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Byzantine Gold and Electrum Coins
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Most numismatists agree that "Byzantine" coinage starts in 498 CE with the monetary reform of Anastasius. He reformed the Roman Empire's coinage system based around the gold solidus, with bronze nummi in various denominations being used for lower value transactions. The gold solidus (or later nomisma) remained the standard until the 11th century, when it began to be debased under successive emperors beginning in the 1030s under the emperor Romanos Argyros (1028–1034). Until that time, the fineness of the gold remained consistent at about 95% pure or higher.
Michael IV the Paphlagonian (1034–41) ascended as Byzantine emperor in 1034 and began the process of debasing both the tetarteron nomisma (weighing 11/12 of a histamenon nomista) and the full-weight histamenon nomisma. The debasement reached about 21 carats (87.5% pure) during the reign of Constantine IX (1042–1055), 18 carats (75%) under Constantine X (1059–1067), 16 carats (66.7%) under Romanus IV (1068–1071), 14 carats (58%) under Michael VII (1071–1078), 8 carats (33%) under Nicephorus III (1078–1081) and 0 to 8 carats during the first eleven years of the reign of Alexius I (1081–1118).
In 1092, Alexius I Comnenus discontinued the debased solidus (tetarteron and histamenon) and re-introduced a gold coin of higher fineness called the hyperpyron, but in 1367, the Byzantine Empire stopped producing gold coins altogether.
16 files, last one added on Apr 05, 2024 Album viewed 75 times
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The Kings of Cappadocia
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The Kingdom of Cappadocia was a Hellenistic-era Iranian kingdom in Asia Minor, roughly in the location of present-day Turkey. When Alexander of Macedon (Alexander the Great) invaded Cappadocia as part of his conquest of the Persian Empire, he appointed 2 governors. Unlike most Persian regions of Alexander's empire, Cappadocia declared independence in 331 and Ariarathes I assumed power, becoming the first king of the newly established Kingdom of Cappadocia.
Throughout its history, it was ruled by three families in succession; the House of Ariarathes (331–96 BC), the House of Ariobarzanes (96–36 BC), and lastly that of Archelaus (36 BC–17 AD). In 17 AD, following the death of Archelaus and during the reign of Roman emperor Tiberius (14–37 AD), the kingdom was incorporated as a fully functioning Roman province.
18 files, last one added on Mar 10, 2023 Album viewed 54 times
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Last additions - Ron C2's Gallery |
Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 267aSeptimius Severus AR denarius
19.5mm, 3.45g, 0 degrees, Rome mint, 203 CE.
Attribution: RIC IVa 267a. Cohen 217 (222var in Mouchmov). BMCRE V 333.
O: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, Laureate head right
R: INDVLGENTIA AVGG IN CARTH, Dea Caelestis, facing, riding lion leaping to the right, holding drum and sceptre, water gushing from rocks on the left.
3 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.96.
Ex-CNG e-auction 559, lot 521, April 3, 2024. Ex-Weise Collection. Ex-Barry P. Murphy inventory 12343 (2003)Ron C2Apr 18, 2024
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 269Septimius Severus AR denarius
16.0mm, 3.14g, 180 degrees, Rome mint, 204 CE.
Attribution: RIC IVa 269. Cohen 229. BMCRE V 340.
O: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, Laureate head right
R: INVICTA VIRTVS, Septimius Severus on horseback right, cloak flying behind him, brandishing javelin at fallen foe.
1 example in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.96.
Ex-CNG e-auction 559, lot 522, April 3, 2024. Ex-Weise Collection, purchased from Anglo Antiquities on Ebay, 2003.Ron C2Apr 18, 2024
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 62Septimius Severus AR denarius
3.45g, 17.5mm, 0 degrees, Rome mint, 195 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 62. Cohen 363. BMCRE V 118.
O: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP V, laureate head right.
R: PART ARAB PART ADIAB COS II P P, Two captives seated right and left, back to back, on round shields.
8 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.99.
Ex-Marc Breitsprecher #54499. Ex VAuction 335, Triskeles Auctions 27, lot 251 (15 Mar 2019).Ron C2Apr 06, 2024
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 105Septimius Severus AR denarius
2.71g, 17.0mm, 180 degrees, Rome mint, 196-197 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 105. Cohen 437. BMCRE V 230.
O: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIIII, laureate head right.
R: PM TR P V COS II P P, Genius standing left, sacrificing from patera over altar and holding grain ears.
