an unusually nice example of Justin II

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

It's been one of those rare years where I do anything special for my birthday, and any coin within that month is a birthday coin, I suppose.  I was also honored that friends cared enough to hold dinners for me; the fourth, and final, one is coming up.  I wish I could party like one of the friends; her party was straight out of a Digital Underground video.  Although I enjoy the occasional party, I am more of the small get together type, if I arrange anything.

Opportunity brought the best of the bunch, a nice Otho, at the start of birthday season. Next was the lovely denarius.  By the way, I'm in a bit of a quandary of what to order for my actual birthday.  I just don't love any of my bookmarked entries.  I'm leaning towards a Marcus Aurelius with an unusual bust type, but I just am unsure.  I've admired this coin for a while, it has a great patina, etc.

Although I received some nice work gifts, coins weren't one.  They aren't into coins.

The buy mentioned in this post was inexpensive one, but the personal satisfaction score was very high.  It's also a cautionary tale of how one's expectations can be mistaken, this time in the best of ways.  For many years, I thought this particular dealer only had cheap-o coins.  However, when I took a close look at his stock, while most of them wren't expensive, they were quality, and a rare quality at that.  The coins I value most are fairly untouched, with a nice patina.  Other than from Allen Berman, my favorite Byzantine coins come from this dealer.  I had also learned a lesson from a long-ago vintage shop, which had NOS 60's clothes, get them while you can.  The coins also don't smell like cat urine, which is a plus.  Other than the cat problem, Trivit's was a magical place.

I'm too lazy to go into the detailed writeup, especially when they're readily available, in podcast form, like Totalus Rankum.  Believe me, go listen to the Justin II episode.  It has everything.   Go listen, Justin II wasn't a boring dude.  He seems ot have gone insane shortly after he and his wife played soccer with an enemy's head, 'Goooalll!!!"

I really don't care for this type; I only had one, one which my father bought me, thirty years ago.  However, this was such a remarkable example and the price was so low, I just had to go for it immediately.

 

Justin II and Sophia  AE31 Follis. Constantinople.  year 7 (sic - 8)

Obv: D N IVSTINVS P P, Justin and Sophia, both nimbate, enthroned facing, Justin holding globus cruciger and Sophia holding cruciform scepter.

Rev: Large M, cross above, ANNO, E below, CON in exergue. Chi Rho above.

SB360.  AD 565-578.  15.4g.

It's really great, in person, as well.

The 'throw-in' wasn't terribly expensive, but actually was three times what the Justin cost. While it pops a little less in hand, it's still a nice coin, a very nice coin, for the price.

 

Justinian I AE35 Follis Nikomedia

 

AD 527-565.  16.96g.  

It appears to be Year 29, officina B. I haven't yet looked up the Sear number.  I will, once I put it in Excel.

 

Feel free to post your Gods of Ragnarok (a Dr. Who reference, from the Sylvester McCoy era), referring to the Justin II.  *Edit; Or, your birthday coins!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2024 by Nerosmyfavorite68

[Kali]

Justin II & Sophia (565 - 578 A.D.)

Æ Follis
O: D N VSTI NVS P P AV, nimbate figures of Justin and Sophia seated facing on double throne, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter, respectively.
R: Large M; A/N/N/O to left, Chi-Rho above, (date) to right; B//CON
Constantinople Mint, Year 10
29mm
14g
DOC I 38; SB 360

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

That example is also much nicer than average!

[ela126]

Justin II’s are common as can be, but nice examples are rare. Both of yours are nice examples.

My Constantinople piece had a similar story, in that it was quite a deal. I bought it off eBay from some hobby store that didn’t specialize in coins. I felt a bit bad because 4-5 good coins were sold, each for 30 dollars (yes I have them all), likely by a relative who just wanted to liquidate them.

this guy had some dirt on it, but that was quickly removed. (Although I see I didn’t get it all). This piece is interesting as it’s likely an “as struck” example, I say this because the rim is extremely squared. Not a rounded thing at all. Because of this I do visit it in the tray periodically, despite being a common coin.

as with almost all coins, looks a bit nicer in hand

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Whoops, I guess I didn't hit 'send'.  I found the first paragraph in the editor.

