is Greek numeral 1 and refers to the first
officina (workshop) in the
mint of Constantinope, which
had five workshops, marked on coinage
The stars are what numismatists call "privy marks" used by
mint officials to distinguish between different series. W.
Hahn has used these to date the coinage more precisely (
Moneta Imperii Byzantini reference
catalogue). On the coinage of
Justin I and
Justinian I we see most commonly a combination of stars and crosses on the
reverse.