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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Byzantine Coins| ▸ |Isaurian Dynasty| ▸ |Constantine V||View Options:   | | | Joint rule as junior emperor with Leo III (his father), 25 March 720 - 18 June 741 A.D. |
The trefoil ornaments and general stylistic considerations link this type with earlier electrum "solidii" and "tremisses." Tolstoi described his specimen of this type as silver, but Wroth identified the two in the British Museum as potin. Philip Grierson (DOC III-1 p. 297) says, the "earliest coins are of poor quality electrum, perhaps about eight carats fine. The later ones are of base silver, copper or potin, apparently with no gold content at all. Even if they were once gilded or plated it is difficult to see how they could have ever served an economic purpose."
In April 774 A.D., Pope Adrian I received Charlemagne in Rome. He did so as the effective ruler, if not yet the legal sovereign, of the city. BZ93539. Billon or bronze tremissis, DOC III-1 p. 321 & pl. XI, 40 (not in the collection); Wroth BMC p. 388, 61 (Leo III & Constantine V); Tolstoi 108 (same); SBCV -; Sommer -, gVF, blue-green on black patina, coppery high points, small edge crack, small encrustations, weight 1.318 g, maximum diameter 14.6 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, struck under Pope Adriano, c. 772 - 775 A.D.; obverse DNO CONSTANT (Domino Constantine), facing bust of Constantine V, bearded, wearing crown with trefoil ornament, blundered combined chlamys and loros, and fibula with three pendants, globus cruciger in right hand, mappa in left hand; reverse DNO LEO P A MYL (Domino Leon Perpetuo Augusto Multos Annos [carried over from Leo III]), facing bust of Leo IV, beardless, wearing crown with trefoil ornament, blundered combined chlamys and loros, and fibula with three pendants, globus cruciger in right hand, mappa in left hand, I-
(11, meaning uncertain) across field; from the Errett Bishop Collection.; rare; SOLDByzantine Empire, Leo III and Constantine V, 31 March 720 - 18 June 741 A.D., Senate of the City of Rome
The most current references identify these squared types as struck by the Senate of the City of Rome during the final stage of Byzantine rule, from the reign of Justinian II to Constantine V, c. 690 - 720. Portraits vary and are attributed to specific emperors during this period. Grierson specifically identifies this portrait as the young Constantine V, at the beginning of his joint rule with his father Leo III, c. 720 A.D. Grierson has commented, in view of the specimens found in the Byzantine-Papal hoard, that the low weight combined with a relatively high value suggests that the they may have been intended as a billon rather than a copper coinage. Murari confirmed this, noting traces of silver exist on many of the three-quarter folles he handled. Still this theory is very uncertain.BZ98048. Billon 30 nummi, Murari 25a; DOC III p. 278 & pl. VI, 93 (not in the collection refs CNI); CNI XV, p. 60, 13; MIB III 31; SBCV 1534D; Wroth BMC -; Tolstoi -; Ratto -, gVF, a little rough, struck on a square flan and globus cruciger not visible as typical for this type, weight 0.469 g, maximum diameter 9.8 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, c. 720 A.D.; obverse facing beardless bust of very young Constantine V, wearing chlamys and crown decorated with a rows of pellets and cross; reverse XXX, ROm in exergue; very rare; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constantine V and Leo IV, joint reign 6 June 751 - 14 September 775 A.D.
In 772, the Frankish king Charlemagne began fighting the Saxons and the Frisians. In 774, he conquered the Lombards, and took the title, King of the Lombards.SH06892. Gold solidus, DOC III-1 2d; Morrisson BnF 23/Cp/AV/09; Tolstoi 35; Sommer 23.2.1; SBCV 1551; Wroth BMC -; Ratto -, EF, weight 4.36 g, maximum diameter 20.3 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 757 - 14 Sep 775 A.D.; obverse CONSTANTINOS S LEON O NEOS, facing busts of Constantine with short beard (on left) and Leo IV beardless (on right), pellet and cross between them; reverse G LEON P A MYL, facing bust of Leo III, with short beard, wearing crown and loros, cross potent in right hand, no officina indicated; from the Scott Collection; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constantine V and Leo IV, 6 June 751 - 14 September 775 A.D.
References identify this type as a half follis, but we believe the Λ in the exergue has a typical Byzantine "clever" dual meaning as both Leo's initial and 30 nummi. There is only one example of this rare type in Dumbarton Oaks. Neither Dumbarton Oaks nor Sear includes the globus cruciger in the right hand in their descriptions, but it is present on the Dumbarton Oaks plate coin.BZ83043. Bronze 3/4 follis, Anastasi 439 (RR), SBCV 1569A, DOC III-1 20, Sommer 23.1bis, Morrisson BnF -, Wroth BMC -, Ratto -, aEF, weight 1.680 g, maximum diameter 15.1 mm, die axis 180o, Sicily, Syracuse mint, 6 Jun 751 - 14 Sep 775 A.D.; obverse facing busts of Constantine V (on left bearded) and Leo IV (on right beardless), wearing crown without cross and chlamys, in ex CIK'Λ; reverse Leo III, bearded, standing facing wearing crown and loros, cross potent in on base in left, globus cruciger in right, Λ (Leo's initial and 30 nummi) in exergue; rare; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constantine V and Leo IV, 6 June 751 - 14 September 775 A.D.
