Andronicus Assarion Attribution Puzzle

[Obryzum]

This coin has been a mystery to me for a long time. This is a fourteenth century Byzantine assarion that weighs 2.24g. The partial legend that is visible shows ANDP, which confirms that it is Andronicus. But which Andronicus? Andronicus II or Andronicus III?

At first glance I thought it was a coin of Andronicus II - Michael IX, which is the only assarion I could find with standing emperors on both sides with the akakia (see DOC V excerpt below). But it is not quite a match because my coin has a manus dei or something similar in the upper right field -- it looks too big to be a manus dei. And the legend does not seem to have the name of Michael where it should. The last letters appear to read  :Greek_Iota:C -- the last part of "despotis"

There is an assarion attributed to the sole reign of Andronicus III that has the NB reverse (see DOC V excerpt below). It has a similar composition with the standing emperor holding a large akakia.

In Sear I found that S.2484 is a coin of Andronicus III, but which is not an assarion, which has a similar feature in the upper right field (see Sear excerpt below). Sear calls the feature a "small figure" blessing the emperor.  To me, that figure looks almost the same as the figure on my coin, which seems too big to be a manus dei.  I do not recall seeing such a feature on any coins attributed to any other emperor. 

So I wonder about the attribution of my coin. Is it a variant of the well known Andronicus II - Michael IX assarion?  Is it a new unlisted assarion of Andronicus II - Michael IX?  Or could it be a new unlisted type for Andronicus III?



 

[glebe]

SBCV 2343 - the "manus dei" is presumably some sort of die flaw.

[Obryzum]

Ross, I was not expecting that response (though I agree that 2343 is the closest match)! Reasons: (i) the border is clearly intact; (ii) the  legend starts right below the feature, which would be an amazing coincidence if there was a flan flaw; (iii) the reverse legend is wrong for 2343; and (iv) the manus dei or blessing figure is perfectly placed and centered in the field (if that it what it is supposed to be).

Before I saw S.2484 I thought to myself that it looked like a flying cactus. Too big to be a manus dei, but what else could it be? But when I saw S.2484, I thought "that looks really close". Here is the LPC drawing for S.2484:




   

[glebe]

Of course we're talking about S.2434 here, not S.2343.
And yes, there does seem to be some device here top right, which could well be the small figure on the Andronicus III type S.2484.

Ross G.