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Author Topic: Unpublished(?) Byzantine Follis Syracuse Mint Leo III(?), 2.580g, 18.3mm, 0 axis  (Read 900 times)

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Online Joe Sermarini

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This coin is very similar to Anastasi 939 but that coin has a full figure on the obverse, not just a bust and with a much smaller head. It could be a different emperor but I do think it is likely Leo III. I think it may be unpublished. Am I overlooking something?

2.580g, 18.3mm, 0 axis
Obv: bust facing, with short beard, wearing helmet with crest, and loros, spear upright in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand
Rev: large M, monogram(?) above, no officina below, palm frond left and right, SCL in exergue
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Bump
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Offline Obryzum

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The person who knows the most about Leo III follis variations is antvwala, but he has not been posting for quite some time.  See this 2008 thread where he posted all of the Sicilian folles of Leo III that he was aware of at the time:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=49969.msg310938#msg310938

In my opinion, the coin is one of the following types that antvwala identified (this photo is an excerpt from the link above):




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Thanks Obryzum.  I believe it is the variation with the half length figure.

Anyone know what the reference is Atr? (I just know the answer is going to make me feel stupid).

The following is my translation of the descriptions above:

Type 1 Follis
Obv: Full length figure of Leo III standing facing, wearing helmet and lorica, short beard, spear in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand
Rev: Large M placed between two palm fronds, emperor's monogram superimposed, SCL in exergue
Refs: Trivero 089, Spahr 297, Calciati MBBS 72
Very Rare.


Type 1 Follis Variety
Obv: Half length figure of Leo III facing, wearing helmet and lorica, short beard, spear in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand
Rev: Large M placed between two palm fronds, emperor's monogram superimposed, SCL in exergue
Refs: Trivero 090, Spahr -, Calciati MBBS -
Very Rare.
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Offline Obryzum

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My best guess would be A. Trivero, La monetazione di rame della Sicilia bizantina (2006).  I do not have the book, but it is one of the references listed in Anastasi. Or perhaps a different publication by the same author.

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I just asked A. Trivero (antvwala) and, yes, he just confirmed it. Unfortunately, the reference is not available anywhere.

I just changed Atr to Trivero in my translations above.
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Offline Obryzum

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Joe, looks like he also published the same two types in this 2008 article:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/monetario-antiguo/Follis_siracusani_di_LeoneIII.pdf

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I have added an English translation of antvwala's 2008 article to NumisWiki. It is a good article, worthy of a short read.

Trivero Leone III

The translation is mine. Please post any corrections needed here.
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