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Trachy Tuesday


TheTrachyEnjoyer

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Very nice additions, congratulations! Your collection must be starting to have excellent coverage of the type by now. 

I don't have too many Trachy (Trachys? Trachies?) so I have to save some for next Tuesday. Here are a couple misshapen ones for today. 

Since we're doing coin-in- hand photos (good for 3D coins!), I photographed these for the first time i think. 

This one I just have as "Latin Byz." I find the patina, "centering," and obverse detail quite pleasing for the type! 

20220823_130400.jpg.76069306dd399bed653cbf5c7c7f4eba.jpg

I have this one as Manuel I, SB 1966, 3.27g clipped. I always liked the precise linear clipping, even if it wasn't fully struck: 

20220823_130238.jpg.05f406320944d715626329442857e1ca.jpg

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Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus, AD 1195-1203. BI Aspron Trachys. Constantinople mint. Struck AD 1195-1197. Obv: KE RO-HQEI / IC-XC; Facing bust of Christ Emmanuel. Rev: Alexius and St. Constantine standing facing, holding labara and a globus cruciger between them. Ref: DOC 3; SB 2012 or 2013.

image.jpeg.e67b0f6ba5c7e8641846915db9739940.jpeg

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Outstanding  additions! I really like them all! I am not sure if I have those in my collection, but here are some similar ones (and I like how you cross-referenced Lianta!)

 

Byzantine Empire: Michael VIII Palaeologus (1261-1282) Æ Trachy, Thessalonica (Sear 2301; DOC V.161)

normal_Sear-2301.jpg

image.png.52d5368eb449af00ad335295dec2bf4a.pngimage.png.bbfb1301863a3baee3adda66145f0312.png

 

normal_Sear-2142(2).jpg

image.png.5bfa4d4d2e4157ecd1d3531faf3fee34.png

 

Sear-2226.jpg

image.png.ad0b2f0e1463f2e171f7869459d0cdc2.png

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1 hour ago, Curtis JJ said:

Oh, may I share one more oddly-shaped (flattened?) Tuesday Trachy? Been saving it for ~20 years as a curiosity.

Byzantine-Latin and/or imitation? (AE 26mm, 2.00g.) Don't even know for sure if the obv is oriented correctly. 

20220823_143729.jpg.875da68c4cdbd236d35ba71ad280d66a.jpg

Maybe this one. The first one looks more like yours, but the other one is the same type...

 

Bulgaria: Mico Asen (1256-1257) Æ Trachy, Veliko Turnovo (Raduchev & Zhekov Type 1.6.2-5, Youroukova & Penchev-137)

normal_102886LG.jpg

normal_RZ-1_6_2-5(1).jpg

 

image.png.15a595eed84363a1727408600cd45148.pngimage.png.897b2af0c4c16edda318b363ab04636e.pngimage.png.12d58222b98f5064113c47968990289a.pngimage.png.376c89be8444a7faeb46a7dcbad304f0.png

Edited by quant.geek
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EDIT: Just noticed, the photos are coming through on my laptop but not on my phone, trying again. And thanks @quant.geek, for the comment below as well, much appreciated! 

50 minutes ago, quant.geek said:

. For the coin you posted, the legend reads ДЄС - СВТ (ДЄСПОТЪ СВѦТНСЛАВЪ; Despot Svetoslav) or variation thereof

 

ORIGINAL:

Quoting my photo again from above

4 hours ago, Curtis JJ said:

Byzantine-Latin and/or imitation? (AE 26mm, 2.00g.) Don't even know for sure if the obv is oriented correctly. 

20220823_143729.jpg.875da68c4cdbd236d35ba71ad280d66a.jpg

 

Thank you for this suggestion, @quant.geek! I hadn't considered Bulgaria (or perhaps forgot that I did once, long ago), but now I think it's mostly likely a mid-13th century Bulgarian Trachy.

The one that strikes me as most similar might actually be Iakov Svetoslav (1263-1275). I've never tried to learn what Bulgarian Trachy legends say, so maybe it's common to multiple types, but mine appears to have the same or similar legend to some of these...

