20180615

BYZANTINE/Heraclius CE 610-641 & Heraclius Constantine CE 613-641


AE Follis 28 mm, 8h, 10.49 g, Nicomedia mint Regnal year IIII=CE 613-614
Sear 834 (undertype Sear 533)
O:  fragmentary legend, though legend of the undertype is easily discernable and mostly clear as δN MAЧГI CN P AЧT from 12 o’clock down to nearly 6 o’clock.  Portrait of host coin is mostly obscured, but is clearly Maurice Tiberius CE 582-602. The host coin was minted approximately 1,000 km from Nicomedia in Theopolis formerly known as Antioch and a portion of the host mint name is visible on the reverse at approximately 11-12 o’clock upside down.
R: Large M between A/N/N/O on the left and II/II on the right with B for the officina beneath the M and in the ex NIK for the mint.
It is interesting that a coin that was minted in Antioch between CE 590-602 circulated for perhaps 10-20 years as a coin of Maurice before being restruck to continue service as a coin of Heraclius and his son and that is how it has come down to us.
 
ex: W. Esty