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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Byzantine Coins| ▸ |Byzantine Mints| ▸ |Thessalonica||View Options:   | | | When Anastasius became emperor the once vast number of Roman mints had been reduced to only two: Constantinople and Thessalonica. Thessalonica did not strike Byzantine copper coinage until the reign of Justin I. The mint closed about 630 but opened again under Alexius I (1081 - 1118) and operated until the 14th century for various despotates, kingdoms and empires that took the city as their capital. In 1423, Despot Andronicus, ceded Thessalonica to the Republic of Venice to protect it from the Ottomans who were besieging the city. The Venetians held Thessaloniki until it was captured by the Ottoman Sultan Murad II on 29 March 1430. |
Until 1976 this type was regarded as anonymous (Class N) because neither of the two known specimens had a visible legend. In 1976, Grierson published a new specimen with a legend naming the ruler, Nicephorus (Grierson, P. "Nicephorus Bryennius or Nicephorus Basilacius?" in NumCirc LXXXIV.1 (January 1976), type a). There were two candidates, Nicephorus Bryennius and Nicephorus Basilacius, both usurpers, Bryennius in 1077 - 1078, and Basilacius in Thessalonica for a few months during 1078. In 1992, Roger Bland published an example with the legend on the obverse right side reading POCBAC, which has been accepted as proving this type was struck by Basilacius (Bland, R. "A Follis of Nicephorus Basilacius?" NC 1992, p. 175 ff. and pl. 36, B). Our coin has a nearly complete inscription, among the best of all the specimens known to Forum.BZ113843. Bronze follis, DOC III-2 p. 706, N.1 (anonymous class N follis); Grierson 1976, type a; Bland Basilacius pl. 36, B; SBCV 1903A; Sommer 58.1, aVF, overstruck and crude (as normal for the type), green patina, flan split, weight 7.427 g, maximum diameter 27.4 mm, die axis 0o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, summer 1078 A.D.; obverse +NIKHΦO-POC BACΛE, facing bust of Christ, nimbus cross with plain arms, wearing tunic and himation, right hand raised in blessing, Gospels in left, IC-XC (Greek abbreviation: Ihsoús Xristós - Jesus Christ) flanking across field; reverse patriarchal cross on base; barred IC - XC / NI-KA (Jesus Christ conquers) in the quarters; extremely rare; ON LAYAWAY
Byzantine Empire, Alexius I Comnenus, 4 April 1081 - 15 August 1118 A.D.
SH53616. Gold hyperpyron, DOC IV-1 20h; SBCV 1924, aEF, scyphate, weight 4.393 g, maximum diameter 30.5 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 1092 - 1118 A.D.; obverse KE RO-HΘEI (Lord, help [Alexius]), IC - XC (Greek abbreviation: Jesus Christ), Christ enthroned facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium, and colobium, raising right in benediction, gospels in left, double border; reverse A/ΛE/ΞI/W / ΔEC/ ΠT - TW / KO/MNH/N/W, Alexius standing facing, wearing chlamys, five jewels on collar, labarum scepter in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand, manus Dei (hand of God) above right; scarce; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Alexius I Comnenus, 4 April 1081 - 15 August 1118 A.D.
In the Dumbarton Oaks catalog, Michael Hendy identifies this as a transitional coinage. David Sear lists it as extremely rare.SH76239. Electrum histamenon nomisma, DOC IV-1 4; Wroth BMC 14 (Alexius III); Hendy pl. 1, 9; SBCV 1904; Sommer 59.7; Morrisson BnF -; Ratto -, aEF, scyphate, well centered, nice portrait of Christ, hairline crack, some strike slip, weight 4.313 g, maximum diameter 29.0 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 1081 - 1082 A.D.; obverse + KE RΘ AΛEZ (or similar), bust of Christ Pantokrator facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, holding books of Gospel, Greeks IC - XC across field; reverse St. Demetrius, on left, standing right, nimbate, holding parazonium and presenting labarum to Alexius, standing facing, wearing loros and crown with cross and pendilia, ΔI/MI/TI in three lines on left, Δ/EC/Π/T/H in five lines on left; from the Robert Watcher Collection, ex Rudnik Numismatics; very rare; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Manuel I Comnenus, 8 April 1143 - 24 September 1180 A.D.
Saint George (d. April 23, 303) was a Roman soldier from Anatolia, who was venerated as a Christian martyr. Immortalized in the tale of George and the Dragon, he is the |patron| saint of England, Greece, Portugal, Russia, and many other countries, cities and organizations. -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George SH56037. Bronze half tetarteron, Morrisson BnF 61/Th/AE/09; DOC IV-1 18 var. (legend arrangement); CLBC I 4.4.5; Grierson 1101; SBCV 1975; Sommer 61.19, Choice gVF, weight 6.603 g, maximum diameter 21.6 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 1152 - c. 1160 A.D.; obverse Θ / Γ/E-ΩP/ΓI/OΣ (WR ligate), nimbate bust of St. George facing, beardless, wearing tunic, cuirass, and sagion, spear in right hand, shield on left arm; reverse MANYH-Λ ΔEC, Manuel, bust facing, wearing crown and loros, labarum headed scepter in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand; oversized flan (normally 4.0 - 4.5 grams), fantastic for the type; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Andronicus II Palaeologus, 1282 - 24 May 1328 A.D.
