Justinian I (Sear 340) undescribed monogram? mint?

[Jan]

I have identified this 9 mm coin as Sear 340, uncertain mint. Any additional information you may add is much appreciated. I have searched the internet for information, but found almost nothing. Unfortunately I do not have MIBE available, but would really have liked to see what it says about mint, rarity etc.

The monogram appears to be unusual with the "S" above instead of below, perhaps undescribed?

I miss CoinArchives  , I would have liked to see if one of these had been sold during the last years.

Best wishes
Jan

[wileyc]

DOC has this coin as shown (372) with a S in wreath, in DOC it is the only example of 372/sear 340

cw

[Jan]

Thank you cw!

I have added a picture with the usual monogram on sear 340 for comparison.

I am guessing that this coin was minted in Rome. The obverse is similar to Sear 310:

http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?search=sear+310&view_mode=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1#1

The monogram is also similar in style to the monograms of Athalaric and Theodahad on 2½ nummi minted in Rome 526-536. The production may then have continued when the Byzantine Empire took over the Rome mint from the Ostrogoths in 536, and slightly modified the monogram to fit Justinian instead.

These are my own speculations based on a very limited literature search. MIBE and other sources may perhaps tell another story.

[byzcoll]

Intuitively, the style of the head looks more like Ravenna mint to me. This would place the coin in the vicinity of Sear 326A, which has a different monogram, but also with the S on top. (Of course your coin is neither a match to 326A nor to 340)

byzcoll

[Jan]

Thank you byzcoll, that is an interesting thought. I do not have a good idea of what Sear 326A looks like. The only one I found so far looks rather odd: http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=47354

Any help with better pictures is much appreciated.

[byzcoll]

That example of Sear326A with its worn off obverse is even pictured with the reverse up-side down. But I do not have a photo of a good example either.

byzcoll

[Jan]

The best pictures I have available are the ones in Wroth, not very good though.

Where there any other small bronzes produced for Justinian at Ravenna after 440? As far as I know the Ostrogoths did not produce any at Ravenna before that.