The legend (?) on mine, right of the bust:

image.png.cb9f317dde04a7327bf124c90273a857.png

Maybe ꓘ - or TE- or DES for "Despot" or similar, or part of SVETOSLAV or similar? [See quant.geek's comment below/excerpted above]

6724528.m.jpg

 

Naumann 86, 792: BULGARIA. Second Empire. Iakov Svetoslav (Despotes in Vidin, 1263-1275). Ae Trachy. Ref: D&D 5.1.2.
Obv: Half-length facing bust of St. Demetrius, orans / Rev: Half-length facing bust of Iakov, holding sword and resting hand upon shield.
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6724528

 

6994553.m.jpg

 

Naumann 89, 642: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6994553

 

1683921.m.jpg

 

CNG 94, 1655: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1683921

 

 

Edited by Curtis JJ
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52 minutes ago, Curtis JJ said:

Quoting my photo again from above

 

Thank you for this suggestion, @quant.geek! I hadn't considered Bulgaria (or perhaps forgot that I did once, long ago), but now I think it's mostly likely a mid-13th century Bulgarian Trachy.

The one that strikes me as most similar might actually be Iakov Svetoslav (1263-1275). I've never tried to learn what Bulgarian Trachy legends say, so maybe it's common to multiple types, but mine appears to have the same or similar legend to some of these...

The legend (?) on mine, right of the bust:

image.png.cb9f317dde04a7327bf124c90273a857.png

Maybe ꓘ - or TE- or DES for "Despot" or similar, or part of SVETOSLAV or similar?

5743904-O.jpg?md5=l5CNIi3sVEqyCmlREBCZ6w&expires=1661296477 

Naumann 86, 792: BULGARIA. Second Empire. Iakov Svetoslav (Despotes in Vidin, 1263-1275). Ae Trachy. Ref: D&D 5.1.2.
Obv: Half-length facing bust of St. Demetrius, orans / 
Rev: Half-length facing bust of Iakov, holding sword and resting hand upon shield.

 

5977720-O.jpg?md5=l5CNIi3sVEqyCmlREBCZ6w&expires=1661296477

Naumann 89, 642.

 

835162.jpg?md5=l5CNIi3sVEqyCmlREBCZ6w&expires=1661296477

CNG 94, 1655.

 

 

I have most of the Bulgarian coins that have been posted by Dochev, Raduchev & Zhekov, and Youroukova & Penchev in one form or another (some rare ones I don't have as they are only a few specimens known). For the coin you posted, the legend reads ДЄС - СВТ (ДЄСПОТЪ СВѦТНСЛАВЪ; Despot Svetoslav) or variation thereof:

 

Bulgaria, Second Empire: Iakov Svetoslav, Despotes in Vidin (1263-1275) Æ Trachy (Raduchev & Zhekov 1.5.1; Youroukova & Penchev 139; Dobrinić & Dimnik 5.1.2)

normal_RZ-1_5_1.jpg

normal_RZ-1_5_1~0.jpg

Edited by quant.geek
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Here is my entry for trachy Tuesday. A group lot of aVF trachea from Savocca. Most seem to be small module 12th century and a few Latin trachea. 

Also a book that was cited @Glebe articles on Alexius III trachea. It is in Bulgarian but google translate helps me there. The German book he cited i have not found yet. 

I am still waiting for a Nauman coin from August 7th, a nice Alexius I trachy. It has not shipped yet.

I am traveling for work. Bermuda tonight. When i get back home, i have a few more to share.

560178117_20220823_2123252.jpg.8cdb45b536877352cad3917a261307da.jpg

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1 hour ago, quant.geek said:

. For the coin you posted, the legend reads ДЄС - СВТ (ДЄСПОТЪ СВѦТНСЛАВЪ; Despot Svetoslav) or variation thereof:

Many thanks, @quant.geek! Don't mean to derail, but Bulgarian coins are entirely new to me, and this has become quite interesting to me! This would be my only know example. Looking at my comment again on my phone, the images didn't come through (I could see them on my computer; fixed now, I think). So, highlighting again the couple bits that had caught my attention...

