A visit to where my Constantinople Byzantine coin was made
WillieBoyd2
Posts: 5,034 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have several Byzantine bronze coins and became curious as to the location of the
Constantinople mint that made them, especially this one of Justinian (AD 527-565)
Justinian AE Follis
Obverse: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
D N IVSTINI-ANVS PP AVG
Reverse: Large letter 'M', star left, cross top, cross right, G under large 'M'
CON in exergue (Constantinople mint)
Struck: AD 527-538
Size: 30mm
Weight: 17.98gm
Catalog: Sear 158
Philip Grierson's book Catalogue of late Roman coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection
(Dumbarton Oaks, 1992) places the Constantinople mint for bronze coins near the "Golden Gate".
In April 2012, I finally able to make a visit to Istanbul, Turkey.
After a busy day wandering around Justinian's Hagia Sophia church and the Sultan Ahmed Blue Mosque,
I was back at my hotel whose lobby had some books about Turkey and Istanbul.
I happened to look at Richard Stoneman's book
Across the Hellespont: A Literary Guide to Turkey (Hutchinson, 1987)
which had a map of Constantinople showing the "Golden Gate" to be in a place
called the "Castle of the Seven Towers", part of the 4th century walls around the city.
The walls were constructed during the reign of Theodosius I or II.
The "Golden Gate" was a location for ceremonial entrances into the city and for holding imperial Triumphs.
The castle is now a Turkish museum named Yedikule (Turkish for "Seven Towers") Museum.
On Tuesday, April 24, 2012, I took the light rail to the Yedikule station,
and walked out Yedikule street to the Yedikule Castle museum.
The street to the museum:
I had the castle to myself for an hour, probably because it is not mentioned in many guide books.
Later a tour bus with some teenagers showed up and they began climbing around on the walls.
A sign describing the castle complex:
The Golden Gate:
The museum entrance and the tour bus group:
Three of the towers, named the Treasure, Dungeon, and Cannon towers:
The trip sure made this coin even more interesting.
Constantinople mint that made them, especially this one of Justinian (AD 527-565)
Justinian AE Follis
Obverse: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
D N IVSTINI-ANVS PP AVG
Reverse: Large letter 'M', star left, cross top, cross right, G under large 'M'
CON in exergue (Constantinople mint)
Struck: AD 527-538
Size: 30mm
Weight: 17.98gm
Catalog: Sear 158
Philip Grierson's book Catalogue of late Roman coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection
(Dumbarton Oaks, 1992) places the Constantinople mint for bronze coins near the "Golden Gate".
In April 2012, I finally able to make a visit to Istanbul, Turkey.
After a busy day wandering around Justinian's Hagia Sophia church and the Sultan Ahmed Blue Mosque,
I was back at my hotel whose lobby had some books about Turkey and Istanbul.
I happened to look at Richard Stoneman's book
Across the Hellespont: A Literary Guide to Turkey (Hutchinson, 1987)
which had a map of Constantinople showing the "Golden Gate" to be in a place
called the "Castle of the Seven Towers", part of the 4th century walls around the city.
The walls were constructed during the reign of Theodosius I or II.
The "Golden Gate" was a location for ceremonial entrances into the city and for holding imperial Triumphs.
The castle is now a Turkish museum named Yedikule (Turkish for "Seven Towers") Museum.
On Tuesday, April 24, 2012, I took the light rail to the Yedikule station,
and walked out Yedikule street to the Yedikule Castle museum.
The street to the museum:
I had the castle to myself for an hour, probably because it is not mentioned in many guide books.
Later a tour bus with some teenagers showed up and they began climbing around on the walls.
A sign describing the castle complex:
The Golden Gate:
The museum entrance and the tour bus group:
Three of the towers, named the Treasure, Dungeon, and Cannon towers:
The trip sure made this coin even more interesting.
https://www.brianrxm.com
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
0
Comments
World Collection
British Collection
German States Collection
FOR SALE Items
https://www.civitasgalleries.com
New coins listed monthly!
Josh Moran
CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
I just purchased a solidus of Justin II minted at Constantinople so that makes this thread all the more enjoyable.
Steve
-Bjorn
Reminded me also of that song by "They Might Be Giants":
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul
8 Reales Madness Collection
<< <i>
Reminded me also of that song by "They Might Be Giants":
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul >>
Happened to me more than once.......
https://www.civitasgalleries.com
New coins listed monthly!
Josh Moran
CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
<< <i>Happened to me more than once.......
>>
Just the other day I had a date in New Amsterdam, but she was waiting for me in New York
8 Reales Madness Collection
I've visited Istanbul a few times and it's a lovely city. I've also been to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque but I would also recomend a visit to the Kapali Carsi (covered market) or as its known in English the Grand Bazaar and also I would highly recommend visiting the Basilica Cistern:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_Cistern
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Bazaar,_Istanbul
Also you can't visit Istanbul without trying a Turkish bath. Great for the skin and you feel great after it.
This one arrived today:
Justinian - AU Solidus
Obverse: Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing three-quarters to right,
holding spear over shoulder and shield
DN IVSTINI-ANVS PP AVG
Reverse: Angel standing facing, holding jewelled cross and cross on globe,
star in right field
VICTORI - A AVCCC B (Oficina B.)
CONOB in exergue (Constantinople mint)
Struck: AD 527-537
Size: 21mm
Weight: 4.43gm
Catalog: Sear 137
Ex. Harlan J. Berk, Chicago
The Constantinople Mint for gold coins was supposedly located in the Great Palace, which is now gone.
A small museum occupies this place, it was closed while I was there.
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.