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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Byzantine Coins| ▸ |Byzantine Gold||View Options:  |  |  |   

Byzantine Gold Coins

Constantine the Great moved the capital of the Roman Empire to the former Byzantium in Thrace and renamed it Constantinopolis, present day Istanbul, Turkey. Numismatists, for convenience, have arbitrarily categorized coins from Anastasius I and after as Byzantine coins. Numismatists use Anastasius as the beginning of Byzantine because he dramatically reformed the bronze coinage. A significant minority of numismatists pick an earlier time and ruler, often Constantine the Great, as the dividing time between the Roman and Byzantine empires, because most coins were issued from Constantinople, or since it became the seat of government. Although the citizens generally spoke Greek, they considered themselves Roman for the entire Byzantine period, making our division of the empire an entirely modern convention.

Byzantine Empire, Romanus III Argyrus, 12 November 1028 - 11 April 1034

|Romanus| |III|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Romanus| |III| |Argyrus,| |12| |November| |1028| |-| |11| |April| |1034||histamenon| |nomisma|
Romanus III was fanatically devoted to the Virgin. His adoration found expression in the building and restoration of churches dedicated to St. Mary and also explains the Virgin's prominence on his coinage. M Θ is a Greek abbreviation for MηTερα Tου Θεου - Mother of God. ΘCE abbreviates ΘεοTοκε - God-bearer, also referring to the Virgin. On one of his types, a silver miliaresion, the inscription reads: Παρθενε σοι πολυαινε ος ηλιTικη πανTα καTοπθοι, which means, "He who places his hopes on thee, O Virgin all-glorious, will prosper in all he does."
SH83913. Gold histamenon nomisma, DOC III-2 1d, Morrisson BnF 43/Cp/AV/01, Ratto 1972, Sommer 43.2.2, SBCV 1819, Wroth BMC 2, VF, well centered and struck, die wear, weight 4.382 g, maximum diameter 23.6 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 12 Nov 1028 - 11 Apr 1034; obverse + IhS XIS REX REGNANTInm (Jesus Christ King of Kings), Christ enthroned, wears nimbus cruciger, pallium, & colobium, raises hand, holds Gospels; reverse ΘCE bOHΘ RWMANW (god-bearer help the Romans), MΘ (mother of God) above center, nimbate Virgin (on right) wears pallium and maphorium, with right hand she crowns Romanus, who is bearded and wears a crown, sakkos and loros, globus cruciger in his right, four pellets in loros end below globus; from the Robert Wachter Collection, ex Kuenker; scarce; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, Justin I, 10 July 518 - 1 August 527 A.D.

|Justin| |I|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Justin| |I,| |10| |July| |518| |-| |1| |August| |527| |A.D.||solidus|
This type is not rare, but apparently the 7th officina was not very active during this issue. Hahn identifies three specimens from the 7th officina, one from his own collection, but the 7th officina, is missing from the Dumbarton Oaks, British Museum, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Tolstoi and Ratto collections. Dumbarton Oaks and the other collections do list the type from other officinae - see DOC I 1a - 1h.2, Morrisson BnF 2/Cp/AV/3-12, Tolstoi 11-16, Ratto 381-382. Wroth BMC does not list the type but Sear notes this is only an error.
SL96956. Gold solidus, Hahn MIB 2 (3 spec., one from his own collection), SBCV 55, Sommer 2.1, DOC I -, Tolstoi -, Ratto -, Wroth BMC -, Morrison BnF -, Ch XF, wrinkled, marks (4284830-010), 7th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 518 - 519 A.D.; obverse D N IVSTI-NVS P P AVI, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, helmet with plume, diadem and trefoil ornament, spear in right hand over shoulder and behind head, shield on left arm ornamented with mounted cavalryman right attacking prostrate enemy; reverse VICTORI-A AVCCC Z (victory of the three emperors, 7th officina), Victoria standing half left, head left, long staff topped with (inverted staurogram) in right hand, star left, CONOB in exergue; NGC| Lookup; rare from 7th officina; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.