Here's the part of the legend that I recognized as corresponding to mine. On most examples I can clearly see the ДЄС in this same position. But on a few other I see the legend shown below. I don't know if this is a legend variation -- maybe ТН (from СВѦТНСЛАВЪ) or the ТЪ (from ДЄСПОТЪ abbreviated). Maybe I'm just misreading that character as a "T" or maybe Naumann incorrectly IDed theirs (86, Lot 792) as Ivan.

The legends remind me a bit of what Rasiel Suarez said about middle Byzantine legends (ERIC II, p. 1278, 1315): "From here on forward the legends become too erratic to catalog. As time goes on the lettering becomes increasingly fragmentary and careless and often completely illegible.... the border lettering has quickly eroded into the nonsense strings of crude letters that only vaguely resemble the old arrangement of names and titles...."

I've noticed a lot of old auction listings for Bulgarian Trachy from this period simply attributed to uncertain ruler of the 13th cent. (Naumann 86, 792 left; Mine is on the right.)

809572007_BulgariaIvanScreenshot2022-08-23191322.png.600dec119317fa1a8b014a4b8aefaa74.png  image.png.cb9f317dde04a7327bf124c90273a857.png

 

Or these weird ambiguous ones (CNG 108, 839) -- you showed this one above -- is that your coin?

1405759161_BulgariaIvanScreenshot2022-08-23192204.png.c4e6439a2ce41c447e05a5de7ef49acc.png

On ones like this I can see the DEC but it's pretty bad handwriting (Naumann 89, 642)

509660182_BulgariaIvanScreenshot2022-08-23192606.png.5661652dd8e603a440e0b5fe137e71e8.png

 

I fixed the images in the previous comment, so I'm not sure if this one came through the first time: the Naumann 86, 792 coin, the one most similar to mine (small image but expandable). I'm wondering if they might've misidentified this one? Also, some others like this one have an odd appearance, like they're smoothed (or worse). I know mine isn't tooled at least, since I got it as an uncleaned "crusty."

5743904-O.jpg?md5=hblUKbQNru6ZTYg6iJELPQ&expires=1661303515

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The CNG coin you pointed to is mine, and I bought a good chunk of the Bulgarian coins in that auction.  There were a few that I either let go (which I regret now) or got snipped by Clio (remember him 😡). It was an expensive auction, but the quality of these Bulgarian coins were pretty stellar in comparison to the typical ones you find.

The legend on this particlar coin is all over the map (surprise, surprise for Bulgarian coins) and Dochev noted the following legends (taken with a grain of salt due to the poor specimens). Note that Dochev states that the obverse is the standing figure of Svetoslav, whereas the reverse is Saint Dimitri?. Note that there are three, overall types for the coins of Svetoslav.  I'll post the others, as well as the line drawings in another post...

 

image.png.37204999d5b34c873a4355a9b3ce365f.png

 

image.png.e2b8d37d1c2d31f33ca97bf916d8d6f2.png

Edited by quant.geek
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The coinage of Svetoslav is categorized as four different styles, at least, noted by Dochev and Raduchev & Zhekov. I don't have the other references, so I don't know if there are more types, but I doubt it.  Of course, there are numerous minor variations due to minor legend differences, and overall fabric of the coin:

Type I

image.png.7b73603dd0bc38e6307aaf2a0594792a.png

normal_RZ-1_5_1~0.jpg

 

Type II

A similar type to the one above, but St. Dimitri is half the size.

image.png.dee0a108554eb327ed169c619d274d49.png

normal_RZ-1_5_1.jpg

 

Type III

Another interesting type and thus, quite rare to find...

image.png.7c07174613cffb045f3dcb465aa8624f.png

normal_RZ-1_5_3.jpg

 

Type IV

I have only seen this type once in auction, but I don't remember which one.  I don't have this type and it is quite rare in the series.  But in general, all of these coins are rare...

image.png.158d8a9603702b754a411597bd14f305.png

image.png.0976a4e1c06cf5437d6fefeecc0badd6.png

 

Edited by quant.geek
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29 minutes ago, quant.geek said:

The legend on this particlar coin is all over the map

Wow, I love that table of legends!! The transcription of the characters as they appeared with all their imperfections is just a beautiful piece of work. That's what I love about numismatic literature -- every so often you come across something like that and you just have to admire all the work that went into it. Thanks for sharing the images!

