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Author Topic: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection  (Read 109991 times)

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Offline vercingetorix

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Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« on: June 12, 2006, 03:02:58 pm »
I think it should be interesting and useful to post here the most rare specimens in your byzantine collection along with a picture and a brief numismatic/historical description. Very often pictures of rare coins are even more rare to find than the coin itself. Even byzantine related coinage is suited for this thread (Bulgarian, Russian etc.). Also if you possess anlo images of rare byzantine coins, please post them as well.
Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes...

Offline lv88

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2006, 04:06:04 pm »
Here goes an imitation of an anonymous follis. Quite rare I might add. About 12 recorded in copper and one in silver. Bears Armenian legends and cites an Armenian ruler though. This is the first coin struck in the Armenian language.



Image source: MONETARY CIRCULATION IN ARMENIA By K. Mousheghian.


Armenia, Principality of Lori, Kiurike II (1048-1089 AD).


Obv. Bust of Christ with the following Armenian letters above his shoulders:
ՅՍ ՔՍ
(Jesus Christ)
Rev. Inscription in five lines in Armenian:
ՏՐ ՈԳ
ՆԷ ԿՈՐԻԿ
¡¤Ի ԿՈՐԱ¨‹
ՊԱՂԱ
ՏԻՆ.
(Lord aid Kiurike the Curopalatus.)
Weight, g: 4.92 
Size, mm: 25 
Mint: Tashir ? 
Date: 1048-1089 A.D 
Denomination: Follis 
Metal: AE 

Best,
Levon

Offline Simon

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2006, 06:16:59 pm »
I have a half dozen tetartera that would rank as Rare but here is my rarest.  I figure that this coin gets me closer to being the first with a complete collection ( at least in the west.)  of tetartera.

ALEXIUS I AE Tetarteron SR- Unlisted DOC 41 
Monogram of Alexius. Rev Bust of Emperor wearing stemma divitision and jewelled loros of traditional type holds in r. hand jewlled sceptre and in l. gl. cr. 15/17

 Only one known in a major collection located in Istanbul Turkey. DOC mentions and includes the type in the catalog but does not have one in inventory.

I should have asked to have this  included this mongram with the list that was posted.


https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5633 My main collection of Tetartera. Post reform coinage.

Laetvs

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2006, 05:53:06 pm »
This is probably my rarest one.  It's a Latin trachy with a facing eagle on the obverse.  The reverse is a standing emperor holding a scepter and globus cruciger.  The size is 18-20mm. 

The unique thing about it is the facing eagle obverse.  I've never seen anything like it.  This coin is unpublished in Sear, Dumbarton Oaks Vol IV, and in articles on Latin and Thessalonican trachea in Numismatic Chronicles 1973 and 1978.  I can't seem to be able to take a good photo of it; it's a really pretty coin with a beautiful, smooth patina.

Offline byzantiumcoins

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2006, 12:46:57 pm »
Of course in Byzantine numismatics there are quite a few extremely rare coins, but just to give Simon´s Alexius a comrade
here´s another tetarteron from my collection:

John II, DOC (15), mentioned as available in a private collection, but not in the DOC collection and not in Sear -
this coin is somewhat similar to Sear 1953, but John is holding a labarum ( instead of jewelled sceptre )
and the legend is +I W D CC Pi T I   -  T W Pi O P Phi V P O 

byzantiumcoins


Lawrence Woolslayer

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2006, 09:28:11 pm »
Gold half tremissis (1/6 solidus), 14.34mm, 0.72g
Struck c. 607-610 at Constantinople
dN FOCAS PER AV, diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, beardless / VICTORI FOCAS AV, cross potent, CONOB beneath.
Three known specimens; the smallest gold denomination in the Byzantine series.
Certificate of Authenticity by David R. Sear, ACCS
Sear 635; cf. DOC 20; cf. MIB 29

yafet_rasnal

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2006, 08:25:52 am »
The following one is not a particular rare coins but gives an idea about south italy coins in byzantine style. It's a follis fraction by Roger II minted in Messina in 1138-1140

obv/ PO  :Greek_Pi_2: EPIOC ANAZ
rev/ IC-XC NI-KA

Offline Istinpolin

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2006, 01:50:52 am »
Another Arab-Byzantine coin

Not that rare but I would say it is extremly rare in this condition

Offline byzantiumcoins

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2006, 09:04:00 am »
Hi sari,
a very interesting coin, though I suppose not a regular Byzantine coin of the Alexandrian mint,
but possibly a very well done Islamic imitation.
I have never seen this combination of obverse / reverse before and will try to find out more about it soon.

byzantiumcoins

Sorry everybody, I must have been dreaming ...
I have to correct myself: of course it´s just a regular Constans II, Sear 1026,  MIB 188,

byzantiumcoins

Offline Orthodoxcoins

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2006, 09:30:15 am »
http://www.orthodoxcoins.com
Catalogue of the Late Byzantine Coins

sari

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2006, 12:53:23 pm »
Dear "byzantinecoins"
You are not dreaming at all. Please read the following message received from
Chriss Conell in the ANS regarding this coin.

Offline byzantiumcoins

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2006, 01:15:05 pm »
Dear sari,

thanks for your posting.

I am sorry, but I disagree - at first sight I thought the coin looks regular, but I was confused because
this type doesn´t exist as a Heraclius type. That´s why I wrote " a very well done " imitation.

