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Just for fun...


voulgaroktonou

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Dear coin friends,

              At the risk of betraying my Byzantine fixation, as my many friends/admirers of earlier Greek and Roman coins would say I have to a serious degree, I would like to share a mental exercise I perform whenever I add gasoline to my car. When the last drop has been squeezed into the gas tank, I take the total charge in US dollars, and treat it as a Sear number. Then, I try to visualize what that particular Byzantine coin is. I’m fairly good at this, and yesterday proved the point. On the way home from visiting our horse, I stopped at the gas station and filled my tank by spending $16.80, thinking of Sear 1680, and considering it to be a Theophilos follis from Syracuse. A few minutes later, at home, I saw I was right on the money, so to speak.

Here's one of my examples of Sear 1680.

 

Follis, Syracuse, 830/1 – 842. 1.69 gr. 17 mm. 4 hr. Sear 1680; DO 29c; BNP 1-4; Ricotti 239. Grierson (DOC 3:1, p. 447) considers this issue as a half follis, or as “a much reduced follis.”

Obv:  Θε O FI[LOS bA] Bust of Theophilos wearing crown with cross and loros; holdings cross potent on base in right hand.

Rev: + mI[XA – HL S COnSt] Busts of Michael and Constantine, each wearing crown with cross and chlamys. Star above their heads.

S1680_02.jpg.7b2283213cc555a1f323ec2eeb1002bf.jpg
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@voulgaroktonou Nice and interesting coin. Unfortunately, my latest gas station cost was $55.93, and there are no Byzantine coins with Sear number higher than 2645. I can't remember, the last time my gas station cost was $26.45 or less.

However, just for fun, I'll post 1 of my related Byzantine coins. Here's 1 of my Byzantine coins, with 3 portraits.

image.jpeg.779997de596c9fb1249bbd6a67951c08.jpeg

Constantine V. AE 40 Nummi Follis. Minted 751 AD To 775 AD. Syracuse Mint. Sear 1569. DO 19. Maximum Diameter 19.1 mm. Weight 3.14 grams. Obverse : On Left Constantine V Standing Facing Front, Short Beard, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Akakia In Right Hand, On Right Leo IV Standing Facing Front, Beardless, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Akakia In Right Hand, On Left "K", On Right "Lambda-E-O-N". Reverse : Leo III Standing Facing Front, Short Beard, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Cross Potent In Right Hand, On Left "Lambda-E-O-N", On Right "Delta-E-C-Pi".

Edited by sand
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9 hours ago, sand said:

@voulgaroktonou Nice and interesting coin. Unfortunately, my latest gas station cost was $55.93, and there are no Byzantine coins with Sear number higher than 2645. I can't remember, the last time my gas station cost was $26.45 or less.

However, just for fun, I'll post 1 of my related Byzantine coins. Here's 1 of my Byzantine coins, with 3 portraits.

image.jpeg.779997de596c9fb1249bbd6a67951c08.jpeg

Constantine V. AE 40 Nummi Follis. Minted 751 AD To 775 AD. Syracuse Mint. Sear 1569. DO 19. Maximum Diameter 19.1 mm. Weight 3.14 grams. Obverse : On Left Constantine V Standing Facing Front, Short Beard, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Akakia In Right Hand, On Right Leo IV Standing Facing Front, Beardless, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Akakia In Right Hand, On Left "K", On Right "Lambda-E-O-N". Reverse : Leo III Standing Facing Front, Short Beard, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Cross Potent In Right Hand, On Left "Lambda-E-O-N", On Right "Delta-E-C-Pi".

Gosh, you must have a lot bigger tank that I do! But I love your Constantine V follis - wonderful coloring and surfaces!

 

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17 hours ago, voulgaroktonou said:

Dear coin friends,

 

              At the risk of betraying my Byzantine fixation, as my many friends/admirers of earlier Greek and Roman coins would say I have to a serious degree, I would like to share a mental exercise I perform whenever I add gasoline to my car. When the last drop has been squeezed into the gas tank, I take the total charge in US dollars, and treat it as a Sear number. Then, I try to visualize what that particular Byzantine coin is. I’m fairly good at this, and yesterday proved the point. On the way home from visiting our horse, I stopped at the gas station and filled my tank by spending $16.80, thinking of Sear 1680, and considering it to be a Theophilos follis from Syracuse. A few minutes later, at home, I saw I was right on the money, so to speak.

 

Here's one of my examples of Sear 1680.

 

 

 

Follis, Syracuse, 830/1 – 842. 1.69 gr. 17 mm. 4 hr. Sear 1680; DO 29c; BNP 1-4; Ricotti 239. Grierson (DOC 3:1, p. 447) considers this issue as a half follis, or as “a much reduced follis.”

 

Obv:  Θε O FI[LOS bA] Bust of Theophilos wearing crown with cross and loros; holdings cross potent on base in right hand.

 

Rev: + mI[XA – HL S COnSt] Busts of Michael and Constantine, each wearing crown with cross and chlamys. Star above their heads.

 

 

S1680_02.jpg.7b2283213cc555a1f323ec2eeb1002bf.jpg

That's a rather bizarre formula, but kudos to you if it works 🤔.

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