Tiberius II Constantine Æ Follis...

[ewomack]

Few would consider this a beautiful coin. Even I don't consider it a beautiful coin. Yet, for this Byzantine emperor, it could be a lot worse. Semi-decent looking examples of Tiberius II Constantine folles seem agonizingly difficult to find. Over the past year and a half, I've passed on a number of specimens. Most look like a belt sander or a plow got to them. One fairly nice, but still not exceptional, example I saw came at a price that I really didn't care to pay. This one, though far from perfect, at least displays some of the details of the mappa, the eagle-tipped scepter, the crown, and areas of the robe. All of the text appears fairly clear and legible as well, which helped me take the plunge on this particular piece. His face, like many other examples I've come across, seems skewed, smooshed, and contorted. He often looks like someone pulled a plastic bag tightly over his face. So, given everything, this one remains one of the nicer examples from his reign that I've seen in a decent price range. It's also a pretty large and substantial coin. It exudes spending power. Not only that, it fills a gap in my Byzantine pile that now includes a run straight from Anastasius I to Phocas. A nice Heraclius would extend that out even further. On the obverse, I'm curious about the 2-toned layers. Most of the coin has a copper-colored tint, but strange blackish-grey areas appear as well. Does anyone have any insight into what that darker layer comprises? From what I can tell, though it looks a little like dirt, it doesn't seem removable and probably just shows some kind of difference in the metal concentration or content.

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.

According to Sear, the earliest coins of this type display year 4, which corresponds with his accession to Ceasar, so that makes this coin only the second issue of a not so exceptional reign. Like many of his fellow Byzantine emperors, Tiberius II Constantine doesn't stand out in history as a particularly fantastic imperial example. He apparently courted popularity by handing out money to the masses, but that led, following his death and short reign, to eventual financial ruin for the empire. He also lost territory, including the city of Sirmium. No one should expect a lavish Hollywood epic of his life and reign in theaters anytime soon (though one of Justin II could be interesting).

Please share your Tiberius II Constantine coins!

[Kali]

Tiberius II Constantine, (578 - 582 A.D.)

Æ Follis
O: D M TIB CONSTANT P P, Crowned bust of Tiberius facing wearing consular robes and holding mappa and eagle tipped scepter.
R: Large M, ANNO on left, cross above, GI on right, NIKOB in exergue. Dated Year 7 (589 - 581 A.D.)
13.43g
30mm
Nicomedia Mint
DOC 30b, Sear 441

[Prieure de Sion]

58 minutes ago, ewomack said:

Please share your Tiberius II Constantine coins!

I have only one - I like the simple style 🙂 

 

Tiberius II Constantine; Mint: Constantinople, 1st officina; Date: 578/582 AD; Nominal: Solidus; Material: Gold; Diameter: 21mm; Weight: 4.45g; Reference: DOC 4a; Reference: MIBE 4; Reference: SB 422; Obverse: Crowned and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger, shield on left shoulder; Inscription: Dm TIb CONSTANT P P AVI; Translation: Dominus Noster Tiberius Constantine Perpetuus Augustus; Translation: Our lord Tiberius Constantine, eternal Augustus; Reverse: Cross potent set on four steps; Inscription: VICTORIA AVGG A CONOB; Translation: Victoria Augustorum Duorum, Officina, Constantinopoli obryzum; Translation: To the victory of the two augusts, 1st officina, Constantinople 1/72 pound pure gold. 

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Nice find and outstanding for the type plus the size and weight are good. I don't have one yet.

[voulgaroktonou]

A few 3/4 folles:

Constantinople, 578-82. 12.18 gr. 33 mm. 6h

Obv: δm TIЬ CONS - TANT P P AVC, crowned and cuirassed bust facing, wearing cross and chlamys.

Rev: XXX; cross above; in exergue, CONΓ. Sear 432; DO 15d; H. 27; BM 40; R. 940

 

Nicomedia, 578-82. 12.84 gr. 36 mm.; 6h

Obv: δm TIЬ CONS – TAN[T PP] AVC, crowned and cuirassed bust facing, wearing cross and chlamys.

Rev: XXX; cross above; in exergue, NIKOB

Sear 442; H. 36; BM 72

 

Cyzicus, 579-82. 12.45 gr. 33 mm. 6h

Obv: δm TIЬ CONS – TANT PP AVC, crowned and cuirassed bust facing, wearing cross and chlamys.

Rev: XXX; cross above; in exergue, KYZA

Sear 445; DO 37a; H.42 ; BM 79

 

Antioch, 579-82. 9.20 gr. 28 mm. 6h

Obv: δm TЬЬ CO - NSTANT PP, crowned and cuirassed bust facing, wearing cross and chlamys.

Rev: XXX; cross above; in exergue, tHEЧP

Sear 449; H. 48; BM 107. Same obverse die as BM 107.

...and a diminutive silver fraction from Carthage.

Half siliqua, Carthage, 578-82. 1.06 gr. 16.4 mm. 6 hr.

