Byzantine

12/16/2011                                                                                    link back up to main Chapter 262 Coins

money like Christmas candy

This eye candy was like Christmas opening my treasure package of gems. Not the actual gems from Christie's T-day visit but these 14 Ancient Coins described by Sneads Ferry, NC Ebay thusly: "Ancient Coins-I came accross these coins around 10 years ago. I don't know what they are, from what period, or even whether their real or not. Everyone I talk to about them say they don't deal with foriegn coins or they think their real but I don't have any idea. They range in size, thickness, and weight and seem to be copper or brass, my magnet will not pick them up. Judge for yourself, happy bidding."

A total $12 bid was all it took and he included a special thank you card for getting rid of them. In my early chapter on Roman coins, I said that to be my last. How wrong I was. They became captivating.

I'd recognized this large M byzantine era follis coin from prior digging. It's a real success to get one for cheap that fills in my collection's timeline. It has it's own unique attractiveness even though far from perfection. The now symbolic Christian rulers of the world is prominently displayed. Although a challenge to determine just when and whose coin it was, it's the process that is rewarding. This is a Justinian I the Great 527 AD Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire until the end of the Empire in 565. I've also identified a well worn prehistory Alexander the Great among the group as well as some Islamics and others as yet undetermined. Also received 4 ancient unknowns from ebay Norway.

There were many byzantine coin mints at this time but the one in Antioch, Turkey was overrun by the Persians (Sassanids) in their second war with Justinian. As luck would have it I just acquired a beautiful silver coin from the Persian Empire dating to about this time from ebay Portugal.

Like the popular Storage Wars TV show, I'm just waiting to hit the big treasure. In November a guy bought a unit for $1000 and it yielded him a half million dollars in pirate treasure inside. One unit had Nicholas Cage's $1.6 million comic book in it. Whether it's Gold Rush or Biggest Loser, I just wannabe a Treasure Hunter.

trackdown:

Downloaded a spreadsheet index of 5000 large M varieties (follis denomination) then did a quick sorting elimination on cross with NIKO , A under M (Nicosea mint mark) determines this coin to be of Justinian I. He had more or less successfully regained the recently lost Western half of the empire although it was again lost after his death. Things went badly for Justinian in the end. Earlier he had married a circus performer half his age. That did not meet the approval of his peers especially since she was a prostitute. The bubonic plague had decimated the population, destroyed their economy and even sickened Justinian. I had previously used this sculpture from the Iberian War which is thought to depict Justinian's war with the Persian Sassanids.

reference coin: BYZANTINE EMPIRE, JUSTINIAN I, 527-565 AD,AE FOLLIS, 32 MM, 15.32 GRMS, D.N.IVSTINIANVS PP.AVG. HELMETED AND CUIRASSED BUST FACING HOLDING Globus Cruciger (world conquerer) AND SHIELD, REV. LARGE M WITH CROSS ABOVE, MINT OF NICOMEDIA (Turkey) FIRST OFFICINA, ANNO on left (year), Regnal YEAR 29 of reign (555AD), SB 201.

.