|Constans| |II|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Constans| |II| |and| |Constantine| |IV,| |13| |April| |654| |-| |15| |July| |668| |A.D.||solidus|
In 663, Constans II visited Rome for twelve days - the only emperor to set foot in Rome for two centuries! He was received with great honor by pope Vitalian. Constans II gave the order to strip buildings, including the Pantheon, of their ornaments to be carried back to Constantinople.
SH26632. Gold solidus, DOC II-2 30b, Morrisson 13/Cp/AV/46, Tolstoi 287, Ratto 1605, Hahn MIB 31, Sommer 12.23, SBCV 964, Wroth BMC -, EFvery sharp, minor edge bump,, weight 4.486 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 661 - 663 A.D.; obverse [legend fragmentary], facing busts of Constans & Constantine IV, Constans wears plumed helmet, Constantine a helmet with cross, small cross between heads; reverse VICTORIA AVGU H (victory of the Emperor, 8th officina), cross potent on three steps between Heraclius (left) and Tiberius, each wears crown and chlamys and holds globus cruciger, CoNoB in exergue; ex Gorny & Mosch; scarce; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, Heraclius, 5 October 610 - 11 January 641 A.D.

|Heraclius|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Heraclius,| |5| |October| |610| |-| |11| |January| |641| |A.D.||solidus|
SH53697. Gold solidus, DOC II-1 3; SBCV 731, ANACS AU 58, 5th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 610 - 613 A.D.; obverse D N hERACLI-VS PP AVC, bust facing with short beard and moustache, wearing plumed helmet and chlamys, holding a cross; reverse VICTORIA AVGu E (victory of the Emperor, 5th officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB below; certified (slabbed) by ANACS; choice portrait; scarce; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, Heraclius, 5 October 610 - 11 January 641 A.D.

|Heraclius|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Heraclius,| |5| |October| |610| |-| |11| |January| |641| |A.D.||solidus|
On 4 October 610 A.D., Heraclius arrived at Constantinople with a fleet from Africa. Assisted by an uprising in the capital, he overthrew Phocas, who was killed by the mob. Heraclius gained the throne with help from his father Heraclius the Elder. His first major act was to change the official language of the Eastern Roman Empire from Latin to Greek (already the language of the vast majority of the population).
SH94510. Gold solidus, DOC II-1 3d; Morrison BnF 10/Cp/AV/07; Tolstoi 10; Sommer 11.3; Hahn MIB 5; SBCV 731; Wroth BMC -; Ratto -, aEF, nice luster, well centered slightly uneven strike, light marks, weight 4.440 g, maximum diameter 21.9 mm, die axis 180o, 10th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 5 Oct 610 - 613 A.D.; obverse D N hERACLI-VS PP AVC, bust facing with short beard and mustache, wearing helmet and chlamys, helmet with cross on arc and plum, cross in right hand; reverse VICTORIA AVGy I (victory of the Emperor, 10th officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB below; from the Ray Nouri Collection; scarce; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, Anastasius, 11 April 491 - 1 July 518 A.D.

|Anastasius| |I|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Anastasius,| |11| |April| |491| |-| |1| |July| |518| |A.D.||solidus|
During the Anastasian War of 502–505 with the Sassanid Persians, the Sassanids captured the cities of Theodosiopolis and Amida, although the Romans later received Amida in exchange for gold. The Persian provinces also suffered severely and a peace was concluded in 506. Anastasius afterward built the strong fortress of Daras, which was named Anastasiopolis, to hold the Persians at Nisibis in check. The Balkan provinces were denuded of troops, however, and were devastated by invasions of Slavs and Bulgars; to protect Constantinople and its vicinity against them, the emperor built the Anastasian Wall, extending from the Propontis to the Black Sea. He converted his home city, Dyrrachium, into one of the most fortified cities on the Adriatic with the construction of Durrës Castle.
SH12102. Gold solidus, DOC I 7i, Ratto 320, Tolstoi 8, Hahn MIBE 7, Sommer 1.4, SBCV 5, Wroth BMC -, Morrison BnF -, Choice EF, weight 4.492 g, maximum diameter 21.0 mm, die axis 180o, 9th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 507 - 518 A.D.; obverse D N ANASTASIVS P P AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, helmet with plume, trefoil ornament and diadem, pellets on cuirass, spear in right hand and behind head, shield on left arm ornamented with mounted cavalryman right attacking prostrate enemy; reverse VICTORIA AVGGG Θ (victory of the three emperors, 9th officina), Victoria standing half left, head left, long staff topped with (inverted staurogram) in right hand, star left, CONOB in exergue; a touch flat on the forehead but with mint luster in fields and a wonderful reverse; SOLD


Anastasius, 11 April 491 - 1 July 518 A.D.

