Coin Item Number: 3095/1646 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 wears a pallium, which is a woolen cloak; 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 begins with a cross, and says ‘EMMA’; to right, ‘NOVHΛ’. Reverse: there is an inscription of four lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘InSϤS/XRISTϤS/bASILEϤ/bASILE’. The first 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 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.