BYZANTINE; Justin II & Sophia CE 565-578

 AE Half Follis, 20 mm, 6.52 g, Thessalonica mint RY 10/CE 574-575

SB 366

O: DN IVSTINVS PP AV or similar, Justin l and Sophia r std facing on double throne both nimbate.

R: Large K, above Θ+c, A/N/N/O to left and X for regnal year to right with Tεs in ex.

AE Half Follis, 20 mm, 6.52 g, Thessalonica mint RY 10/CE 574-575

SB 366

O: DN IVSTINVS PP AV or similar, Justin l and Sophia r std facing on double throne both nimbate.

R: Large K, above Θ+c, A/N/N/O to left and X for regnal year to right with Tεs in ex.

BYZANTINE; Heraclius, Heraclius Constantine & Martina CE 610-641

AE Follis, 23 x 27 mm, 7.03 g, Thessalonica mint RY 14/CE 623-624

SB 825

O: no legend Heraclius Constantine, Heraclius and Martina stg facing (it appears that HC is on the left and Martina on the right).

R: Large M, A/N/N/O on left X/II/II on right and officina is unreadable but likely B, with Θεc in ex.

 

BYZANTINE; John II Comnenus CE 1118-1143

AE Half Tetarteron, 16 mm, 1.79 g, Thessalonica mint

SB 1954

O: fig stg facing on footstool wearing nimbus cr pallium and colobium holding book in l, insc to left and right reads IC/XC

R: Emperor bust facing but holding labarum, insc reads + Iω ΔεcπOT or similar

 

BYZANTINE; Phocas CE 602-610

AE Decanummium, 18 mm, 2.46 g, Constantinople mint

SB 645

O: crowned cuir bust facing holding gl cr and shield. O N FOCAS PERP AVG or similar

R: Large X with cross above. 

Column of Phocas, the last monument erected in the Roman Forum in CE 608 as seen at the end of September 2024

 

BYZANTINE; Nicephoros I and Stauracius CE 802-811

 

 

AE Follis; 24 x 19 mm, 5.21 g, 6h, Constantinople mint.

SB 1607

O: facing portraits of Nicephoros l and Stauracius r with + in between

R: Large M with A below and + above with XXX on left and NNN on right.

Nicephoros was killed at the Battled of Pliska in CE 811 by troops of the Bulgar Khan, Krum (d. CE 814). Krum took Nicephoros' skull, had it plated in silver and made into a drinking vessel.  Which John Julius Norwich indicates was used for the remainder of Krum's life as his drinking cup. (p. 124 "A Short History of Byzantium" NY 1997).

Stauracius is remembered for having the shortest reign of approximately 68 days as Byzantine emperor before abdicating and succumbing to his wounds received in the battle which was a severed spine and paralysis from a neck wound. 

ROMAN/Gratian CE 367-383

AE 18 mm, 2.58 g, 5h, Antioch mint c. CE 379-383

RCV 20137

O: diad draped cuirassed bust r, DN GRATIA-NVS PF AVG

R: Roma std facing left VIRTVS RO-[MA]NORVM in ex. ANTΔ and in left field Θ and in right field Φ

Ex: W. Esty