Classical Numismatics Discussion Members' Coin Collection Photo Gallery

Last additions - Abu Galyon

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 Follis. Weight 13.82 g., diameter 33mm, type 26 ornamentation. Probably from a provincial mint.Abu GalyonAug 06, 2023

McAlee 0110bCivic Issue (Gaius Cestius Gallus, legate), AE Trichalkon, diameter 16mm, weight 2.76g. Dated year 114 (ΔΙΡ = 114) of Caesarean era = 65/66 CE. Abu GalyonJul 31, 2023

Sear 0689Phocas (602 – 610 CE) Pentanummium, weight 1.67g, diameter 18mm. Mint of Carthage. MIBEC dates this type to the second lustral period of Phocas’s reign beginning in 607 CE. 1 commentsAbu GalyonJul 23, 2023

Sear 1823Imitative Anonymous Class B Follis. Weight 6.39g, diameter 26mm.

An example of a group of 11th century imitations identified by Grierson [DOC Vol 3, part ii, page 680f]. They consistently exhibit several differences from the normal Class B pattern: thinner, smaller flan with correspondingly lighter weight, quincunx as nimbus ornament, no obverse inscription other than the IC XC abbreviations, and also several regularly recurring errors on the reverse. The group is significantly later in date than the original Class B issue and must have been struck during the early part of the reign of Alexius I. This example has been overstruck on a Class H anonymous follis. Also, all of the five examples listed in DOC are overstrikes, which raises the question of why anyone would choose to re-strike worn but official coins with a design derived from coinage current half a century earlier?

Grierson also notes that two of the specimens he illustrates as plate coins in DOC “are clearly the work of a die-sinker of some artistic competence”. I believe this present coin to be the work of the same craftsman.
Abu GalyonJun 23, 2023

Sear 308AJustinian I (527 – 565 CE) Decanummium, weight 3.98g, diameter 17mm. Sear placed this type among Justinian’s Roman issues, but Hahn and Metlich [MIB] write, “These coins are found throughout Italy, but the obverse style of the profile bust is that of the gold fractions attributable to Sicily.” Abu GalyonJun 18, 2023

Sear 2012/3Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus (1195 – 1203 CE) Billon aspron trachy, weight 2.88g, diameter 27mm. Abu GalyonJun 16, 2023

Sear 1818Anonymous Class A3 Follis. Weight 11.80g, diameter 30mm. Type 41 ornamentation.Abu GalyonJun 07, 2023

Caliphate of Mu’awiyaMu’awiya (660 – 680 CE) Bilingual series, mint of Baalbek (Heliopolis). Fals, weight 3.29g, diameter 19mm.

Obverse: No legend. Two standing crowned figures with cross in field between their heads, each figure holding a sceptre, left hand figure also holds globus cruciger.

Reverse: Large M with cross above and ꓵ below; HΛIȢ to left and ΠΟΛЄ to right, in exergue ba’albak (in Arabic).

This is the unusual sub-variety with the design reversed (sceptres leaning to right and with the left-hand figure holding the globus cruciger). There are four examples illustrated in Goodwin’s die study of the Baalbek coinage (Goodwin [2005], chapter 2) all using the same obverse die, which this specimen also shares.
Abu GalyonJun 05, 2023

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 follis, weight 14.31g, diameter 31mm. Type 5 ornamentation.Abu GalyonMay 30, 2023

Sear 1207Constantine IV Pogonatus (668 – 685 CE) Follis, weight 4.92g, diameter 30mm. Mint of Syracuse. Overstruck on a Syracusan follis of Constans II [Sear 1109 or 1110].Abu GalyonMay 05, 2023

Sear 0806Heraclius (610 – 641 CE) Follis, weight 9.67g, diameter 28x25mm. Mint of Constantinople, first officina, struck in 616/17 [= regnal year 7].Abu GalyonApr 25, 2023

Sear 0045Anastasius I (491 – 518 CE) Pentanummium, weight 1.61g, diameter 13mm. Mint of Nicomedia.Abu GalyonFeb 22, 2023