|Anastasius| |I|, |Anastasius,| |11| |April| |491| |-| |1| |July| |518| |A.D.||solidus|
Anastasius I came to the throne at the age of 61 after being chosen by the wife of his predecessor, Zeno. He is noted for leaving the imperial government with a sizeable budget surplus of 23,000,000 solidi by reducing government corruption, reforming the tax code, and currency reform. He is venerated as a saint by the Syriac Orthodox Church. His improvements to the government, economy, and bureaucracy of the Eastern Roman empire were so dramatic that he is often described as the first Byzantine emperor.
SH19042. Gold solidus, DOC I 3a (not in the collection, refs Tolstoi), Tolstoi 70, Hahn MIB 4, SBCV 3, Morrisson BnF -, BMC Wroth -, Ratto -, aEF, nice strike, nice coin, weight 4.480 g, maximum diameter 20.7 mm, die axis 180o, 1st officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 491 - 498 A.D.; obverse D N ANASTA-SIVS P P AVC, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, helmet with plume, trefoil ornament and diadem, pellets on cuirass, spear in right hand and behind head, shield on left arm ornamented with mounted cavalryman right attacking prostrate enemy; reverse VICTORI-A AVCCC A CONOB, Victory stands half left, head left, long jeweled cross in right hand which rests on ground, star right; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, John I Tzimisces, 11 December 969 - 10 January 976 A.D.

|John| |I| |Tzimisces|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |John| |I| |Tzimisces,| |11| |December| |969| |-| |10| |January| |976| |A.D.||histamenon| |nomisma|
This type with a plain cross was issued early in his reign and is scarcer than the later patriarchal cross variety.
SH04771. Gold histamenon nomisma, DOC III-2 2, Berk 282, SBCV 1786, Wroth BMC -, Morrisson BnF -, Ratto -, Sommer -, EF, weight 4.38 g, maximum diameter 22.3 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 969 - 976 A.D.; obverse +IhS XPS REX REGNANTInm (Jesus Christ King of Kings), bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger with two pellets in the limb of each cross, pallium, and colobium, raising right in benediction, gospels in left; reverse +ΘEOTOC BOHΘIΩ ΔESP (God help our ruler), the Virgin, nimbate, on right crowns John on left, John has short beard, wears loros, holds a long cross with pellet on shaft, manus Dei (hand of God) above his head, the Virgin wears a stola and maphorium, MΘ (Mother of God) above her head; rare; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, Theophilus, 12 May 821 - 20 January 842 A.D.

|Theophilus|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Theophilus,| |12| |May| |821| |-| |20| |January| |842| |A.D.||semissis|
After Leo III, 717-741 A.D., the semissis and tremissis were issued only in small quantities and normally only on particular occasions for ceremonial distribution.
SH10988. Gold semissis, SBCV 1674; DOC III-1 26c, Morrisson BnF 8-10, EF, weight 1.749 g, maximum diameter 12.8 mm, die axis 135o, Sicily, Syracuse mint, 829 - 830 A.D.; obverse ΘEOFIΛOS, crowned bust of Theophilus facing with short beard, wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger; reverse similar to obverse, but emperor wears loros instead of chlamys; ex Edward J. Waddell; SOLD


Byzantine Empire, Basil I the Macedonian & Constantine, 10 February 868 - 3 September 879 A.D.

|Basil| |I|, |Byzantine| |Empire,| |Basil| |I| |the| |Macedonian| |&| |Constantine,| |10| |February| |868| |-| |3| |September| |879| |A.D.||solidus|
Basil's favorite son, Constantine, depicted on this coin died 3 September 879. His death embittered Basil's last years.
SH52914. Gold solidus, DOC III-2 2c; BMC 2-4; Tolstoi pl. 72 nos. 3-4; Ratto 1858; Morrisson BnF 4-7; SBCV 1704, VF, weight 4.380 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 868 - 879 A.D.; obverse IhS XPS REX REGNANTIUM *, Christ seated facing on lyre-backed throne, wearing nimbus cruciger, tunic and himation, right raised in blessing, Gospels in left; reverse bASILIOS ET COnSTAnT AUGG b, facing crowned busts of Basil I, with short beard in loros (on left), and Constantine, beardless in chlamys, both hold a long patriarchal cross between them; very scarce; SOLD




  



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REFERENCES

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Catalog current as of Thursday, March 28, 2024.
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