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 Replies: 7 / Views: 1,173 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
Another thread suggested there are some readers of this list who appreciate Byzantines so I thought I'd post my favorite coin of that period and ask if anyone else sees interest in it. The coin is overstruck but the challenge here is on what. I will suggest no one go to my web pages where I have posted this long ago with my opinions on it but allow your eyes fair chance to see what they see.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
Man that is a tough one! I don't collect Byzantine coins as a general rule. My collection ends with Anastasius, Justinian I and Justin II, so I am truly looking at this with unfamiliar eyes.
On the obverse, there seems to be two legends visible. At 9 o"clock there is a large "TIB" clearly visible and right next to it at 10 o'clock it looks like smaller lettering "oca_+"
The reverse is even harder as it seems to be a mixture of the two coins jumbled together. I can see the "ANNO", a Sheppard's staff and an "ONA" at the bottom.
I'm thinking this is a Tiberius II and/or Maurice Tiberius. However, the portrait on the obverse doesn't match any that I know (but that is a paltry sum). In looking at the portraits of Byzantine Emperors on wildwinds, it would seem the bust style resembles that of the later Emperors such as Heraclius, Constans II and Constantine IV.
These are my musings for the moment. I am still trying to answer your riddle, but I'm afraid I will not get much closer to the answer then this. I hope someone can answer this or that you will provide the answer or this will drive me nuts trying to figure it out.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Are you asking which emperor was the one that got overstruck?  BTW jw, I still say you did a good job trying this riddle. You got closer than I would have, since I have practically zero experience with Byzantines. Edited by VisigothKing
12/02/2011 5:35 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1549 Posts |
Would it have been easier if I had rotated the coin a quarter turn to the left? That would place the last strike with the correct side up but made it harder to see the one that is now right side up. It was mentioned the it is hard to find high grade Byzantine bronzes. Jumbled messes need love, too.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
I've been looking at this coin for some time now checked through Sear and some of my other Byzantine references, but I can't seem to find this coin. The coin appears to be a decanummium of Tiberius II but with the two figures its not from his soul rule. So I'm going to say that this is an unlisted coin from the brief rule of Justin II and Tiberius II.
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Valued Member
279 Posts |
Hi maybe it will be interesting for you know that:
After the fall of the Roman Empire, with the monetary reform of Anastasius (491-518) in 498 AD you have the beginning of the Eastern Roman Empire Byzantine coinage, and this was the last monetary system of the Roman Empire, and was based on the NUMMI as a bronze coin and solid as gold.
The NUMMI was a coin very small (about 8-10mm), so that its multiples were used, the most common of which was the follis with a value of 40 Nummi. On the obverse of these coins were depicted stylized images of the emperor, while the back was reported the value of money according to the greek number system (E = 5, I = 10, K = 20, M = 40).
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
The answer (long form) - Don't read if you are still trying on your own. I do not have many Byzantine coins of this period that are not double struck or worse. I had a hard time finding coins that were clear and single showing Heraclius and his son standing. Even coins not overstruck are usually hard to read. The reverse is the large M for 40 but only half of it is clear. This coin is similar to the top coin on my triple: http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=218332giano did well pointing out that the 40 nummi coin usually has a large M on the reverse but there were a few coins issued with Roman numerals for the denomination so 40 is XXXX. This is an example of a Focas not unlike the one that participated in my coin (middle strike). Only part of one X survived at reverse right. http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=50733The TIB from the original coin is harder because there was Maurice Tiberius and Tiberius Constantine. Being sure which contributed to this mess is hard. There is a three way over strike on acsearch that clearly started as a Maurice Tiberius but I always thought my coin was Tiberius Constantine like this one: http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=196462Byzantine coins are either ugly or beautiful depending on how you choose to see them. Some of the art is quite nice in a medieval sence of the word but after Justinian, poor striking workmanship and overstriking made a mess out of many coins. Because I found them interesting and most dealers sold them as defective (therefore, cheaper) I have more messy overstrikes than clear coins. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
This kind of coin makes for interesting investigation and discussion, but I am one of those collectors who don't find Byzantine coins to be particularly attractive. Interesting but unattractive. Much like some women I know  (not PC I know). They're OK to be around when you want a stimulating conversation, but not much else. In general, I say the same thing about the fourth century Roman Imperials as well. Most are not very pretty and the artwork is lacking. But, hey, that's me. |
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Replies: 7 / Views: 1,173 |
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Posted 12/02/2011 5:34 pm