McAlee 0124cCivic Issue, AE Trichalkon, diameter 18mm, weight 4.36g. Dated year 177 of Caesarean era = 128/29 CE.Abu GalyonFeb 17, 2023

Hoover 1374Civic Issue (Tigranes II of Armenia, ruler), AE ‘Denomination C’, dated (MΣ = 240) year 240 of the Seleukid era = 74/3 BCE, diameter 17mm, weight 3.38g.Abu GalyonFeb 15, 2023

McAlee 0541aHadrian (117 – 138 CE) AE Trichalkon, diameter 18mm, weight 4.77g. Abu GalyonJan 30, 2023

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 follis, weight 14.17g, diameter 35mm, type 16a ornamentation. Mint of Constantinople.Abu GalyonDec 28, 2022

McAlee 101Civic Issue, AE Trichalkon, diameter 22x19mm, weight 5.64g. Dated year 104 (ΔP = 104) of Caesarean era = 55/56 CE (Gaius Ummidius Durmius Quadratus, legate).Abu GalyonDec 23, 2022

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 follis, weight 19.43g, diameter 35mm. Type 18 ornamentation.Abu GalyonNov 28, 2022

McAlee 0825bSeverus Alexander (222 – 235 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 32mm, weight 16.93g.Abu GalyonNov 25, 2022

McAlee 1181Trebonianus Gallus (251 – 253 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 30mm, weight 19.39g.Abu GalyonNov 19, 2022

Sear 1823Anonymous Class B Follis; weight 11.83g, diameter 29mm.Abu GalyonNov 18, 2022

McAlee 0500Trajan (98 – 117 CE); Orichalcum hexachalkon, diameter 19mm, weight 6.08g, struck in Rome for use in Syria. This particular type is undated, but is die-linked to other denominations in the series which are marked COS II (= 98/99 CE). Abu GalyonNov 16, 2022

McAlee 0085Civic Issue, AE Trichalkon, diameter 20mm, weight 8.16g. Dated 25th year after the Battle of Actium = 7/6 BCE ( Gaius Sentius Saturninus, legate).Abu GalyonNov 01, 2022

McAlee 0392Titus (as Caesar); Orichalcum hexachalkon, diameter 20mm, weight 3.02g, struck in Rome, probably in 74 CE, for use in Syria. Older numismatic texts describe this type as equivalent to a semis (= 4 chalkoi) but McAlee now argues persuasively that its value was 6 chalkoi. Abu GalyonSep 06, 2022

McAlee 1180Trebonianus Gallus (251 – 253 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 30mm, weight 16.78g.Abu GalyonAug 22, 2022

McAlee 0985bPhilip I the Arab (244 – 249 CE), AE 8 Assaria, second issue, struck between c. 247 and 249 CE, diameter 30mm, weight 16.68g.Abu GalyonAug 18, 2022

McAlee 0118Civic Issue, AE Trichalkon, diameter 21mm, weight 6.22g. Dated year 126 of Caesarean era = 77/78 CE (Marcus Ulpius Traianus, legate). 1 commentsAbu GalyonAug 15, 2022

McAlee 0106bCivic Issue, AE Trichalkon, diameter 18mm, weight 6.09g. Dated year 108 (HP = 108) of Caesarean era = 59/60 CE (Gaius Ummidius Durmius Quadratus, legate).Abu GalyonAug 14, 2022

Sear 0163Justinian I (527 – 565 CE) Follis, weight 23.45g, diameter 42mm. Mint of Constantinople, officina B, struck in 538/9 CE (= regnal year 12). Regnal year 12 was the year that Justinian introduced his new style copper coinage. The reform involved (a) augmentation of the weight standard by 25%, (b) regnal year dating replaced privy marks, and (c) the forward-facing portrait was extended to base metal coins. Abu GalyonJul 08, 2022

Sear 0024Anastasius I (491 – 518 CE) Half-follis (small module), weight 2.94g, diameter 19mm. Mint of Constantinople, second officina. With Metcalf ‘type a’ punchmark on the reverse.Abu GalyonJun 30, 2022

Sear 1889Anonymous Class I Follis, weight 6.32g, diameter 25mm.Abu GalyonJun 28, 2022

