Something Attractive!

[Simon]

I was going through a drawer of coins set aside and this caught my attention. A very attractive Class G Anonymous follis and I thought I would share. A nice chunky one.7.5 gm 26.12mm

It needs a little cleaning. 

 

Post any attractive Byzantine you have. Only Rule one coin per post, please don't do multiple, enjoy one at a time.  However, you can do multiple posts but it would be best if you spaced them out between postings.  

Edited April 4 by Simon
clarify requested rules.

[Alexios]

I think this one is quite attractive: 

Leo VI the Wise AE Follis

Minted: 886 - 912 AD, at the Constantinople Mint

Weight: 7.72g, Diameter: 28.0mm, Axis: 6H

Obverse: ☩LЄOҺ bASILЄVS ROM',
Bust of Leo VI facing, with short beard, wearing crown ornamented with cross and chlamys, holding akakia in his left hand

Reverse: ☩LЄOҺ/ЄҺ ΘЄΟ bΑ/SILЄVS R/OmЄΟnҺ,
Legend in 4 lines

Exergue: -

---

Reference: SBCV 1729

[Kali]

Nice example!

Leo VI the Wise (870 - 912 A.D.)

Æ Follis
O: + LEOn bASILVS ROm, bust facing, with short beard, wearing crown with cross and chlamys, holding akakia in left hand.
R: + LEOn/En ΘEO bA/SILEVS R/OMEOn, inscription in four lines.
Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint
8.58g
26mm
SBCV 1729

[ela126]

Oh man. Just one, difficult to pick. I don’t think I’ve shared this one in a while, it’s very nice in hand.

Michael II

This is listed in Sear on Michael I with Theophylactus, however many sources have now applied this to Michael II and Theophilus (damn guys maybe switch it up with the names).

Really like the immobilized reverse NNN and XXX which has been running for a while at this point.

solid strike, almost no wear and even patina.

Michael II (Sear recognized as Michael I)
Follis
Constantinople Mint
5.04g
SB 1618

Edited April 4 by ela126

[Valentinian]

15 minutes ago, ela126 said:

Really like the immobilized reverse NNN and XXX which has been running for a while at this point.

Me, too. I read speculation that it might be "Christ Conquers" three times across the field: Christus Nika (Christus with a chi (X), of course).
X N.
  Yours is an excellent example. The difference between Sear 1618 (that coin above) and Sear 1642 (below)

is a little bit in the lettering (this one has "OS" at the end of the legend), but most obviously in the size. This one is 30-29 mm and 8.23 grams, where as Sear 1618 is typically closer to 22 or 23 mm. Maybe @ela126 can let us know the diameter of his coin. 

 

[Simon]

1 hour ago, ela126 said:

Oh man. Just one, difficult to pick.

Just one on each post, you can post more, just pace yourself. Its more looking at a special coin than being swamped with a bunch of awesome coins. I think it also evens the playing ground for new collectors. 

[ela126]

37 minutes ago, Valentinian said:

is a little bit in the lettering (this one has "OS" at the end of the legend), but most obviously in the size. This one is 30-29 mm and 8.23 grams, where as Sear 1618 is typically closer to 22 or 23 mm. Maybe @ela126 can let us know the diameter of his coin. 

Excellent 1642 example you have @Valentinian. I’ve heard the Christ Conquerors meaning on the reverse as well. I suppose that makes more sense than the nonsensical NNN for ANNO and XXX for a random date, as they are inverse anyway.

the sb 1618 is meaningfully smaller, my example comes in at 20.5mm. Not to violate the one coin rule but there is a 1618 and 1642 next to each other. The diameters become apparent quickly. My example of the 1642 seems to leave off the last S yours has @Valentinian.

[Orange Julius]

[JeandAcre]

For mere esthetics, this is the best Byzantine Anything I have.  ...Oh, No, cribbing it directly from this forum!  (Well, with the little I could do in the way of transliteration.)

 

Here's my very first AE tessera, just won from Naumann.  The description is mostly cribbed from the auction page.  ...And, Golly, I can still transliterate!  Who knew?

 

BYZANTINE AE TESSERA(?). Stephan Spatharios, Mystolektes (a subsidiary administrative post), c. 11th-12th c.  (I mostly hang out in the Comnenan -Latin periods.  The style strikes me as pretty emphatically Comnenan.)

Obv: O A ΓЄωPΓIOC.  (...Georgios.)
Facing bust of St. George, nimbate, holding spear and shield.
Rev: + KЄRO CTЄΦAN ACΠAΘAP S MVCTO ΛЄKTH.  (...Stephan ...Mystolecte)

Edited July 4, 2022 by JeandAcre

[Simon]

6 hours ago, JeandAcre said:

Here's my very first AE tessera, just won from Naumann.  The description is mostly cribbed from the auction page.  ...And, Golly, I can still transliterate!  Who knew?

Beautiful @JeandAcre. Do you know the size?