Obv: [δm TIb CON]STANT PP Helmeted, diademed and cuirassed bust facing.

Rev: LV X M/VNDI Latin cross, above which, 2 pellets, all within a wreath. Sear 464; Hahn 20; BNP 1-2; BM 146-147

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Congrats!  I've always wanted a large-module year 5.

Here's my only photographed Tiberius II.

TIBERIUS II CONSTANTINE.(578-582).Constantinople.Follis.

 

Obv : D m TIb CONSTANT P P AVC.

Crowned bust facing, wearing consular robes and holding mappa and eagle-tipped sceptre; above eagle, cross.

 

Rev : Large m between A/N/N/O and GII; above, cross; in exergue, CON A. 

Sear 430.

.

Weight : 12.3 gr

Diameter : 33 mm

[sand]

@ewomack That's an interesting, large Tiberius II 40 nummi bronze coin. Tiberius II was 1 of the last Byzantine Emperors from the "glory days" of the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century AD. On your coin, perhaps the dark areas, are where the patina was more stubborn, when the coin was cleaned. The dark areas have a grayish purple color, which is similar to the color of the patina within the pitting on the coin. I agree, that large Tiberius II 40 nummi bronze coins seem to be difficult to find. It took me approximately 6 months of searching and waiting, to find my large Tiberius II 40 nummi bronze coin. Then, 1 day, it magically appeared, and I got it. It was a bit expensive, for me. It's my 4th most expensive Byzantine coin, and my 9th most expensive coin overall. Here it is.

Byzantine Empire. Tiberius II. AE 40 Nummi Follis. Regnal Year 5. Minted 578 AD To 579 AD. Constantinople Mint. Sear 430. Maximum Diameter 36.7 mm. Weight 17.60 grams. Obverse : Tiberius II Bust Facing Front, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Mappa And Eagle Tipped Scepter, Cross Above Eagle. Reverse : Large Lower Case "m", Mint "CON", Officina E.

Edited November 20, 2023 by sand

[ela126]

Some really beautiful coins here!

Tiberius II is an area im lacking, and definitely interested in finding a Follis. I did come across this beautiful 3/4 Follis though.

nikomedia

SN 442

10.02g

I should also add, @ewomack your coin's details are quite good. the surface and pitting of the surface, seems similiar to coins i've treated (incorrectly) in vinegar baths, which do remove certain deposts, and patina. The darker color you see may welll be dirt left over, which was not removed from the acid, any may have actually protected the orginal patina underneath.

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by ela126

[catadc]

@voulgaroktonou I collect this denomination and I am missing the one from Antioch. That is very rare comparing to the others. And yours are all very nice coins. 

To add something to this topic - the most common 30 nummi is the CONA, the only type I have two pieces. 

[voulgaroktonou]

21 hours ago, catadc said:

@voulgaroktonou I collect this denomination and I am missing the one from Antioch. That is very rare comparing to the others. And yours are all very nice coins. 

To add something to this topic - the most common 30 nummi is the CONA, the only type I have two pieces. 

@catadc, Yours are very nice examples. I agree that Antioch is the rare one in this series. I have seen only 3-4 over many years of looking.

[voulgaroktonou]

On 11/19/2023 at 11:58 PM, sand said:

@ewomack That's an interesting, large Tiberius II 40 nummi bronze coin. Tiberius II was 1 of the last Byzantine Emperors from the "glory days" of the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century AD. On your coin, perhaps the dark areas, are where the patina was more stubborn, when the coin was cleaned. The dark areas have a grayish purple color, which is similar to the color of the patina within the pitting on the coin. I agree, that large Tiberius II 40 nummi bronze coins seem to be difficult to find. It took me approximately 6 months of searching and waiting, to find my large Tiberius II 40 nummi bronze coin. Then, 1 day, it magically appeared, and I got it. It was a bit expensive, for me. It's my 4th most expensive Byzantine coin, and my 9th most expensive coin overall. Here it is.

Byzantine Empire. Tiberius II. AE 40 Nummi Follis. Regnal Year 5. Minted 578 AD To 579 AD. Constantinople Mint. Sear 430. Maximum Diameter 36.7 mm. Weight 17.60 grams. Obverse : Tiberius II Bust Facing Front, Wearing Crown With Cross On Top, Holding Mappa And Eagle Tipped Scepter, Cross Above Eagle. Reverse : Large Lower Case "m", Mint "CON", Officina E.

@sand, a beautiful example! These year 5 issues are, in my opinion, one of the handsomest folles of the 5th-6th c., in their own way, equal to the earlier dated folles of Justinian I. Here's one of mine. Sear 430; Hahn 25; DO 11a. 16.97 gr. 37.8 mm. 6 hr.

[robinjojo]

Great coins!

Here's one of two three-quarters folles of Tiberius II Constantine that I own.  This is the scarcer one, Cyzicus, Officina B.

 Tiberius II Constantine, Cyzicus, 30 nummi, Officina B, 578-582 AD.  From CNA XIX.

12.1 grams