Michael supported iconoclasm, which disallowed the use of icons in favor of script and and related artistic themes which almost certainly was a reflection of the influence of Islam on Byzantine art. Nevertheless, coins featuring the visage of the rulers were still struck. Theophilus was known for a pair of golden roaring lions on either side of his throne, accomplished by steam power. He traded gifts with the powerful Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad, Harun Al-Rashid.

Here is a large and heavy follis. The heavy examples, struck after the lighter introduced follis, ranged from around 16-18.5 grams. This example is slightly heavier.Anastasius, 491-518 A.D.Type: Large AE Follis, 39 mm 19 gramsObverse: DN ANASTASIVS PP AVG, Diademed draped and Cuirassed bust right, star on right shoulder (rare)Reverse: Large M, Epsilon below. Cross above M, star in left field, Mintmark CON

Interesting thanks. I have read Ammianus, both the Penguin Classics version and the free online version at penelope.chicago.edu site. A coin of Singara I have from Tranquillina has the Legion I parthica (centaur) symbol above the head of Tyche. I'm on my phone now or I'd post the pic!

Really interesting Donna. I suppose there are variances between (1) geographical regions (2) exact search term used (3) one's browsing history.

I got numisforums.com as the 4th result on page 1 searching under "ancient coin forums". Forum Ancient coins was number one and cointalk/ancients was second....

Congrats. A victory lap is in order.

Pretty interesting thread. I do not have a microscope presently but I use a magnifying glass with my phone to take close-ups.

Interesting story as recorded by Procopius the historian I believe. John Julius Norwich also covers the story in his books, which I would recommend.

Pretty nifty coin. I don't have any medals, or medallions. If I did, I'd like to have the Probus/Sol Invictus medallion which is my present avatar.

An Empire that includes the antique land of Egypt with its own coin supply? Pretty cool. And last but not least, a contemporaneous mummy portrait from the Fayyum (2nd century).

Lucius Verus As, quite scarce apparently. Lucius Verus, 161-169 A.D.Type: AE As, 25.5 mm 12.1 grams, R1 according to ACSearchObverse: L VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS, Bare-Headed Bust Facing RightReverse: TRP IIII IMP II COS III, Emperor on Horseback Charging right holding spear, riding down foe.Reference: TBD, not in Wildwinds - edit: RIC 1404, rare type

Great coins all!

Very true. My World Savings CD paid 12% interest back in the 80's. Nowadays despite inflation the interest rate on money markets and CD's is extraordinarily low.

The specter of inflation is to be expected at intervals during business cycles. One could argue that inflation is a good thing for workers since they will receive higher wages, which improves their long term position. Note that in this past 11 year cycle of low interest rates and little inflation that wages did not keep up with even the meager inflation experienced during that time. The Treasury is already talking about increasing the Social Security COLA to 9 to 10% for 2023. Also, agree that supply chain issues (the bullwhip effect, coined by professor Hau Lee at Stanford) are magnified when uncertainly strikes, adding another factor that can accelerate inflationary pressures.

Nice coin @thenickelguyand great pick-ups @Orange Julius- I have yet to get any of these small denominations, but definitely it is cool to get something so intrinsically historical for less than a breakfast burrito costs. Shows where our priorities are as a society. I asked my nephew to tell me the name of a Roman emperor and he couldn't name any (not even Caesar). Similarly, I asked my sister to name a Byzantine emperor and she couldn't name one either, even though she spent some time in a Ph.D. program focusing on women's roles in late antiquity. Sometimes I wonder what the heck they are teaching these days!!!

Nice coins. Thanks for the share. OP coin appears to be especially high quality billon for some reason.

Interesting question. I think after the time of Theodosius, who may have ceased minting AE2s of the emperor on galley type, note that Arcadius and Honorius resumed minting them in the 5 gram to 6 gram range. However after their reigns only AE3/AE4's were struck. Arcadius, A.D. 395-408AE22, 5.7 grams, Antioch mintObverse: D N ARCADI-VS P F AVGRosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust rightReverse: GLORIA ROMANORVMEmperor standing facing, head right, holding standard and globeMintmark: ANTReference: RIC IX Antioch 68C, pg. 294

Great presentation!

Not sure if this is broad enough, but heck it is thick, too.EGYPT, ALEXANDRIA.Ptolemy IV Philopator 221-205 BC AE Drachma. (75.52g, 41mm, 12h)Obverse: Bust of Zeus Ammon rightReverse: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, cornucopiae in front, ΛΙ between legsReference: SNG Cop 199.