29 minutes ago, quant.geek said:

There were a few that I either let go or got snipped by Clio (remember him 😡)

Haha, yes, an important character in 21st century numismatic history! I often wonder what became of the legendary Clio and their collection. (I assume it's a "he" but I don't know if that's been confirmed?) I'm sure someday their identity will be publicly known (if it isn't already). I wonder if any of their coins have come back to auction? A couple hypotheses I had were Saoud Al-Thani (d. 2014) and Martin Armstrong (who literally went to prison for like 8 years for contempt of court rather than tell the judge where his ancient coin collection was hidden!). But their collections have now been auctioned under their names (or known pseudonyms), so I'd assume people would've recognized coins that had been "Clioed"!

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Continuing the theme of unusual or ones that are rarely seen:

 

Bulgaria: Konstantin I Asen (1257–1277) Æ Trachy, Veliko Turnovo (Youroukova & Penchev 44; Raduchev & Zhekov Type 1.4.13-16; Dochev 780)

Obv: Γ/HΛ - C; Facing bust of Theotokos Hagiosoritissa, orans; stars below bust
Rev: К/ОС/ТА/N/Δ - Ц/АС/Ѣ/N in two columnar groups; Half-length figure of tsar, wearing stemma, divitision, paneled loros of traditional type, and sagion(?); holds in right hand labarum-headed scepter, and in left, akakia; stars around

normal_Dochev-780.jpg

image.png.d21efb6833626832e2e41a0c75deb3be.pngimage.png.f4e34146d8a3076d90a8445b8a0a1392.png

 

We are not certain about this particular one, but Ross thinks its an issue of Michael VIII and Andronicus II. It is referenced in CLBC only.

Coinage of Uncertain Rulers (1204-1261) BI Trachy, Thessalonica? (CLBC 16.3)

Obv: Full-length figure of Virgin nimbate, orans, wearing tunic and maphorion; holds beardless, nimbate head of Christ on breast
Rev: Full-length figure of senior ruler on left, with short rounded beard, and of junior ruler on right, beardless, holding between them patriarchal cross on long shaft. Both rulers wear stemma, divitision, collar-piece, and jeweled loros of simplified type, and hold scepters

normal_CLBC-16_3.jpg

image.png.52f78f351e5f24c2906c6a2258be0714.png

 

Serbia: Stefan Radoslav (1228–1234) Æ Trachy (Jovanovic 3.4; Ivanisevic 1.4)

Obv: Nimbate Christ enthroned facing, wearing tunic and pallium, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left; in field to left and right, IC - XC
Rev: Θ KONCTANT CTEΦANOC PIZ; Stefan Radoslav standing facing on the left, holding akakia in his right hand, and St. Constantine standing facing on the right, holding cruciform scepter in his left hand; both holding between them long patriarchal cross
Dim: 33 mm, 2.35 g, 6 h

normal_Jovanovic-3_4.jpg

image.png.f974bd400ba2042bcfda0577b20c775e.png

image.png.889eff62af363f439191b8da7f4f1b57.png

 

Edited by quant.geek
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  • 4 weeks later...

Congrats Simon! I had my eye on that one, but alas, family commitments took me away during the auction 😢. Here is an Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Thessaloniki Trachy.  I got a hoard of these coins, but its taking time to photograph and classify. This particular specimen is about 15mm in die diameter and photographed using my cellphone.  I am still out-of-state and thus don't have access to any of my books nor photographing equipment, so this will do...