Edited April 5 by Simon

[JeandAcre]

Thanks, @Simon.  It's only 15 mm, but at 4 grams and change, it's a pretty substantial 15 mm.  The kind of thing someone like yours truly can be glad he got one representative example of.

Edited April 6 by JeandAcre

[Jims,Coins]

Minted at Constantinople during the reign of Michael II & Theophilus between 829 – 829 A.D. Obv. MIXIAHL.S.0EFILOS. Facing busts of Michael II, with short beard (on l.) & Theophilus, usually beardless (on r.) both crowned, the former wearing chlamys, the latter, loros; between their heads, cross. Rev. Large M between X/X/X & N/N/N; above, cross; beneath 0. BCVS #1642.

[voulgaroktonou]

For decades my local ancient coin group friends have referred to the objects of my passions as "UBCs" (Ugly Byzantine Coins). When we next meet, I will have to show them the theme of this current post! While I am most attracted to the "beauty" of Palaeologan stavrata, my contribution here will be this ceremonial silver miliaresion of Constans II with his son Constantine IV.

Constantinople, 659-668. 4.21 gr. 20.6 mm. 6 hr. Sear 987; Hahn 141; BM 89; T. 269.

[JeandAcre]

@voulgaroktonou, over the past couple of years, several people on the forum have talked about this eloquently.  But when you're talking about medieval, Byzantine, or even Classical coins, why on earth do the historical contexts have to take such a back seat (almost feels as if it's on the bus, never mind in the car) to the esthetics?  I mean, if you need the esthetics That Badly, absent any other, no less relevant criterion, why not just collect St.-Gaudens double eagles?

...I tried to find the operant thread, with the usual luck I have searching this site.  But for more than one of us, the historical significance is actually the primary criterion of the two.  Cf. @panzerman's new post in his most recent thread about medievals.  

 

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I also have a Leo VI that I like. The patina like @Alexios is spot on I think. It seems these were struck in great numbers - presumably a high point in the Medieval Byzantine economy. One must consider that the Empire had been, up to this point, ascendant once again with the decline of the Abbasids in the East. During his reign, the renaissance of letters, begun by his predecessor Basil I, continued; but now the empire also saw several military defeats in the Balkans against Bulgaria and against the Arabs in Sicily and the Aegean. His reign also witnessed the formal discontinuation of several ancient Roman institutions, such as the separate office of Roman consul.

[Jims,Coins]

Minted at Constantinople during the reign of Leo VI, the Wise between 28 August 886 - 11 May 912. Obv. +LEON.bASILEVS.ROM’.: Bust facing, with short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, and holding akakia in l. hand. Rev. +LEON/EN0EObA/SILEVSR/OME0N.: in four lines. BCVS #1729. CBE #4 pg. 193.

Do you think I should try to clean this Follis, or could I damage it?

 

[voulgaroktonou]

12 hours ago, JeandAcre said:

@voulgaroktonou, over the past couple of years, several people on the forum have talked about this eloquently.  But when you're talking about medieval, Byzantine, or even Classical coins, why on earth do the historical contexts have to take such a back seat (almost feels as if it's on the bus, never mind in the car) to the esthetics?  I mean, if you need the esthetics That Badly, absent any other, no less relevant criterion, why not just collect St.-Gaudens double eagles?

...I tried to find the operant thread, with the usual luck I have searching this site.  But for more than one of us, the historical significance is actually the primary criterion of the two.  Cf. @panzerman's new post in his most recent thread about medievals.  

 

Dear JeandAcre,

              I don’t know why you’re addressing your comment to me.  😊 ‘Twas not I initiated the thread, but you do write that you have difficulty searching for the operant thread, which in this instance was: “Post any attractive Byzantine you have”. Ergo my post!

              I agree with you that historical contexts concerning the coinage of are of prime importance. Even an insignificant nummus that a collector would disdain can reveal volumes about its find spot. Several years ago, a colleague asked me to identify a coin found in a Mycenaean context he was excavating in Greece. It was a Class B anonymous follis, given in the Dumbarton Oaks catalog vol. 3:pt.2 to Michael IV and there dated to “ca. 1030/35 – 1042 (?)”. In a Mycenaean stratum! But from this we learned that the Byzantines had used that site as a dump in the 11th-12th centuries!

              In the Byzantine series, I can perhaps think of no more historically significant coinage than the decidedly unaesthetically pleasing final issues of Contantine XI (never mind that in an unsupportable way, I find them beautiful. 😊). To that end, I offer two:

Constantine XI. Constantinople. 1449/53. Eighth Stavraton. 0.63 gr. 12.7 mm. hr. 11. Sear -; DO 1789. Bendall, “The coinage of Constantine XI” (Revue Numismatique 1991, pp. 134-142), #110 (this coin). Obv: Nimbate bust of Christ; rev: bust of Constantine.

Constantine XI. Constantinople. 1449/53. Eighth Stavraton. 0.63 gr. 13 mm. hr. 12. Sear -; DO 1789. Bendall, “The coinage of Constantine XI” (Revue Numismatique 1991, pp. 134-142), #129 (this coin). Obv: Nimbate bust of Christ; rev: bust of Constantine.

