Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 16 · Member Share Posted April 16 When this, the cheapest solidus on vcoins, showed up,I hopped on it. It arrived today. From the picture, I thought that there would be some damage to the face, like a punch or something, but looking at it under a magnifier, it just lookslike the regular ol' die break face that so many of these have. Anyway, it's still a much better placeholder than the decrepit nummus I have. There's just something satisfying about gold coins. My question: there's a way to tell which period these came from by where the spear is in relation to the lettering. Which is mine? Could people post some examples of the different periods? I also got a hemiobol. I had always wanted one of this issue. It's amazing how many survived. Leo I AV21 Solidus. Victory w. long cross. Constantinople Obv: Pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif. D N LEO PERPET AVG. Rev: Victory standing to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. VICTORIA AVGGG A. RIC X 605. AD 457-474. 4.31g. Mysia. Kyzikos AR9.5 Hemiobol. Boar / Lion Obv: Forepart of boar to left; on the boar's shoulder, retrograde Ε; to right, tunny fish swimming upwards. Rev: Head of roaring lion to left within incuse square. SNG Paris 375. 525-475 BC. .36g. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasiel Posted April 16 · Member Share Posted April 16 Oh wow, what a coincidence. I just posted a similar solidus on Facebook. No, there's nothing in the stylistic touches of this reign that can be used for dating (that I'm aware of). This was a very stable period in Byzantine history. Rasiel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrefn Posted April 16 · Supporter Share Posted April 16 I am also unaware of variations in Leo solidi which allow them to be dated. I am curious to know more. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 16 · Member Author Share Posted April 16 Yes, it's in Sear RCV 5. The tip of the spear intersects certain letters. There are two spans of time mentioned, I think. The face looks less ghastly in person. The trick of the reflection made it look like there was a divot. It's the same smushed nose/mouth that so many of these have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 16 · Member Author Share Posted April 16 Would someone mind posting the excerpt? I can't find my paper copy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrefn Posted April 16 · Supporter Share Posted April 16 Leo’s standard solidi of Thessalonica have either one or two stars in the reverse field. Dumbarton Oaks’ Catalogue of Late Roman Coins assigns the one-star Thessalonican variety to the earlier part of the reign. “But when or why the transition was made, we do not know.” -Grierson. I cannot find information on dating the Constantinopolitan solidi in this catalogue. Here are Leo’s solidi from Constantinople and Thessalonica. The first was purchased from Giessener Munzhandllung Dieter Gorny of Munich. Berk-13. D.O. 528. 4/1990 The second is from Stack’s Auction 16 Feb 1994 lot number 26. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 16 · Member Author Share Posted April 16 Those are really nice examples. I suppose it's lucky that gold is so difficult to photograph. The coin probably would never have stuck around if a trick of the lighting hadn't made the face look gashed out, even though it's not. It's 'only' VF, but otherwise normal. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 17 · Member Author Share Posted April 17 Quoting from Sear, "RIC distinguishes two phases of this issue. The earlier (457-68) has an angled form of the letter G in the inscriptions, while the tip of the emperor's spear on obverse normally points between the P and E of PERPET. The later (468-473) has a rounded G and the spear points between the E and T. I guess mine is the second phase one? Sear pictures two 21404's but the spear's in the same place on both. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrefn Posted April 17 · Supporter Share Posted April 17 So that would make my Constantinople solidus one of the earlier type according to Sear. I will update my notes. Position of the spear tip on the Thessalonican coin may not have the same significance; being a one-star variety on the reverse it is the earlier type, but the spear tip is between E and T like the later Constantinople coins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 18 · Member Author Share Posted April 18 Yes, I think the notes only applied to Constantinople. At least, that's the way I interpreted it. It's pretty cool that my budget solidus was made during the 'fall' of Rome. Were it one of the Western emperors, it would have cost a lot more. It could very well have been made to finance the ill-fated Basiliscus expedition (what a numpty). This humble coin has certainly brought me a lot of joy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrefn Posted April 19 · Supporter Share Posted April 19 8 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said: It's pretty cool that my budget solidus was made during the 'fall' of Rome. And that is the heart of ancient coin collecting right there. And there is no straight line correlation between a coin’s price and the enjoyment one can derive from it. I picked up this delightful little bronze nummus this year, showing the ascension of Constantine the Great into heaven by chariot, with the Hand of God extending down to receive him. That’s a lot of historical gravitas in a tiny package, and at eight euro is within almost anyone’s budget. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 19 · Member Author Share Posted April 19 That's quite a nice 8 Euro find! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted April 20 · Member Share Posted April 20 (edited) Silver is my preferred medium for coins, not bronze or gold, but I make exceptions. Leo I is one such. Can you even find a silver coin of Leo? Despite his 17 years on the throne, Roman Silver Coins Vol. V lists just two basic varieties (#11 and #12). The prices are north of 225 (US$ £ ?), and I can't assume the 2004 reprint has updated David Sear's estimated values from 1987. So, like Nerosmyfavorite68, I have a nummus and solidus of Leo I. I've now noted that the solidus is from the later issue. Leo I the Great. 457‑474 AD. Æ Nummus (0.87 gm, 9.5mm, 7h). Constantinople mint. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right. D N LEO P F AVG. / Lion crouching left, head right, tail right [all within wreath]. ex: CON. aVF. CNG EA 541 #623, ex-CNG 525 #1359. RIC X # 674; DOC LR 573-575; LRBC 2260. Dark brown surfaces. The crouching lion doesn't look anything like a crouching lion. Leo I the Great. 457-474 AD. AV Solidus (4.39 gm, 20.3mm, 6h) Constantinople, 468-473 AD. Diademed & helmeted 3/4-facing bust, holding spear over shoulder & shield, DN LEO PERPET AVG. / Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross, star to right; VICTORIA AVGGG ɪ, ex: CONOB. EF. CNG Auction 61 #2155. RIC X p.288 #630; Depeyrot p.258 #93/1; DOC 516-529; MIRB 3a, 3b; SRCV V (phase 2 issue) #21404. Edited April 20 by Anaximander Change photo resolution to make it smaller 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted April 20 · Member Author Share Posted April 20 (edited) Very nice! I examined my solidus again, and under certain light, it does look like the picture. What's going on is a blob of metal in the nose area. It doesn't seem to be a divot or gash. There doesn't seem to be damage on the reverse, so I'm guessing there wasn't a repaired hole. My guess would be a serious die break? Unless one looks at it really closely, it doesn't look bad from afar. It's certainly an upgrade to my sub $20 nummus. Edited April 20 by Nerosmyfavorite68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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