Coin Item Number: 3095/1616 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Byzantine coin from ‘Anonymous Folles’ Period, 970-1092. Obverse: bust of Christ, facing front; he has a nimbus cruciger around his head, which is a cross within a halo; he holds the Book of Gospels in front of him, which is decorated with dots; to left, inscription says ‘IC’; to right, ‘XC’; there is a second inscription to the left, which says ‘ENMA’. Reverse: there is an inscription of four lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘InSϤ[S]/XRISTOS/bASILEϤ/bASILE’; above and beneath, there is a pattern of curly lines and pellets. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘Jesus Christ’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Jesus Christ, King of Kings’.
History Of Use
"Follis" (denomination); Sear# 1813. The Sear catalogue says that this coin most likely belonged to Basil II and Constantine VIII.
Narrative
The ‘Anonymous Folles’ are a group of coins spanning just over a century. They often have a depiction of Christ in place of any images or inscriptions which would indicate the emperor to whose reign they belong, thus rendering them anonymous.
Item History
- Made in Turkey between 976 and 1028
- Owned by David Herman before February 2, 2015
- Received from David Herman (Donor) on February 2, 2015
What
- Name
- Coin
- Identification Number
- 3095/1616
- Type of Item
- coin
- Material
- bronze metal
- Overall
- height 0.2 cm, diameter 3.1 cm
Who
- Culture
- Byzantine
- Previous Owner
- David Herman
- Received from
- David Herman (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Turkey
When
- Creation Date
- between 976 and 1028
- Ownership Date
- before February 2, 2015
- Acquisition Date
- on February 2, 2015
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 3095/1616