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 Replies: 13 / Views: 3,246 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Here is my first ever Byzantine coin  , a billon aspron trachy of Emperor Manuel I, who reigned from 1143-1180. Minted in Constantinople. In Wildwinds, it's SB 1966. I have wanted a Byzantine coin for a while, and so I got this one. Naturally, since I collect ancient Romans, my path would have crossed with Byzantine coins eventually. And technically, this is a "Roman" coin. Also, this happens to be my first medieval coin as well! Another  MANUHL DECP, Manuel holding labarum and cross on globe on the left, being crowned by Mary with M between their heads. On the other side (can't tell which side is obv/rev): Christ bearded and nimbate seated holding Gospels, wearing tunic and kolobion, with IC and XC to the left and right Edited by VisigothKing
10/26/2011 4:27 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
Very nice. Now I guess I'll have to look into getting one of these. Congrats on making two milestones in one throw of the dice.
JW
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4778 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
BTW just added the description under the picture.
Edited by VisigothKing
10/26/2011 3:58 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Good work - I too have been looking at the Byzantine coins on offer ever since echizento posted some nice ones.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Very nice coin. Now that you have one you are going to have to get more. The obverse on this series is side with Christ enthroned.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
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Now that you have one you are going to have to get more You know it!  Now that I actually have one, I'll be one the lookout for more that I can snag at good prices. And thanks for telling me about the which side is which. Could've sworn that Manuel+Mary was the obverse, which is why I put that side on the left. I guess it makes sense, with the reverse flat on a surface, you could stack them without them tipping over easily (I read somewhere these were made into a cup-shape to make them easier to stack). |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
There is some disagreement regarding how these were struck and those details would affect the definitions of obverse and reverse from a technical sense. The reason Christ in considered on the obverse is that He is the more high ranking of the figures shown and the standard references show Him as the obverse. In general I consider the obverse to be the side that was struck by the lower die on the anvil and the reverse on the top but I'm far from certain which was up on these cupped coins so giving Christ (or Mary, when she appears alone) the obverse honor seems appropriate.
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Valued Member
Serbia (Srbija)
88 Posts |
nice coin ! I have one but I cant identifine , so set him here and we'll see .
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
That makes sense also. Christ's placement on the coin meaning to be symbolic as well. Thanks for your input dougsmit.
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New Member
Bulgaria
19 Posts |
Catalogue of the Late Byzantine coins, vol. I # 4.3.4   Edited by latebyzcollect
02/03/2012 07:53 am
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
VK: I am starting to learn about this series, but I have a long way to go! Thanks for the picture. Nice coin!
Val:
With Byzantine coins especially, it is easy to appreciate why a line drawing is so useful in the attributuon of this series.
Who produced the line drawings for the book?
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New Member
Bulgaria
19 Posts |
Of course you are right, sel 691! We have made a detailed study of all late Byzantine coin types to present a much more complete and accurate picture of both their metric data (weight parameters, range of outer and die diameters, etc.) and precise specification of all types' patterns and their inscriptions. We made drawings of all the coin types we could locate. The drawings are based on the principle that the reader will benefit much more from a composite image of the "ideal image" rather than a photo showing an obscure partial image. We are confident that it will be much easier to accurately identify a coin type based on the drawings than on the photos in existing references. The line drawings was made by me with a little help of a CorelDraw specialist. Three years work:((( Here is one of my favorite coin types: MANUEL, COMNENUS - DUCAS ( 1230 -- 1237 ) 13. 9. 1 Billon Trachy Module 1 Mint of Thessalonica Struck 1230 -- 1237 Weight 1.64-3.81 g Diameter 26-32 mm Avg diameter 28 mm Die diameter 20-22 mm Die axis -- 180 ˚ Rarity 3 OBVERSE: X over AP on left, X over M on right. Full-length figure of Archangel Michael, beardless and nimbate, wearing chiton, body armour, and sagion; both hands holds sheathed sword horizontally. REVERSE: Circular legend MANOVHLDECПOTIC on left, OA�"IOCDIMHTPIOC on right. Columnar legend ПOLIC/THECCA/ЛОN/IKH in upper center field. The ruler on left, and St. Demetrius, beardless and nimbate, seated upon throne without back; holding between them the city of Thessalonica, represented as a walled town with three towers. Despot wears stemma, divitision, orarion, and paneled loros, holds labarum-headed scepter in right hand. Saint wears chiton, body armour with pteryges, and sagion, holds sword in left hand, resting over shoulder.   Edited by latebyzcollect
02/03/2012 5:10 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
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Three years work Very nice work and from those of us who collect, I would offer my thanks for putting in such hard work. Were you doing this for any particular purpose, i.e., thesis? Again, much thanks |
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Replies: 13 / Views: 3,246 |
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Posted 10/26/2011 3:56 pm