Like you, I have difficulty navigating this site. I hope my reply falls in the appropriate place!

[ela126]

 

There is most certainly some difficulties in posting an “attractive” Byzantine. As Byzantine collectors we have our inherent biases to our coins with scarcity, historical significance as has been highlighted, or simply a specific issues that are deemed “excellent for type”.

Problem is these biases do not allow us to simply post “attractive” as I think we’re drawn to think of them as “special” which can include many of the mentioned reasons. If we can remove all knowledge for a second and dig through our trays as a layman (maybe asking a family member?!). Would result in the most attractive, but maybe not most interesting coin?..

Here is one of my early acquisitions in Byzantine collecting. It is still special to me beyond being attractive itself, as I cleaned it and turned it from a unsellable $10 shipped coin on eBay, to what is seen here. The green and copper contrasts on a thick and deeply struck coin, along with the facial wear resulting in an empty gaze are what makes me appreciate it.

Time of Heraclius

sassanid occupation of Egypt (618-628)

12 nummi

Sb 855

6.40g 19mm

Edited April 6 by ela126

[Simon]

Perhaps I used the wrong term, please use the word attractive as liberally as you wish. We all have different tastes and no one to judge, no winners here, just sharing coins you find beautiful, in the context of the type or just in general. 

Here is one of two excellent trachea I Have, both are SBCV-1966, this one, even with the two-strike process it came out almost perfect very unusual for a circulated coin, gold for instance saw the least amount of circulation, the condition is nearly always better. This coin is a billion trachy during the reign of Manuel I Comnenus, he had the longest reign in the century and his coinage was in abundance, but this one is an eye catcher. 

[JeandAcre]

May I 'fourth' @voulgaroktonou, @ela126, and @Simon's equally eloquent and perceptive points?  Ultimately, it's easy enough to see the historical significance as an integral component of the esthetic appeal.  Even with Classical coins --and collectors-- I have to suspect that an overly reductionistic dichotomy is speciously stereotypical of how people relate to the coins in real time. 

[Valentinian]

I like Byzantine coins of Justinian from Antioch. This might be my favorite among them:



The reform which yielded this new, larger, type started in year 12 at Constantinople but did not begin at Antioch until year 13 and no coins of Antioch were issued in years 14 or 15 (probably due to the invasion of Khusru mentioned on  my page). The mintmark switched to Latin in year 16 (see the next coin on my page). (There were no coins at Antioch in years 17, 18, or 19 either).  So, this short-version mintmark was used only in year 13 making this a one-year type.

For much more about Justinian coins from Antioch, see my page:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/interesting/Justinian.html
 

Edited April 6 by Valentinian

[ela126]

3 hours ago, Simon said:

Perhaps I used the wrong term, please use the word attractive as liberally as you wish. We all have different tastes and no one to judge, no winners here, just sharing coins you find beautiful, in the context of the type or just in general. 

Here is one of two excellent trachea I Have, both are SBCV-1966, this one, even with the two-strike process it came out almost perfect very unusual for a circulated coin, gold for instance saw the least amount of circulation, the condition is nearly always better. This coin is a billion trachy during the reign of Manuel I Comnenus, he had the longest reign in the century and his coinage was in abundance, but this one is an eye catcher. 

Goodness that’s a nice one. Best obverse I’ve seen on a Manuel 1

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Here's an unusually nice AE Follis of Phocas from Nikomedia, and a massive 36mm.

[quant.geek]

I posted this one before, but the strike is gorgeous albeit with the crack on the coin...

 

Byzantine Empire: Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180) EL Aspron Trachy (Sear 1959)

Obv: IC-XC; Christ standing facing on dais, bearded, wearing nimbus cruciger with five pellets in limbs, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels in left; eight-pointed star to either side

Rev: M-AN-ΩHΛ-O / ΘЄ/Ο/Δ/Ω/Ρ/OC; Manuel I, bearded and St. Theodore, bearded and nimbate (on right) both standing facing, jointly holding patriarchal cross with two crosses on shaft and large globus on base between them, emperor wearing crown, divitision and loros, right hand on pommel of sheathed sword on hip, saint wearing military attire with left hand on pommel of sheathed sword at hip
 

[Hrefn]

Attractive Byzantines?  Hmmmm…..

2024.19. Solidus, Justinian I, Thessalonica, 

OBV. DNIUSTINIANUS PPAUC

REV.  VICTORI AAVCCC   no officina.  Angel holds plain cross on the left, a plain globus without surmounting cross on the right. 

Purchased 3/29/2024 private treaty

Ex Roma 92 lot#1125.  12/21

Ex Williamette Valley Collection CNG 121 lot#1073. 6/22

Sear-173d.  Very rare

CNG photo, better than my poor effort.  The solidi with the angel holding a globus rather than a globus cruciger can be attributed to Thessalonica.