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Cilician Armenia. Levon I, the Great (1199-1219)
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Vandanyan Class C Phase 1b ; Bedoukian Groups 267-283a, specifically 276 var. (no footstool); cf. Nercessian 288 var. (no footstool); Metcalf Group III/C, Plate XII, 24
AR tram/drachm, 3.20 g., 22.98 mm. max., 270°
Obv: + ԼԵՒՈՆ ԹԱԳԱՒՈՐ ՀԱՅՈՑ (= Lewon Tagawor Hayots = Levon, King of the Armenians), King wearing a crown and a royal mantel, holding a cross in the right hand and fleur-de-lis in the left, seated on a throne ornamented with lion heads, his left foot turned outward, no footstool.
Rev.: [Reverse C]: + ԿԱՐՈՂՈՒԹԲՆ ԱՍՏՈՒԾ [letter Ծ Type 6] (= Karogowt eambn astowtzoy = By the will of God), double-barred cross [Type 7c] (with outlined bar of pseudo-seriffed or wasted outline; 3 dots at the base of the shaft) entirely within circle between two lions [Type 5a] (boldly dotted mane but plain shoulder, three ribs), rampant, back-to-back, each with heads reverted. Reverse artistic style.
The obverse and reverse inscriptions and long-cross are a match for Bedoukian 276 (King's left foot turned outward, but footstool), B. 248 (but left foot not facing outward, and footstool), and B. 265 (long-cross entirely within circle, but left foot not facing outward, and footstool). None are listed with any inscription combination with both the left foot facing outward and no footstool except those with the king holding the lily in his right hand and the cross in his left (B. 662f and B. 665c-672). As such, it is not an exact match to any, and closest to B. 276.
The common tram of Levon I was struck during his entire reign, and probably for several years after his death until the coronation of Hetoum I as king (in 1226). According to Metcalf, the Bedoukian system (focusing on obverse inscriptions) is mechanical and not workable, and is a non-classification. According to Vardanyan, the Bedoukian system conflicts with observed die links. Metcalf focused on die comparisons. Vardanyan, also focusing on die comparisons, established a relative chronology for this coinage.
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![Cilician Armenia. Levon I, the Great (1199-1219)
Vandanyan Class C Phase 1b ; Bedoukian Groups 267-283a, specifically 276 var. (no footstool); cf. Nercessian 288 var. (no footstool); Metcalf Group III/C, Plate XII, 24
AR tram/drachm, 3.20 g., 22.98 mm. max., 270°
Obv: + ԼԵՒՈՆ ԹԱԳԱՒՈՐ ՀԱՅՈՑ (= Lewon Tagawor Hayots = Levon, King of the Armenians), King wearing a crown and a royal mantel, holding a cross in the right hand and fleur-de-lis in the left, seated on a throne ornamented with lion heads, his left foot turned outward, no footstool.
Rev.: [Reverse C]: + ԿԱՐՈՂՈՒԹԲՆ ԱՍՏՈՒԾ [letter Ծ Type 6] (= Karogowt eambn astowtzoy = By the will of God), double-barred cross [Type 7c] (with outlined bar of pseudo-seriffed or wasted outline; 3 dots at the base of the shaft) entirely within circle between two lions [Type 5a] (boldly dotted mane but plain shoulder, three ribs), rampant, back-to-back, each with heads reverted. Reverse artistic style.
The obverse and reverse inscriptions and long-cross are a match for Bedoukian 276 (King's left foot turned outward, but footstool), B. 248 (but left foot not facing outward, and footstool), and B. 265 (long-cross entirely within circle, but left foot not facing outward, and footstool). None are listed with any inscription combination with both the left foot facing outward and no footstool except those with the king holding the lily in his right hand and the cross in his left (B. 662f and B. 665c-672). As such, it is not an exact match to any, and closest to B. 276.
The common tram of Levon I was struck during his entire reign, and probably for several years after his death until the coronation of Hetoum I as king (in 1226). According to Metcalf, the Bedoukian system (focusing on obverse inscriptions) is mechanical and not workable, and is a non-classification. According to Vardanyan, the Bedoukian system conflicts with observed die links. Metcalf focused on die comparisons. Vardanyan, also focusing on die comparisons, established a relative chronology for this coinage.](albums/userpics/22787/normal_ARM_Levon_I_tram_Nercessian_288.jpg "Click to view full size image
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Cilician Armenia. Levon I, the Great (1199-1219)
Vandanyan Class C Phase 1b ; Bedoukian Groups 267-283a, specifically 276 var. (no footstool); cf. Nercessian 288 var. (no footstool); Metcalf Group III/C, Plate XII, 24
AR tram/drachm, 3.20 g., 22.98 mm. max., 270°
Obv: + ԼԵՒՈՆ ԹԱԳԱՒՈՐ ՀԱՅՈՑ (= Lewon Tagawor Hayots = Levon, King of the Armenians), King wearing a crown and a royal mantel, holding a cross in the right hand and fleur-de-lis in the left, seated on a throne ornamented with lion heads, his left foot turned outward, no footstool.
Rev.: [Reverse C]: + ԿԱՐՈՂՈՒԹԲՆ ԱՍՏՈՒԾ [letter Ծ Type 6] (= Karogowt eambn astowtzoy = By the will of God), double-barred cross [Type 7c] (with outlined bar of pseudo-seriffed or wasted outline; 3 dots at the base of the shaft) entirely within circle between two lions [Type 5a] (boldly dotted mane but plain shoulder, three ribs), rampant, back-to-back, each with heads reverted. Reverse artistic style.
The obverse and reverse inscriptions and long-cross are a match for Bedoukian 276 (King's left foot turned outward, but footstool), B. 248 (but left foot not facing outward, and footstool), and B. 265 (long-cross entirely within circle, but left foot not facing outward, and footstool). None are listed with any inscription combination with both the left foot facing outward and no footstool except those with the king holding the lily in his right hand and the cross in his left (B. 662f and B. 665c-672). As such, it is not an exact match to any, and closest to B. 276.
The common tram of Levon I was struck during his entire reign, and probably for several years after his death until the coronation of Hetoum I as king (in 1226). According to Metcalf, the Bedoukian system (focusing on obverse inscriptions) is mechanical and not workable, and is a non-classification. According to Vardanyan, the Bedoukian system conflicts with observed die links. Metcalf focused on die comparisons. Vardanyan, also focusing on die comparisons, established a relative chronology for this coinage.")