 

Kingdom of Thessalonica: John Comnenus-Ducas (1237-1242) BI Trachy, Thessalonica (CLBC 14.13.3)

Obv: Head of cherub nimbate, with wings
Rev: IШ - OAΓOC; Full-length figure of emperor on left, and of beardless, nimbate saint (Demetrius?) in military dress; between them cross, surmounted by globule on long shaft. Emperor wears stemma, divitision, collar-piece, and jeweled loros of simplified type; right hand holds anexikakia; Saint wears short military tunic, breastplate and sagion; left hand holds sword resting over shoulder

image.png.a06360b42e64ff5ecc07253d3956977e.png

 

 

 

Edited by quant.geek
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That Sear 2288 is difficult to get and that one is nice! I only have a piece of one:

 

Byzantine Empire: Michael VIII Palaeologus (1261-1282) Æ Trachy, Constantinople (Sear-2288; DOC 121; Lianta 567-68; Grierson 1369; Bendall-Donald C.28; PCPC 49)

Obv: Large patriarchal cross with pelleted ends on floriate base
Rev: Χ/Μ/ΔЄ/Π/ΤH to left, Ο/Π/Λ/C to right; Half-length figure of emperor wearing stemma, divitision, collar-piece and panelled chlamys (?); right hand holds labarum-headed scepter; left hand holds globus cruciger; Manus Dei in upper right field

normal_Sear-2288.JPG

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Another photograph of a tiny trachy. This particular specimen is a brockage by design and thus only shows the reverse. It has a 10mm die diameter. It is modeled after its larger cousin, Sear 2187/2199. I have several versions of these and all of them are quite small...

 

Kingdom of Thessalonica: John Comnenus-Ducas (1237-1242) BI Trachy, Thessalonica (CLBC 14.1.4; Jordanov pl. XXXVI, 4-6)

Obv: Brockage
Rev: Full-length figure of emperor on left, and of Virgin nimbate, holding between them cross within circle, surmounting triangular decoration on long shaft; Emperor wears stemma, divitision, collar-piece and paneled loros of simplified type; holds anexikakia in right hand, Virgin wears tunic and maphorion

 

image.png.895f558c3d4dd2bfa4a6dc4d5f29ba10.png

 

normal_CLBC-14_1_4.jpg

 

Finally, a size comparison between CLBC-14.1.2 and CLBC-14.1.4. Note that is isn't even the large module (CLBC-14.1.1 and Sear 2187) which seems to be extremely rare.

image.png.1b60b63ae8f6ec473c66a81c51b92a5d.png

 

CNG Auction  of CLBC-14.1.1 (26 mm total width and NOT MY COIN)

image.png.30b7c82a67009a523929936d8f453db5.png

 

Edited by quant.geek
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I dont remember if I shared this here

 

Despot Michael II, Arta Mint

Michael II Comnenus-Ducas, with John III Ducas (Vatatzes). As Despot of Epiros, 1249, Arta mint. Facing bust of the Archangel Michael / Manuel standing facing, holding palmfrond and akakia, being crowned by Emperor John III Vatazes (holding a cross tipped scepter). S. Bendall, "The Coinage of Michael II, Angelos of Epirus, 1231-1265," in NumCirc CIV.1 (February 1996), 5; DOC 2; CLBC 15.5.1; SB 2235.

E620BDE2-E025-4175-A4CD-EC7E6F8282F0.jpeg.536002315b57247c69abb86632e1165e.jpegDE4BE25C-9B49-4DAC-A948-B6D1B011EBFA.jpeg.61f2865df8a1f5bd2364221330104c5d.jpegF33A3288-D555-475D-BBDD-E4FC2DA7AF15.jpeg.3a3fc5b522185af2db4af91bc3fed5d8.jpeg

Left: The Despot Michael wearing the Kamelaukion (despot crown) and holding a palmfrond. 
Right: the Emperor John III Vatazes in imperial regalia holding a cross tipped scepter, coronating the despot.

Stuck in 1249 on the submission of Michael II to John III and elevation of Michael’s son Nicepohorus as co despot

Edited by TheTrachyEnjoyer
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12 hours ago, quant.geek said:

That is almost impossible to get 😲 Might I ask how you got that one...

Group lot 😂

Someone else definitely noticed it though as I paid 123 euros for this and two latin trachys (edit: two various seals)…not that Im complaining 😅. This is one of my better deals ever

Edited by TheTrachyEnjoyer
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