Hi Iv,
I will post my Anonymous
collection starting from A1; but you can not but them chronologically like this A1, A2; A3, B; C and etc as scholars do not agree how one or other Anonymous folli can be tied to one or other ruler. Anyhow those are mine and as you can see I
still missing lot of others (like C; E; F; G, H and I plus J; K; L; M and N which are tied to
Alexius I), but this is because I'm looking for best examples (as you can see from pictures below) available...
A1 - John I
A2 - joint reign of
Basil II and
Constantine VIII; These are often struck on large flans, up to 36 mm.
Diameter. D.M.
Metcalf has identified the products of several
provincial mints within this group. Some of these exhibit errors in the
rev. legend, e.g. IUSU for IhSUS, and bASLE for bASILE some struck on a slightly lighter
weight standard of 12.5-13.5 gm (like this one).
A3 - This group, intermediate in
weight between classes A1 and A2, was first identified by D.M.Metcalf. The date of this
weight reduction may have been circa 1020, and folles of this
standard no doubt remained in issue throughout the sole reign of
Constantine VIII. They were succeeded by the
anonymous folles class B introduced by
Romanus III.
NB! Philip
Grierson, in
Dumbarton Oaks Catalogue does not recognize A3 as a class separate from A2. He suggests that
Class A Folles' target='_blank'>class A2 remained in issue through the reign of
Romanus III and into that of
Michael IV who he proposes, was responsible for the introduction of class B.
B -
Romanus III or Michale IV
D - This
type is often
overstruck on folles C class.
Dumbarton Oaks Catalogue is suggesting that Class D was introduced by
Constantine IX following death of the Empress
Zoe in 1050. It is further suggested that the
type remained in issue for about of decade, throughout the three succeeding reigns, until finally superseded by Class E under
Constantine X, circa 1060.