In fact your coin looks much better than the usual Arab-Byzantine "Alexandria" coins
I simply didn´t think of the first Constans II ( or more likely Heraclonas ) type.
After checking the fotos that are available of this type I am quite sure Chris is wrong,
it is the regular Constans II, Sear 1026,  Ratto 1318, DOC (Heraclonas) 7, MIB 188=Oxford ( Ashmolean ),

( BTW, attribution to the Persian Occupation is rather obsolete anyway, the Arab-Byzantine "Alexandrian" coins
  have to be dated to the second half of the 7th cent. )

byzantiumcoins

Offline spinkpa

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2006, 09:53:14 am »
sari's AE22 seems rather wide for a 12nummi.

Were later official byz issues struck so large?


Offline byzantiumcoins

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2006, 10:01:16 am »
Yes, the official Heraclonas and Constans II Dodekanummia are usually in the  20 - 22 mm range.

a

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #14 on: June 29, 2006, 11:37:04 am »
Hi all,

I'll continue the series of Arab immitations of Byzantine coins:
This is immitation of Constans II follis of Nikomedia minted in Diospolis (Lodd). This is extremally rare coin. About 10 of them are known. The prices are 1000 - 1300 USD.

Regards,
Explorer

Offline Edessa

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #15 on: June 30, 2006, 11:20:43 am »
Heraclius, A.D. 610-641. AE Follis. 10.85 gms. Mint of Constantinople. Obv: Heraclius, bearded, on left and Heraclius Constantine on right standing facing, each wearing crown and chlamys and holding globus cruciger in right hand, between their heads, cross. Rev: Large M between A/N/N/O and Regnal year III (A.D. 612/3), cross above, officina letter A, in exergue, CON. Sear BCV 805. Fine, double struck.

Rare only in the sense that the double strike makes it appear to be an early issue with three augustii!  Heraclonas did not actually appear on the bronze coinage until A.D. 638.

Eugene
Eugene

a

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #16 on: July 22, 2006, 12:46:33 pm »
33 Nummi, Justinian, Alexandria mint, AE25

O:    DNIVSTINIANVS.AVG. Helmeted and cuir. bust facing, holding gl. cr.
   and shield; to right., cross.
R:   Large 33 (Greek numerals); above cross; in ex., ALEZ (greek).

SB246; D.O.273; B.M.C. 339-41; T. 502; R.688; B.N. 1-4; MIB146; H-164

a

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #17 on: July 22, 2006, 01:00:34 pm »
Three-quarter follis, Heraclius, year 629/630,
Constantinople mint, officina four, AE23
overstruck on SB841.

O:    No legend. Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine stg. facing,
   star between their heads; Hearclius wears crown and military dress,
   holds long cross, and has moustache and long bears; his son, with
   short beard, wears crown and chalmys, and holds gl. cr.; in field
   to l., Monogram 23; to r., K.
R:   Large 30 (greec numeral); to l.. ANNO; to r., regnal year (XX?);
   beneath, officina Delta; in ex., CON.

DO117; BMC202; T305; BN85-7; MIB168; H-168;

a

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #18 on: July 25, 2006, 12:22:39 pm »
And it's, off course SB812.

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Offline Pep

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #19 on: December 21, 2006, 06:01:54 am »
ALEXIUS I AE Tetarteron SR- Unlisted DOC 41 
Monogram of Alexius. Rev Bust of Emperor wearing stemma divitision and jewelled loros of traditional type holds in r. hand jewlled sceptre and in l. gl. cr. 15/17

 Only one known in a major collection located in Istanbul Turkey. DOC mentions and includes the type in the catalog but does not have one in inventory.

I should have asked to have this  included this mongram with the list that was posted.


No problem Simon, new ones can always be added!  Did I draw this one correctly?

Kevin  :)

Offline Simon

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #20 on: December 21, 2006, 07:55:35 am »
Hi Pep. catching up on your reading I see.

Replace C with Phi  :Greek_Phi:

Replace  :Greek_Lambda: with :Greek_Delta: Delta 

Happy Holidays

Simon
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5633 My main collection of Tetartera. Post reform coinage.

Offline Pep

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #21 on: December 22, 2006, 08:38:02 am »
Hi Pep. catching up on your reading I see.

Yes I am! :laugh:

Replace C with Phi  :Greek_Phi:

Replace  :Greek_Lambda: with :Greek_Delta: Delta



Thessalonica, right?  You may want to check my entry on the monogram page and make any corrections:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Monogram

Happy Holidays to you!

Kevin  :)

Emanuele Giulianelli

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2007, 02:32:51 am »
this is my rarest Byz coin :)

Empire of Nicaea, John III (1222-1254)

Obverse:  Virgin orans
Reverse:  Emperor and St. Demetrius holding labarum

Sear 2130

kuasimodo

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #23 on: May 03, 2007, 10:38:17 pm »
Hello, does anyone know what the Delta and the Phi stand for in the monogram of Alexius I ?
I've attached the front side with a double cross.

Thank you!


Offline joma-tk

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Re: Rare Byzantine coins in your collection
« Reply #24 on: July 13, 2007, 09:12:39 am »
Hello, does anyone know what the Delta and the Phi stand for in the monogram of Alexius I ?
I've attached the front side with a double cross.

Thank you!

K
 :Greek_Phi:
A
 :Greek_Delta:

Their meaning is:
Kirie  (Lord reffering to God)
Filate (protect)
Alexio
Despoti (Lord reffering to rulers)

or "Lord protect our Lord Alexios"

 

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