Basiliscus Solidus

[JayAg47]

Still can't believe I own this coin. This was not a planned purchase or anything, but I just happened to find this coin at the right time and at the right price. 

A coin minted around the year the Roman empire fell. Moreover, a solidus issued by Basiliscus, the general/emperor who pretty much sealed the deal for the end of the Western half at the Battle of Cape Bon. 

A short summary of Basiliscus, a significant figure but now just a footnote in history. Serving as Magister Militum of Thrace under his brother-in-law Leo I, he proved to be an ineffective general during the ill-fated invasion of the Vandalic kingdom. In a truce negotiated with Vandal king Gaiseric, Basiliscus unwittingly allowed the construction of fire ships, leading to the defeat of Roman armada. With the loss of Africa, Rome's breadbasket was gone. This military failure also resulted in a staggering loss of approximately 59,000 kilograms of gold and nearly plunged the Roman Empire into bankruptcy for the subsequent three decades.

Despite his shortcomings, Basiliscus received a pardon facilitated by his sister and retired. However, amidst the political upheaval following Leo I's death, Basiliscus seized power, toppling Zeno and became the emperor for a brief period from January 9, 475, until August 476 AD. Zeno, informed of the conspiracy, managed to escape in time, returning in 476 with an army to capture Basiliscus. The captured emperor was subsequently exiled to Cappadocia, where historical accounts diverge on his fate—either execution by beheading or imprisoned in a dried-up cistern and left to starve to death. 

Obv: Basiliscus in Military dress standing facing. DN BASILISCVS PP AVG
Rev: Victory standing left supporting long jeweled cross. In right field star. VICTORIA AVGGG Δ.  CONOB in exergue.
Weight: 4.45g
475 - 476 AD
RIC 1003
Ex Diana Numismatica Rome October 2014

This is my second solidus, here's Basiliscus with Justinian the Great. I like the contrast between the coins of a Roman emperor deemed one of the least effective and another hailed as the most effective, the latter successfully accomplishing what the former had been unable to complete.

 

Please share your late Roman/Germanic coinage!

Edited November 18, 2023 by JayAg47

[Prieure de Sion]

20 minutes ago, JayAg47 said:

Still can't believe I own this coin. This was not a planned purchase or anything, but I just happened to find this coin at the right time and at the right price. 

Fantastic choice! I can only congratulate you. I have not yet been able to call a Basiliscus my own. A great piece, really.

The only thing I can currently offer - also something rarer from this very interesting period - is a Julius Nepos - which I have already shown in the other thread. And a Totila ... which I also find very interesting historically from the person of Totilas.

From today's perspective, it was a very interesting time of change and upheaval - the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the migration of peoples and the "beginnings" of the Byzantine Empire, the guardian of antiquity.

 

Totila, also known as Baduila; Reign: The Ostrogoths, in the name of Anastasius; Mint: Ticinum (the modern Pavia); Date: 549/552 AD; Nominal: Tremissis; Material: Gold; Diameter: 15mm; Weight: 1.42g; Reference: cf. MIB 35; Reference: cf. Kraus 9; Reference: cf. Metlich 40; Reference: cf. BMC Vandals 4; Pedigree: Ex Jean Elsen Auction 97, Lot 580 (April 1997); Obverse: Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Anastasius right; Inscription: DN ANASTA SIVS II [PP or PF] AVC; Translation: Dominus Noster Anastasius Perpetuus Augustus; Translation: Our Lord, Anastasius, perpetual August; Reverse: Victory with bodice facing floating above globus, holding wreath and globus cruciger; in field right, star; Inscription: VICTORIA AVCVSTORVM CONOT; Translation: Victoria Augustorum; Translation: Victory of the Augusts.

 

Julius Nepos; Reign: Roman Imperial; Mint: uncertain, probably Salonae?; Date: 475/477 AD; Nominal: Tremissis; Material: Gold; Diameter: 15mm; Weight: 1.49g; Rare: R4; Reference: RIC X Julius Nepos 3253 var (there without separation of the obverse legend); Pedigree: Ex H. D. Rauch Vienna, Austria (Auction 108, Lot 423, 04.06.2019); Pedigree: Ex Josefstadt Collection; Obverse: Bust of Julius Nepos, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed, right; Inscription: D N IVL NE-POS P F AG; Translation: Dominus Noster Julius Nepos Pius Felix Augustus; Translation: Our Lord Julius Nepos, Pious and Blessed August; Reverse: Cross within a wreath; Inscription: COMOB; Translation: Comitatus Obryziacum; Translation: County mint.

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

That's definitely an achievement to be proud of!  Congrats, I've been collecting since 1993, and I have no Basiliscus.

That's how a lot of bucket list buys come along, the right time and the right place.  Well done.

[JayAg47]

6 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

That's how a lot of bucket list buys come along, the right time and the right place. 

Yeah, most of my favourite coins have been bought spontaneously. After I saw this soldius I couldn't just bring myself to put it in watch list and save up a bit more, I had to have it. Since I'm pretty sure I'd never come across such a coin anytime in the future, also I wanted a coin minted around the fall of Roman empire, with most 'affordable' ones are tiny bronzes with barely legible elements still costing 100s of dollars. While this coin still ate up more than 6 months worth of my budget, I'm happy to have it.

[CPK]

Congrats on the purchase! There's nothing quite like the feeling of unexpectedly achieving a bucket-list coin. Yours is really nice, too!