98 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.100.
Ex-Marc Breitsprecher #58301. Ron C2Apr 06, 2024
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 106Septimius Severus AR denarius
2.78g, 17.0mm, 180 degrees, Rome mint, 197 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 40. Cohen 580. BMCRE V 234.
O: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIIII, laureate head right., laureate head right.
R: PROFECTIO AVG, emperor on horseback to right, holding spear.
40 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.102.
Ex-Incitatus Coins Mar 2024.Ron C2Apr 06, 2024
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 40Septimius Severus AR denarius
2.18g, 16.3mm, 165 degrees, Rome mint, 194-195 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 40. Cohen 42. BMCRE V 79.
O: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP IIII, laureate head right.
R: APOLLINI AVGVSTO, Apollo standing left, holding patera and lyre.
28 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.93.
Ex-Incitatus Coins Mar 2024.Ron C2Apr 06, 2024
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 379Septimius Severus AR denarius
2.88g, 16.8mm, 0 degrees, Emesa mint, 194 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 379. Cohen 176 var (COS II instead of COS I). BMCRE V 355.
O: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II, laureate head right.
R: FORTVN REDVC, Genius standing left, sacrificing from patera over altar and holding grain ears.
3 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.95, Var 9.
Ex-Marc Breitsprecher #58431.Ron C2Apr 06, 2024
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Marcian Solidus RIC X 510Marcian AV Solidus
4.44g, 20.5mm, 180 degrees, Constantinople mint, 450-457 CE
Attribution: RIC X 510. Depeyrot 87/1.
O: D N MARCIA-NVS P F AVG, Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman on left arm.
R: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross; star to right, CONOB in exergue.
Ex-CNG eAuction 558 (20 Mar 2024) Lot 698.Ron C2Apr 05, 2024
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Zeno Solidus RIC X 910Zeno AV Solidus
4.43g, 20.5mm, 180 degrees, Constantinople mint, 8th officina, Second Reign, 476-491 CE
Attribution: RIC X 910. Depeyrot 108/1.
O: D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman on left arm.
R: VICTORIA AVGGG, Victory standing left, holding long cross; star to right, Officina H, CONOB in exergue.
Ex-CNG eAuction 558 (20 Mar 2024) Lot 705.Ron C2Apr 05, 2024
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 257Septimius Severus AR denarius
3.40g, 20.0mm, 180 degrees, Rome mint, 202-210 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 257. Cohen 109. BMCRE V 315.
O: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right.
R: COS III LVDOS SAECVL FEC, Bacchus (Liber) standing to right, emptying oenochoe over leopard and holding thyrsus, and Hercules standing to left, holding club and lion skin.
1 example in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.94.
Ex-Roma Numismatics E-sale 117, lot 909, February 22, 2024.Ron C2Mar 12, 2024
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Random files - Ron C2's Gallery |
Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 510aSeptimius Severus AR denarius
3.23g, 19.0mm, 180 degrees, Laodicea mint, 198-200 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 510a. Cohen 342. BMCRE V 669.
O: L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX, laureate head right.
R: MONETA AVGG, Moneta seated left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
No examples of Cohen 342, but similar Cohen 345 had 48 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.99
Ex-Nuqud Gallery, UAE, SKU#208, Dec 2022.Ron C2
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Julia Domna Antoninianus RIC IVa 389aJulia Domna AR antoninianus
4.62g, 24.0mm, 345 degrees, Rome mint, 211-217 CE.
Attribution: RIC IVa, 339. Cohen 202.
O: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, bust draped right, with hair elaborately weaved in ridges and turned up at the back, diademed on crescent.
R: VENUS GENETRIX, Venus seated left, extending right hand and holding apple and scepter.
RIC mentions cupid being at Venus' feet, but the corresponding plate 13,20 does not show cupid and matches this reverse - likely an RIC error.
No examples in Reka Devnia.Ron C2
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Septimius Severus Denarius RIC IVa 240Septimius Severus AR denarius
3.11g, 19.0mm, 180 degrees, Rome mint, 210 CE
Attribution: RIC IVa 240. Cohen 540. BMCRE V 18.
O: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head right.
R: P M TR P XVIII COS III P P, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and scepter, by him two children standing, one left and one right.
21 examples in Reka Devnia, Mouchmov P.102.
Ex-Den of Antiquity Coins, 1 March 2024.Ron C2
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