BZ80376. Billon tornese, DOC V 551 - 557; Grierson 1313; B-D LPC p. 36, 4; Bendall PCPC 94A; Sommer 79.2; SBCV 2327, gF, weight 0.647 g, maximum diameter 17.8 mm, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, sole reign, 1282 - 1295; obverse Andronicus standing facing, cruciform scepter in right, akakia in left; reverse KOHMHNOC O ΠAΛEΛOΓOC, cross within circle of dots; rare; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Andronicus II Palaeologus, 1282 - 24 May 1328 A.D.
Under Andronicus II the empire permanently declined. His grandson, Andronicus III, rebelled and defeated him. He was forced to abdicate, retired as a monk and died 13 Feb 1332.BZ14455. Bronze trachy, DOC V 789, B-D LPC p. 224, 32; Bendall PCPC 239; Grierson 1454; SBCV 2393; Sommer 79.31, nice VF, scyphate, weight 1.446 g, maximum diameter 20.5 mm, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 1282 - 1328 A.D.; obverse large six-petal flower; reverse Andronicus standing facing, holding a large B in each hand, one reversed; scarce; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Alexius I, 4 April 1081 - 15 August 1118 A.D.
This type was the last Byzantine follis.BZ37080. Bronze follis, DOC VI-1 p. 213, 19; Hendy pl. 3, 3; Morrison BnF type 3, 59/Th/AE/02; Wroth BMC 66; SBCV 1911; Sommer 59.12; Ratto -, VF, weight 4.747 g, maximum diameter 29.1 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 1081 - c. 1087 A.D.; obverse cross fourchée on two steps, pellet at the end of each arm, IC - XC / NI-KA (Greek: Jesus Christ conquers) in the angles; reverse Greek inscription in four lines: CEP CVN/EPΓEI BA/CIΛEI AΛEΞI, cross above; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Justinian I, 4 April 527 - 14 November 565 A.D.
BZ66859. Bronze 8 nummi, cf. SBCV 189, DOC I 100a, Morrisson BnF I 10, Hahn MIB I 174, Tolstoi 493, Ratto -, VF, weight 3.559 g, maximum diameter 16.8 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, obverse D N IVSTINI-ANVS P P AVG, diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse large H between smaller A and P, cross(?) above; rare; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, John II Comnenus, 15 August 1118 - 8 April 1143 A.D.
John II was a capable ruler. He recaptured lost territory and added territory to the Empire. He attempted to curtail the trading privileges given to the Venetians but was forced to give up this idea. His reign was brought to an early end when he died in a hunting accident.BZ99283. Bronze tetarteron, DOC IV-1 14b; Morrisson BnF 60/Th/AE/02; Wroth BMC 70; Hendy pl. 11, 12; SBCV 1953; Sommer 60.14, Choice aVF, broad flan, dark uneven patina, areas of slightest porosity, weight 3.762 g, maximum diameter 19.4 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 1137 - 8 Apr 1143 A.D.; obverse bust of Christ facing wears nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, pellet in each limb of nimbus, raising right hand in benediction, Gospels in left hand, IC - XC (Greek abbr.: Ihsoús Xristós - Jesus Christ) flanking shoulders; reverse Iw ΔECΠTH (John, Despotes), bust of John II facing, wearing crown with cross and pendilia, and jeweled chlamys, jeweled scepter in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand; from the S. Lindner Collection; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Alexius I Comnenus, 4 April 1081 - 15 August 1118 A.D.
Although he was not the founder of the Comnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Comnenos family came to full power. Inheriting a collapsing empire and faced with constant warfare during his reign against both the Seljuq Turks in Asia Minor and the Normans in the western Balkans, Alexius was able to curb the Byzantine decline and begin the military, financial, and territorial recovery known as the Comnenian restoration.BZ95145. Bronze half tetarteron, CLBC 2.4.6; DOC IV-1 39; SBCV 1930; Hendy p. 88 and pl. 8, 9; Grierson 1056; Sommer 59.25, F, well centered, overstruck as is common for the type, weight 3.444 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 1092 - 1118 A.D.; obverse bust of the Virgin Mary facing, orans, MP - ΘV (Greek abbreviation: MΗTΗP ΘΕOY - Mother of God) across field; reverse + AΛZI ΔECΠ (or similar), Alexius bust facing, wearing crown, stemma, divitision and chlamys, labarum in right hand and globus cruciger in left; from the S. Lindner Collection; SOLD
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