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q for byzantine coin experts....or at least who have a good reference
coachbedford
Posts: 189
I have a byzantine bronze coin that I just cannot identify. Usually I can identify almost any Byzantine coin with the sources I have but not this one. It's a bronze about nickel size in diameter. It is NOT scyphate (bowl-shaped). On one side is a pretty standard Byzantine ruler, standing, front-facing and holding a staff or sceptor. The reverse is what's puzzling: shadowy but I see two figures. Smaller figure on left is facing sideways, holding up something to the taller figure on right (who I can't tell if is facing sideways or forward).
At one time I was convinced I saw a plate identifying it as a 1300s Byzantine bronz but since then have not found the pic I once thought I saw. Anyone able to identify this one as to century or better yet, specific ruler?
At one time I was convinced I saw a plate identifying it as a 1300s Byzantine bronz but since then have not found the pic I once thought I saw. Anyone able to identify this one as to century or better yet, specific ruler?
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From the Wildwinds "Sort Byzantine by Sear" page, we can see that early bronzes tended to have the large letter-numeral or a monogram on the reverse. The earliest coin matching what you've described is this one of Constantine V and Leo IV. There are others in the mid-period, such as this one of Constantine X, though in this case the single obverse figure is of Christ, not an emperor (distinguishable by the cross-shaped halo).
We'd need to see pics of your actual coin to help further.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD.
But in the case of my two standing figures, unlike the pics on this post, at least one of the figures on my coin is facing sideways in the direction of the second figure (who may also be facing sideways but it's hard to tell).