From Simon Bendall's Library.

[Simon]

Today I recieved a new book or catalog  It was a work in Simon Bendall's library. The seller described it as interesting.

Byzantine Copper Coins described as" A small collection of Byzantine copper coins including a number from Western Mints, a few of considerable rarity and some of great interest which cannot at present be attributed."

The collection was from Michael Dennis O'hara, one of the cowriters of Byzantine Coins and their values. The others David Sear and Simon Bendall.

So I immediately check it out, I wanted to see the unattributed, I also saw it had a Alexius II coin and I wanted to see that too (No Alexius II coins are known.) first thing, it is not a book but a preparation for auction catalog, when this auction occurred, or if it occurred, I do not know. The author had passed away in 2014. The pages are large cut outs of the coins 5x times actual size, this must have been a prep before printing.

In the upper right of the photo the  REX coin now attributed to Richard the Lion Heart in Cyprus. When this catalog was written it was thought to be Alexius II Comnenus.

Now  one of these coins  caught my attention, the small tetarteron on the middle of the second page, my first thought I have one of those, then I looked more closely, it is my coin. A Latin tetarteron. ( Center Coin.)

So at the end of the day I got a new and interesting book, my coin that was purchased last year as a unknown coin from Heidelberger Münzhandlung Herbert Grün e. K. Now suddenly has a new provenance, as being from the collection of one of the contributors to SBCV. Dennis Michael Ohara.

   https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=173323

Part of his bio describing where his collection was sold on the DO web site. I am sure I could do a bit of looking and find it but no idea how they labeled it.

His collection, including the Tiber hoard coins, was sold in a joint-auction by Leu Numismatik and Numismatica Ars Classica in Zürich on 26 May 1993, partly to the then famous antiquities dealer Robin Symes. After his death, a few coins from his Nachlass appeared in Morton and Eden 75, 2 July 2015, where DO bought two 7th-century silver coins struck in Sardinia (BZC.2015.043 and BZC.2015.044).

Just a story I wanted to share.

[Molinari]

That’s awesome!

[Carausius]

I have Simon Bendall's set of Hess-Leu and Bank Leu auction catalogues.  Many with interesting correspondence and bid notes tipped -in.  They are like a time capsule and fun to look through.

[Simon]

Thank You Molinari, Very cool Michael.
 I did get another book from his collection, no notes though, It is a proof copy of Eleni Lianta of Late Byzantine coins. I already had the book but I bought it because the plates in this book are in color and seem to be easier to view.

[Kevin P]

That is a great story and an awesome find, Simon!  Thanks for sharing.

[wileyc]

Yes, interesting story, small world at times.

CW

[Curtis JJ]

That's a great find, congratulations! I'd been hoping to add one of the Bendall Library books to my collection since I haven't been able to add any of his coins. I hesitated, since international shipping can be expensive on books, but hopefully I'll have another chance!