Byzantine Empire: Anonymous Folles, Class A2, (Sear-1813, Sommer-40.2.7)

[Quant.Geek]

Byzantine Empire: Anonymous Folles, Class A2, Attributed to Basil II & Constantine VII (976-1025). (Sear-1813, Sommer-40.2.7)

Obv: + EMMA NOVHΛ IC - XC.
Bust of Christ facing, holding book of gospels, with nimbus. Cross on book of gospels; cross in each arm of gospel.
Rev: + IhSYS/ XRISTYS/ bASILEY/ bASILE.
Legend in four lines.

[ChrisHagen]

Wow, another coin that I also have right next to me, to compare with. Yours is so much nicer! I can't even recognize Christ's face on mine. Absolutely beautiful!

Your coin has a different ornament below the text on the reverse. Do you know if there is a website that lists the rarity of the different ornament styles? My bust is too worn, so I can't identify the Sear number from the style of halo/nimbus.

[Quant.Geek]

Thanks Chris for the compliment.  The obverse on this particular coin is quite lovely and hence I wanted one that had a good portrait of Christ.  This is one of the better ones I have seen.  Unfortunately, my edition of Sear is the older 1st edition and it only indicates that the ornaments vary.  On Forum Ancient Coins, there is a table of the various classifications of the Folles that should help you classify your coin more precisely:

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Anonymous%20Byzantine%20Class%20A%20Folles

Using the table, mine would be classified as A2-32...

Cheers,

Ram

[ChrisHagen]

Thanks a lot for the link!

I guess mine has the "1a" ornament. But I can't tell anything on the book or nimbus. I can't even tell where on the coin they are, that's how worn the obverse is.