Excuse question number 2, as I
work some of these out I see obvious Greek letters including the lunate S, v over o (not gamma but -ou). Using Latin on early obverses and then mixtures for numerals and
mint marks etc. threw me off. I’m learning.
Is it true that
Theodora worked her name into some of Justinian’s
monograms? Two for one. I read that in a
history but I don’t know which symbol. You would need a Theta, obviously.
Also, I assume swapping the phi-like symbol and -ov left and right as on some of
his coins (
monogram 8 and 9)
still “works” although I wonder if one is official and the other engraver error.
Edit: Mono 8 and 9 are
Justin II, so I think I see evidence of Sophia, especially with the Phi and retained A. I don’t get the K though. I also see a very similar
monogram for Justinian with the O and V separate above the N in
architecture at
his Hagia
Sofia masterpiece. I get why it has no Phi or Kappa or v above o now!
Still curious about the interchangeability of mono 8 and 9.