Sear 1867Anonymous Class G Follis, weight 5.11g, diameter 28x25mm. Abu GalyonJun 27, 2022

Sear 1889Anonymous Class I Follis, weight 4.99g, diameter 25mm.Abu GalyonJun 24, 2022

Sear 0644Phocas (602 – 610 CE) Half-follis, weight 4.96g, diameter 21mm. Mint of Constantinople, officina B.Abu GalyonJun 23, 2022

Sear 0512Maurice Tiberius (582 – 602 CE) Follis, weight 12.19g, diameter 29mm. Mint of Nicomedia, second officina, struck in 592/3 [= regnal year 10]. Abu GalyonJun 19, 2022

McAlee 1150Trajan Decius (249 – 251 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 30mm, weight 14.22g.Abu GalyonMay 17, 2022

McAlee 0170gCivic Issue (under Maximanus II Daia, c. 312 CE), AE 1/12 nummus, diameter 15mm, weight 1.42g.Abu GalyonApr 20, 2022

McAlee 0993Philip I the Arab (244 – 249 CE), AE 8 Assaria, second issue, struck between c. 247 and 249 CE; diameter 30mm; weight 17.61g.Abu GalyonMar 17, 2022

Sear 0459Tiberius II Constantine (578 – 582 CE) Pentanummium, weight 1.42g, diameter 15mm. Mint of Antioch. Abu GalyonMar 04, 2022

Sear 501AMaurice Tiberius (582 – 602 CE) Pentanummium, weight 1.50g, diameter 16mm. Mint of Constantinople, fourth officina.Abu GalyonFeb 26, 2022

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 Follis. Weight 16.86g., diameter 36mm, type 1 ornamentation. Mint of Constantinople.Abu GalyonFeb 23, 2022

Caliphate of Mu’awiyaMu’awiya (660 – 680 CE) Bilingual series, mint of Baalbek (Heliopolis). Fals, weight 3.38g, diameter 22mm.

Obverse: No legend. Two standing crowned figures with cross in field between their heads, each figure holding a sceptre, right hand figure also holds globus cruciger.

Reverse: Large M with cross above and ꓵ below; HΛIȢ to left and ΠΟΛЄ to right, in exergue ba’albak (in Arabic).

Reference: Foss p. 49 and D.O. 60 – 62. See also Goodwin [2005], chapter 2.
Abu GalyonFeb 06, 2022

Sear 0372Justin II (565 – 578 CE) Follis, weight 12.83g, diameter 29mm. Moneta Militaris Imitativa, Officina A, dated 574/5 [= regnal year X].

On stylistic grounds we should probably discount the KYZ mintmark and attribute production to the mobile military mint which Hahn argued accompanied the Byzantine armies in the east. The year X may well also be nominal, but is certainly possible. Conflict with Persia began again in year eight of Justin's reign.

See: Hahn and Metlich, MIBEC [2009], page 33 and plate 9.
Abu GalyonFeb 04, 2022

McAlee 0545Hadrian (117 – 138 CE) Orichalcum Semis, diameter 18mm, weight 2.95g. This type was struck at Rome for circulation in Syria. Dated COS III (119 – 138 CE). Abu GalyonJan 25, 2022

McAlee 0544Hadrian (117 – 138 CE) Orichalcum As, diameter 23mm, weight 8.33g. This type was struck at Rome for circulation in Syria. Dated COS III (119 – 138 CE). Abu GalyonJan 25, 2022

Sear 0111 varJustin I (518 – 527 CE) Pentanummium, weight 2.44g, diameter 14mm. Mint of Antioch.

A real oddity: the only example of this quite common coin I’ve ever encountered which has a standard epsilon mark of value instead of the retrograde-epsilon which characterises this type.
Abu GalyonJan 08, 2022

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 Follis. Weight 22.9 g., diameter 36mm, type 25 ornamentation, often ascribed to a provincial mint.

A very large flan and hence an overweight coin.
Abu GalyonDec 12, 2021

Follis (Fals)Pseudo-Byzantine Syrian Arabic, imitating the coinage of Constans II; weight 2.01g (lighter standard), diameter 19mm.