I'm still in a bit of a conundrum about what to order.  I do like that Aurelius, one of the very rare times I like an Aurelius, but that coin's been around a long time.  I noticed it had been in my old coins folder, which would be at least a year, year and-a-half, maybe two.  That could indicate that the price is rather high for the type. It has a nice patina and obverse, although the reverse type, a neat one, is a bit pockmarked, with what looks like non-active corrosion.

The ela example is really clear, and a remarkable and interesting example of what they were supposed to look like.  Mine was also inexpensive, $35.

The obverse was certainly an ambitious design, for the time. 

[Zimm]

Sear 360 is a great type for Justin II. Justin II isn't really an emperor in whom I specialise, but from the examples I have observed at auction and elsewhere online, the engraving quality seems to decline greatly over the years the type was produced. In the first regnal year, the style was very fine, and even even the faces were quite detailed. However, soon thereafter the style began deteriorating, and by the 5th regnal year the figures had become quite cartoonish.

Here's my example of the type, from the first regnal year.

Edited September 17, 2024 by Zimm

[mcwyler]

Jjustin II. 565-578. AE Follis (12.31 gm, 31mm). Constantinople mint. Dated RY 7 (571/2). Obv.: D N IVSTI -NVS P P AV, Justin and Sophia seated facing. Rev.: Large M; flanking, A/ N/ N/ O- ЧI, above, +; below, Γ, in exergue, CON. DOC 32b; MIBE 43a; SB 360.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Those are some more very nice examples.

This reminds me that a decent 378 is one of my bucket list coins, and that would be a great birthday present.  Alas, even the mediocre one on vcoins is not currently there, at least, not under Justin and 378.

 

[ewomack]

These coins do show up pretty frequently online, but they remain interesting for depicting a royal couple, which only a few other emperors did on their coins (Phocas & Leontia also come to mind). From what I've read, it sounds like Sophie wielded a decent amount of power due to Justin II's mental illness. I bought the example below from Nicomedia because of the faces and details remaining on the upper torsos. This example has little detail on the lower parts of the clothing, though, which could probably come from an uneven strike or wear, I really cant tell. Perhaps both. There is a very pricey, but extremely well struck, example from Cyzicus, on a major coin site. It's been there for a while. I pondered it once, but decided I could buy many other things for the price they're asking.

Justin II & Sophie (Year 5, 569 - 570), Æ Follis, 31.4mm, 11.83g, Nicomedia, Obv: DN IVUSTINUS PP AVG Justin II and Sophie seated facing forward, each with nimbus, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter; Rev: ANNO U, large M surmounted by cross, with B below, NIKO in exergue, Sear 369

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Very nice!

[Furryfrog02]

I have the rattiest Justin II follis... This was my first Byzantine coin with both Emperor and his wife depicted, which I think is really cool.. Sadly, I no longer have a coin budget so this'll have to do.

 

 

[quant.geek]

I have a few of them as there are many variations on this coin:

Byzantine Empire: Justin II (565-578) Æ Follis, Cyzicus, RY 10 (Sear-372; MIBE 50)

Obv: D N IVSTINVS P P AVG; Justin on left, Sophia on right, seated facing on double-throne, both nimbate, Justin holding globus cruciger, Sophia holding scepter, cross between their heads
Rev: Large M, ANNO to left, cross above, X to right, A below; KYZ in exergue

 

Byzantine Empire: Justin II (565-578) Æ Follis, Constantinople, RY 1 (Sear 360; DOC 23d; MIBE 43)

Obv: DNIVSTI-NVSPPAVC; Justin, holding globus cruciger, and Sophia, holding cruciform scepter, seated facing on double throne
Rev: Large M; cross above, to left, A/N/N/O and date across right field; Δ below; CON in exergue

[ela126]

Pictures show it poorly but after cleaning and waxing this Cyzicus piece, the patina became one of my favorites in my whole collection.