After unsuccesfully bidding on several coins at
auction I managed to acquire an unbid on coin, It was a coin I needed for my
collection but the fact it
had been clipped originally dissuaded me. Now that I have the coin in hand I made the decision it will not be a filler, It is an attractive example and it will be
part of my permanent
collection.
When doing my research on the coin I
ran into an article that delt with why these examples were clipped, the article was written by
Robert D Leonard Jr. The article called
https://www.academia.edu/37338322/Andronicus_Comnenuss_Invasion_Money_of_1181_1182 It surmised that
Electrum Aspron trachea from the reign of Manuel and
John II had been clipped and hammered into shape to roughly half the
weight of the normal
denomination by Andronicus, to pay an army of mercenary's under the pretense of saving Alexius II the young ruler of the Empire from
his mis deeding guardians. Andronicus successfully does take the city and becomes
his new guardian. So these clipped coins were technically issued by Alexius II, even though my example
type is not noted it could have easily fit into the equation.
This article is an interesting theory and if true would make these clipped coins the only known coins of Alexius II.
Here is my new addition to my
collection.
Manuel I, Comnenus (1143-1180),
electrum aspron trachy,
Thessalonica, Virgin enthroned facing, holding before her,
nimbate head of the infant
Christ facing,
rev., Manuel and St. Demetrius standing facing, holding
labarum between them; 1.89g (DO 9.5; S. 1974), four minor
flan cracks,
very fine Ex European Ambassador
Collection, formed in the 1950s and 1960s.
I should note my coin is 29.4mm, not much smaller than the normal issues. 31-34mm but it is half the normal
weight at 4-4.5