Obverse: Standing imperial figure type
Reverse: Large cursive m, between [?] and Λ / Є / T; cross above; in exergue: [?] A retrograde-C
Abu GalyonNov 27, 2021

Sear 0815Heraclius (610 -641 CE) Half-follis, weight 4.27g, diameter 24x20mm (large series). Mint of Constantinople, officina A, regnal year unknown.

The coin is a mildly amusing curiosity, a double strike (or perhaps overstrike?) with alignments positioned so that the vertical of the large K in one strike lines up perfectly with the lower angled leg of the large K in the other.
Abu GalyonNov 23, 2021

Sear 0679Phocas (602 – 610 CE) 12-nummi, weight 1.74g, diameter 14mm. Mint of Alexandria. These light-weight 12-nummi coins are quite unlike the usual output of the Alexandria mint. The inscriptions are always garbled or unreadable. They are generally attributed to the reign of Phocas for no better reason than the fact that no coins naming Phocas are known from Egypt. Abu GalyonNov 09, 2021

Caliphate of Mu’awiyaMu'awiya (660 – 680 CE). Fals, mint of Damascus, weight 3.89g, diameter 20mm.

Obverse: Emperor standing, holding long cross and globus cruciger; to left stylised palm leaf over T; to right downwards [ΛΕ]Ο.

Reverse: Large M with monogram 25 above; below ∩ over line; to left downwards A N O ; to right downwards X T[rotated 90°] I I ; in exergue [Δ]ΑΜ\

References: Foss p.45 and catalogue numbers 46-51 (p.132). Foss inserts this type into the ‘bilingual series’, which may be right in terms of style and chronology, but actually there are no Arabic epigraphic elements.
Abu GalyonAug 09, 2021

Sear 1966Manuel I Comnenus (1143 – 1180 CE) Billon aspron trachy, weight 3.66g, diameter 29mm. Hendy’s “Variety A”, with three jewels on the emperor's loros between waist and collar-piece.Abu GalyonAug 06, 2021

McAlee 1102Otacilia Severa (244 – 249 CE), AE 8 Assaria, first issue, diameter 30mm, weight 19.37g.Abu GalyonJul 22, 2021

Sear 0024Anastasius I (491 – 518 CE) Half-follis (small module), weight 4.07g, diameter 17mm. Mint of Constantinople, fourth officina. With semi-circular arc punchmark [Metcalf’s type a] on the reverse. Abu GalyonJul 12, 2021

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 follis, weight 13.29g, diameter 33mm. Type 3 ornamentation.Abu GalyonJun 19, 2021

Sear 1013Constans II (641-668 CE) Follis, weight 4.16g, diameter 21mm. Mint of Constantinople, fifth officina. Abu GalyonJun 06, 2021

McAlee 0820Elagabulus (218 - 222 CE), AE 4 Assaria, diameter 26mm, weight 10.16g.Abu GalyonMay 23, 2021

Follis (Fals)Pseudo-Byzantine Syrian Arabic, imitating the coinage of Constans II; weight 2.70g (lighter standard), diameter 22mm.

Obverse: Standing imperial figure type, with traces of an obverse legend.

Reverse: Large cursive m, between [?]/X/ I and N/N/O cross above; in exergue: I Π I
Abu GalyonMay 22, 2021

Sear 1730Leo VI the Wise (886 – 912 CE). Follis, weight 7.54g, diameter 27mm. Mint of Constantinople.Abu GalyonMay 06, 2021

McAlee 1103Otacilia Severa (244 – 249 CE), AE 8 Assaria, second issue, diameter 30mm, weight 18.41g.Abu GalyonApr 21, 2021

Sear 0878Heraclius (610 - 641 CE) Decanummium, weight 3.16g, diameter 16mm. Mint of Carthage.Abu GalyonApr 14, 2021

Sear 1836Anonymous Class D Follis, weight 6.38g, diameter 30mm. Mint of Constantinople.
Abu GalyonApr 03, 2021