References identify this type as a half follis, but the Λ in the exergue might have a typical Byzantine "clever" dual meaning as both Leo's initial and 30 nummi, a 3/4 follis. Or perhaps the Λ and the exergue line together should be read as a K, 20 nummi, a 1/2 follis. Anastasi says the obverse exergue reads NKA (for NIKA - victory). Other references say CIK'Λ (for Sicily). We don't know of a single example with a perfectly clear exergue but NKA appears more likely. Dumbarton Oaks, Sear, and Sommer do not describe a globus cruciger on the reverse, but it is present on the Dumbarton Oaks and Sommer plate coins. All the referenced specimens have the cross potent in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left hand. We only know of one other specimen, from Coin Archives, with this reversed arrangement.BZ99101. Bronze half follis, Anastasi 439 (RR) var. (cross and globus reversed), DOC III-1 20 (no globus), Sommer 23.11bis (same), SBCV 1569A (ex. rare) var. (same), F, dark patina, earthen deposits, weight 1.912 g, maximum diameter 16.0 mm, die axis 270o, Sicily, Syracuse mint, 6 Jun 751 - 14 Sep 775 A.D.; obverse facing busts of Constantine V, on left, bearded, and Leo IV, on right, beardless, both wearing crown with cross and chlamys, cross above center, NKA (for NIKA - victory) in exergue; reverse Leo III, bearded, standing facing wearing crown and loros, globus cruciger in right hand, cross potent in on base in left hand, Λ (Leo's initial and 30 nummi) in exergue; from the Robert Wachter Collection; extremely rare variant; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Leo III the Isaurian and Constantine V, 31 March 720 - 18 June 741 A.D.
"Specimens of this type vary considerabley in size and weight." -- Byzantine Coins and Their Values, by David R. Sear.BZ111216. Bronze follis, DOC III-1 54a (larger var.), Anastasi 399a, Trivero 092, Sommer 21.18, Spahr 318, Calciati MBBS 74, SBCV 1530, VF, earthen deposits, weight 3.938 g, maximum diameter 20.2 mm, die axis 180o, Sicily, Syracuse mint, 721 - 730 A.D.; obverse legend normally illegible (Sear), crowned bust of Leo III facing, short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, akakia in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand; reverse bust of Constantine V facing, beardless, wearing crown and chlamys, akakia in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand, below line under bust, large M (40 nummi) dividing SC-L; ex CNG auction 528 (30 Nov 2022), lot 482; ex CNG auction 25 (24 Mar 1993), lot 967; scarce; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constantine V and Leo IV, 6 June 751 - 14 September 775 A.D.
In 773, the mathematical concept of the number zero was introduced in Baghdad.BZ82501. Bronze follis, Anastasi 434, DOC III-1 19l, Wroth BMC 35, Tolstoi 53, Ratto 1757, SBCV 1569, Sommer 23.11, nice VF, weight 3.468 g, maximum diameter 20.0 mm, die axis 180o, Sicily, Syracuse mint, 757 - 14 Sep 775 A.D.; obverse K - ΛE/O/N, Constantine V and Leo IV, each stand facing wearing crown and chlamys and holding akakia, cross between heads; reverse Λ/E/O/N - Δ/E/C/Π, Leo III standing facing, bearded, wearing crown and chlamys, cross potent in right hand; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constantine V and Leo IV, 6 June 751 - 14 September 775 A.D.
In 752, Abd al-Rahman ibn Habib al-Fihri made the first Muslim assault on Sardinia, the beginning of Saracen occupation that lasts until 1005. He also attempted to invade Sicily.BZ82958. Bronze follis, Anastasi 436; DOC III-1 19b.2; Wroth BMC 35; Sommer 23.11; Berk 864; SBCV 1569; Tolstoi -; Ratto -, gVF, weight 3.337 g, maximum diameter 18.7 mm, die axis 180o, Sicily, Syracuse mint, obverse ΛE/W/N (on right), Constantine V and Leo IV, each stand facing wearing crown and chlamys and holding akakia, cross between heads; reverse Λ/E/O/N - Δ/E/C/Π, Leo III standing facing, bearded, wearing crown and chlamys, cross potent in right hand; scarce; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Leo III the Isaurian and Constantine V, 31 March 720 - 18 June 741 A.D.
"Specimens of this type vary considerably in size and weight." -- Byzantine Coins and Their Values, by David R. Sear.BZ65614. Bronze follis, DOC III-1 54b (smaller var.), Trivero 092, Anastasi 399, Sommer 21.18, Spahr 318, Calciati MBBS 74, SBCV 1530, aVF, weight 1.941 g, maximum diameter 19.5 mm, die axis 180o, Sicily, Syracuse mint, 722 - 730 A.D.; obverse legend normally illegible (Sear), crowned bust of Leo III facing, short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, akakia in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand; reverse bust of Constantine V facing, beardless, wearing crown and chlamys, akakia in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand, below line under bust, large M (40 nummi) dividing SC-L; scarce; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constantine V and Leo IV, 6 June 751 - 14 September 775 A.D.
Constantine V was a successful military commander, defeating Bulgarians and Umayyad Muslims. Unfortunately his iconoclast policies diminished Byzantine influence in the West and he lost Ravenna to the Lombards in 751 A.D.BZ67644. Bronze follis, Anastasi 437; DOC III-1 19; Wroth BMC 35, Tolstoi 53, Ratto 1757, SBCV 1569, EF, typical tight flan, uneven strike, nice green patina, weight 2.520 g, maximum diameter 18.5 mm, die axis 180o, Syracuse mint, 757 - 14 Sep 775 A.D.; obverse K - ΛE/O/N, Constantine V and Leo IV, each stand facing wearing crown and chlamys and holding akakia, cross between heads; reverse Λ/E/O/N - Δ/E/C/Π, Leo III standing facing, bearded, wearing crown and chlamys, cross potent in right hand; scarce; SOLD
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