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Looks like a rare coin. I imagine it's like getting a solidus of other short lived emperors like Glycerius, Olybrius, Julius Nepos , or Romulus Augustulus

[JayAg47]

10 hours ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said:

Looks like a rare coin. I imagine it's like getting a solidus of other short lived emperors like Glycerius, Olybrius, Julius Nepos , or Romulus Augustulus

It's definitely the rarest coin in my collection, but certainly not as rare as the emperors you've mentioned. 

[Hrefn]

Basiliscus is still on my want list.  Hearty congratulations.  

[Finn235]

Wonderful add!

I've been outbid on more Basiliscus solidii than I care to count - he may seem like just a blip on the radar, but it's an interesting thought - would the West have even fallen in 476 if not for the disruption and civil war in the East?

For now my only Basiliscus is one of those miserable bronzes - gotten as part of a group lot but still not a cheap coin!

Side note - I've always found it fascinating that his solidii don't inscribe his name as BASILISCVS, but rather bASILISCuS - as far as I can tell, this might be one of the earliest instances of the miniscule "b" and "u" instead of "v"?

[JayAg47]

8 hours ago, Finn235 said:

 Side note - I've always found it fascinating that his solidii don't inscribe his name as BASILISCVS, but rather bASILISCuS - as far as I can tell, this might be one of the earliest instances of the miniscule "b" and "u" instead of "v"?

That's curious, from what I've seen we only start seeing Greek letters on solidus from the reign of Heraclius, even the coins of Leo and Zeno who came before and after Basiliscus only have Latin on them! 

But what's more interesting (at least to me) was just now I stumbled upon what looks to be an obverse die match while researching for your question! 

The first one is mine (a better image from the seller). The bottom one was sold by Jean Elsen & ses Fils sa, Lot 894 - Auction 154 https://elsen.bidinside.com/nl/lot/20180/basiliscus-475-476-av-solidus-/ 

Major elements being the die-break connecting the tip of spear to P, and the headless horseman!

[GregH]

Nice coin

My Basiliscus has a slightly mangled face. Again, a Victory advancing type from Constantinople, like yours. The numismatic themes of these coins do not reflect the turmoil of the late 5th century.

How rare is Basiliscus? Has there been a population study? I'm guessing there's only a few hundred in existence.

@Prieure de Sion let me know when you want to sell your Nepos. I've been needing one for ages 😄

I also need Anthemius. I'm resigned to the notion that Olybrius, Glycerius, Petronius Maximus and Romulus Augustus will be forever out of reach.

 

[Prieure de Sion]

5 minutes ago, GregH said:

My Basiliscus has a slightly mangled face. Again, a Victory advancing type from Constantinople, like yours. The numismatic themes of these coins do not reflect the turmoil of the late 5th century.

Wonderful collection of Gold Coins... 😍

 

5 minutes ago, GregH said:

@Prieure de Sion let me know when you want to sell your Nepos. I've been needing one for ages 😄

Oh, i am so sorry - you are too late... 😉 

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/yoshua_three_coins/315/product/exceptionally_rare_julius_nepos_ric_3253_var_date_475477_ad_gold_tremissis_salonae_cross/1994772/Default.aspx 

[GregH]

2 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Wonderful collection of Gold Coins... 😍

 

Oh, i am so sorry - you are too late... 😉 

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/yoshua_three_coins/315/product/exceptionally_rare_julius_nepos_ric_3253_var_date_475477_ad_gold_tremissis_salonae_cross/1994772/Default.aspx 

Ah dang! Lovely coin though.

Are you Yoshua Three Coins? It seems i also missed out on a Livia (Justitia) dupondius that was on my vcoins watch list.

[Prieure de Sion]

3 minutes ago, GregH said:

Are you Yoshua Three Coins? It seems i also missed out on a Livia (Justitia) dupondius that was on my vcoins watch list.

Yes.
And yes, the Livia / Justice gone last week 😞 

[GregH]

2 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Yes.
And yes, the Livia / Justice gone last week 😞 

If I snooze I lose. It’s a fine coin shop you have there sir. I’ll keep an eye out for those rare emperors.

[JeandAcre]

On 11/19/2023 at 7:30 PM, Finn235 said:

Wonderful add!

I've been outbid on more Basiliscus solidii than I care to count - he may seem like just a blip on the radar, but it's an interesting thought - would the West have even fallen in 476 if not for the disruption and civil war in the East?

For now my only Basiliscus is one of those miserable bronzes - gotten as part of a group lot but still not a cheap coin!

Side note - I've always found it fascinating that his solidii don't inscribe his name as BASILISCVS, but rather bASILISCuS - as far as I can tell, this might be one of the earliest instances of the miniscule "b" and "u" instead of "v"?

 Congratulations, @JayAg47.  I for one am not betting any money I don't have that it could have found a better home.

@Finn235, thanks for your acuity regarding this remarkably early shift in the lettering.  For the same phenomenon, the best I get to have is this class II follis of Basil II, most of half a millennium later.  With, right. the the same renderings of 'b' an 'u.'  (+IhS XRISTuS bASILEu bASILE)

All I get to know is that it took a few more centuries for these conventions to be adopted in western Europe, at least in other media than manuscript.  Which, relative to the Constantinople mint of this mind-blowing solidus of Basiliscus, has to emphasize the cultural  cleavage that was already happening between Western and Eastern Europe, at the moment when the Roman Empire was losing its western half.   

Edited November 22, 2023 by JeandAcre