McAlee 0968Philip I the Arab (244 – 249 CE), AE 8 Assaria, first issue, struck between c. 244 and 247 CE, diameter 29mm; weight 18.21g. This variety, characterised by the reversed S in SC, is one of the rarer types. Abu GalyonMar 28, 2021

Sear 0533Maurice Tiberius (582 – 602 CE). Follis, weight 10.05g, diameter 27mm. Mint of Antioch, officina Î“, struck in 602 CE [XXI = regnal year 21]. The last (21st) regnal year of Maurice’s reign began in August 602, and he was deposed and executed in November 602, so we can be fairly precise about when this coin was struck. Abu GalyonMar 19, 2021

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 follis, weight 12.51g, diameter 28mm. Type 2 ornamentation.Abu GalyonMar 08, 2021

Sear 1823Anonymous Class B Follis. Weight 8.22g, diameter 30mm.Abu GalyonMar 06, 2021

Sear 0023Anastasius I (491 – 518 CE) Half-follis (small module), weight 4.23g, diameter 20mm. Mint of Constantinople. Note the crescent punchmark (Metcalf’s type a) on the reverse.Abu GalyonFeb 17, 2021

McAlee 1149Trajan Decius (249 – 251 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 30mm, weight 20.39g. Quite rare. Abu GalyonFeb 14, 2021

McAlee 0802(c)Elagabulus (218 – 222 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 33mm, weight 17.65g. I think this is a die match to the plate coin in McAlee Supplement No. 1, p.27, described as Ex. Rare. Abu GalyonFeb 08, 2021

Sear 0387Justin I (518 – 527 CE) Nummus, weight 0.55g, diameter 8.5mm. Mint of Antioch.

When DOC volume I was published back in 1966, it assigned this tiny minimus to the reign of Justin II (DOC I, Justin II 149). The notes quoted Grierson’s remark that “the cruciform monogram shows that it is not that of Justin I, since this form only came into use in the middle of Justinian’s reign.”

But subsequent hoard evidence has overturned that judgement. For example, in 1998 a hoard of Levantine origin was published by Marcus Phillips and Susan Tyler-Smith in the Numismatic Chronicle [NC Vol. 158 (1998), pp 316-324]. This hoard contained over 160 6th-century nummi and five-nummi pieces (mixed in with earlier worn Roman minima and AE 3s and 4s), including 15 examples of SBCV 387. None of the other hoard material could be dated later than Justin I. The authors concluded that, “It follows that the nummus with the cruciform monogram of ‘Justin' in Greek (MIB II 66 and DOC 149), which has been attributed to Justin II, should be attributed to Justin I”. In the revised second edition (2013) of MIBE, Hahn and Metlich duly changed the attribution to Justin I and that has been the accepted view since. [SBCV 387 = MIBE NN67]

Abu GalyonJan 28, 2021

Sear 1813Anonymous Class A2 follis, weight 16.86g, diameter 34mm. Type 6 ornamentation.Abu GalyonJan 14, 2021

Sear 0436Tiberius II Constantine (578 – 582 CE) Decanummium, weight 4.38g, diameter 22mm. Mint of Constantinople.Abu GalyonJan 07, 2021

McAlee 0153Civic Issue (Lucius Attidius Cornelianus, legate), AE Trichalkon, diameter 18mm, weight 3.50g. Dated year 207 of Caesarean era = 158/59 CE.Abu GalyonDec 04, 2020

Sear 0163Justinian I (527 – 565 CE) Follis, weight 16.14g, diameter 33mm. Mint of Constantinople, struck in 562/3 CE (= regnal year 36).Abu GalyonNov 20, 2020

Sear 0111Justin I (518 – 527 CE) Pentanummium, weight 1.47g, diameter 14mm. Mint of Antioch.Abu GalyonOct 10, 2020

Sear 1823Anonymous Class B Follis. Weight 9.86g, diameter 31mm.

Another unusual ornamentation pattern, perhaps previously unpublished. The jewels in the NW and NE nimbus sectors are missing, and corner jewels have been added to the normal simple square in the E, N, and W positions. The letters on the reverse are large, which suggests this is not merely a variant of the variety B-1 as catalogued by Zervos (Nomismatika Chronika 22, 2003).
Abu GalyonSep 12, 2020

McAlee 0992Philip I the Arab (244 – 249 CE), AE 8 Assaria, second issue, struck between c. 247 and 249 CE; diameter 29mm; weight 19.05g.Abu GalyonSep 06, 2020

Sear BCV 0133Justin I and Justinian I (joint reign: 4 April 527 – 1 August 527), Pentanummium, weight 1.81g, diameter 12mm.Abu GalyonJul 23, 2020

McAlee 0834bSeverus Alexander (222 – 235 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 32mm, weight 15.27g.Abu GalyonJul 21, 2020

Sear BCV 0111Justin I (518 – 527 CE), Pentanummium, weight 2.13g, diameter 14mm.Abu GalyonJul 19, 2020

Sear BCV 0111Justin I (518 – 527 CE) Pentanummium, weight 1.76g, diameter 12mm.1 commentsAbu GalyonJul 18, 2020

McAlee 0100Civic Issue, AE Trichalkon, diameter 17mm, weight 5.27g. Dated year 104 (ΔP = 104) of Caesarean era = 55/56 CE (Gaius Ummidius Durmius Quadratus, legate).Abu GalyonJun 25, 2020

Sear 0362Justin I (518 – 527 CE) Decanummium, weight 2.75g, diameter 23mm. Mint of Constantinople. There is some disagreement about whether this type should be assigned to Justin I (so MIB, MIBE, Sommer) or Justin II (so DOC, Sear).
Abu GalyonJun 17, 2020

McAlee 0110aCivic Issue (Gaius Cestius Gallus, legate), AE Trichalkon, diameter 18mm, weight 5.09g. Dated year 114 (ΔΙΡ = 114) of Caesarean era = 65/66 CE .Abu GalyonMay 22, 2020

Hoover 1374Civic Issue (Tigranes II of Armenia or perhaps Philip I Philadelphos, ruler), AE ‘Denomination C’, dated (AÎ›Î£ = 231) year 231 of the Seleukid era = 82/1 BCE, diameter 16mm, weight 3.20g. Abu GalyonMay 08, 2020

McAlee 0091a varCivic Issue (Publius Quinctilius Varus, legate), AE Dichalkon, dated (ZK = 27) 27th year after the battle of Actium = 5/4 BCE, diameter: 17mm, weight 4.55g. This specimen has an unfamiliar arrangement of the reverse inscription: there are usually two vertical lines of text to the right of the central tripod and only one on the left. Abu GalyonApr 29, 2020

McAlee 0470Trajan (98 – 117 CE); AR Tetradrachm, struck TR POT XV = 110/11 CE; diameter 24mm; weight 13.07g.Abu GalyonApr 02, 2020

Sear 1823Anonymous Class B Follis. Weight 8.93g, diameter 29mm. A sub-variety, perhaps previously unpublished.

At first sight this coin might be taken for an example of Grierson’s imitative type Bb (vide D.O.C. Vol 3, part ii, page 680f) but I don’t think that it is: the style and fabric are normal, there are traces of an obverse inscription beyond the IC and XC, and the coin is not particularly underweight. Also the nimbus ornament on this specimen isn’t a simple quincunx, but one where the central pellet is hollow unlike the outer four.

Similarly, the coin isn’t a good match with the variety B-3 described by Zervos (Nomismatika Chronika 22, 2003). The B-3 nimbus ornamentation looks different (five pellets, with a square enclosing the central pellet) and the letters on the reverse are too large: Zervos describes the B-3 reverse letter size as small-medium.
Abu GalyonMar 15, 2020

Sear 1866Romanus IV Diogenes (1068 – 1071 CE). Follis, weight 7.39g, diameter 27mm. Mint of Constantinople. Overstruck on a Class G Anonymous Follis (Sear 1867).Abu GalyonMar 12, 2020

McAlee 1192Volusian (251 – 253 CE), AE 8 Assaria, diameter 30mm, weight 17.09g.Abu GalyonMar 10, 2020

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