r o m a i o n  e m p i r e


SBC = David R. Sear, Byzantine Coins and their values, Seaby, London (1974)
WBC = P. D. Whitting, Byzantine Coins, G. P. Putnam & Sons, New York (1973)
BBC = George E. Bates, Byzantine Coins, Archaeological Exploration of Sardis, Harvard University Press, Cambridge (1971)
ACC V = Wayne G. Sayles,Ancient Coin Collecting V: The Romaion/Byzantine Culture, Krause, Iola, Wisconsin (1998)
B/E BCC = Harlan J. Berk and Victor England, Byzantine Copper Coins, Public Auction December 7, 1989, Berk/England, Chicago (1989)

| page 1 |page 2 | page 3 |


Imperial Byzantine Coinage

Constantine VII, Porphyrogenitus and Romanus I, Lecapenus
June 6, 913 - November 9, 959 (Romanus I: December 17, 920 - December 16, 944)

[Constantine VII]21k JPG

Constantine VII (913 - 959 AD)
AE Follis
SBC 1758
27 mm.
4.52 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Facing busts of Constantine (on left) and Zoe, holding between them a long patriarchal cross. Legend above.
Reverse: Five line legend. Mint of Constantinople.

[Constantine VII]20k JPG

Constantine VII (913 - 959 AD)
AR Miliaresion
SBC 1757
24 mm.
2.83 gm.
Die position=12h
reverse
Obverse: Cross crosslet on three steps, small globus beneath. X at center of cross. Triple border with sixteen equally spaced globules; legend to either side.
Reverse: Five line legend. Mint of Constantinople.

[Constantine VII]17k JPG

Constantine VII (913 - 959 AD)
AE Follis
SBC 1761
23 mm.
8.75 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Facing bust of Constantine holding akakia and globus cruciger; legend above.
Reverse: Four line legend. Mint of Constantinople.

Romanus II
November 9, 959 - March 15, 963

Nicephorus II, Phocas
August 16, 963 - December 10, 969

[Nicephorus II]16k JPG

Nicephorus II (963 - 969 AD)
AE Follis
SBC 1782
26 x 24 mm.
9.53 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Bust facing with short beard, holding labarum and globus cruciger. [cross] nICIFR b ASIL ROM.
Reverse: Four line legend. Mint of Constantinople.
Note: Struck over a follis of Constantine VII.

John I, Tzimisces
December 11, 969 - January 10, 976

Basil II, Bulgaroktonos
January 10, 976 - December 15, 1025

Constantine VIII
December 15, 1025 - November 11, 1028

Romanus III, Argyrus
November 11, 1028 - April 11, 1034

Michael IV, the Paphlagonian
April 12, 1034 - December 10, 1041

Michael V, Kalaphates
December 10, 1041 - April 21, 1042

Constantine IX, Monomachus
June 12, 1042 - January 11, 1055

Theodora
January 11, 1055 - August 21, 1056

Michael VI, Stratioticus
August 21, 1056 - August 31, 1057

Issac I, Comnenus
September 1, 1057 - December 25, 1059

Constantine X, Ducas
December 25, 1059 - May 21, 1067

[Constantine X]30k JPG

Constantine X, Ducas (1059 - 1067 AD)
AE Follis
SBC 1853v. over 1836 (?) over 1818
31 mm.
10.20 gm.
Die position=5h
reverse
Obverse: Christ standing on footstool holding book of Gospels. Overstruck on reverse of SBC 1836, Anonymous Class D follis (Constantine IX) which was overstruck on SBC 1818, Anonymous Class A3 follis (Constantine VIII).
Reverse: Eudocia (left) and Constantine holding labarum with cross, resting on two (!) steps. Mint of Constantinople. Traces of undertype.

Eudocia
May 21 - December 31, 1067

Romanus IV, Diogenes
January 1, 1068 - August 19, 1071

Michael VII, Ducas
August 19, 1071 - March 24, 1078

[Michael VII, Ducas]23k JPG

Michael VII, Ducas (1071 - 1078 AD)
AE Follis
SBC 1878
30 mm.
3.51 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Bearded bust facing, wearing crown and loros; holding labarum and globus cruciger. Legend.
Reverse: Bust of Christ facing, cross behind head, raising right hand in benediction; holding book of Gospels in left hand. Traces of undertype.

This coin appears to be struck over another issue.

Nicephorus III, Botaniates
March 24, 1078 - April 4, 1081

Nicephorus Basilacius
1078

Nicephorus Melissenus
1080 - April 1081

The Anonymous Bronze Coinage of the period
of John I - Nicephorus III

Alexius I, Comnenus
April 4, 1081 - August 15, 1118

[Alexius I]8k JPG

Alexius I, Comnenus (1081 - 1118 AD)
AE Tetarteron
SBC 1932
15 mm.
1.79 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Patriarchal cross on two steps. Legend in field.
Reverse: Facing bust holding sceptre (?). Mint of Thessalonica.

John II, Comnenus
August 15, 1118 - April 8, 1143

[John II]17k JPG

John II, Comnenus (1118 - 1143 AD)
Billon Aspron Trachy
SBC 1944
28 mm.
3.56 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Bust facing holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre.
Reverse: Bust of Christ facing. Mint of Constantinople.

Manuel I, Comnenus
April 8, 1143 - September 24, 1180

Alexius II, Comnenus
September 24, 1180 - September, 1183

Andronicus I, Comnenus
September, 1183 - September 12, 1185

Isaac Comnenus
(Usurper in Cyprus) 1184 - 1191

Isaac II, Angelus
September 12, 1185 - April 8, 1195

[Isaac II]20k JPG

Isaac II, Angelus (1185 - 1195 AD)
Billon Aspron Trachy
SBC 2003
25 mm.
3.59 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Isaac standing facing holding akakia and cruciform sceptre; he is being crowned by manus Dei (hand of God) in upper right field. Partial legend. Mint of Constantinople.
Reverse: Virgin enthroned facing.

[Isaac II]10k JPG

Isaac II, Angelus (1185 - 1195 AD)
AE Tetarteron
SBC 2004
18 mm.
4.65 gm.
Die position=5h
reverse
Obverse: The Virgin orans standing facing.
Reverse: Isaac standing facing holding akakia and cruciform sceptre; he is being crowned by manus Dei (hand of God) in upper right field. Mint of Constantinople.

Alexius III, Angelus-Comnenus
April 8, 1195 - July 17, 1203

[Alexius III]14k JPG

Alexius III, Angelus-Comnenus (1195 - 1203 AD)
Billon Aspron Trachy
SBC 2012v.
26 mm.
3.17 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Alexius (on left) and St. Constantine standing, each holding a globus cruciger.
Reverse: Bust of Christ facing. Mint of Constantinople.

[Alexius III]23k JPG

Alexius III, Angelus-Comnenus (1195 - 1203 AD)
Billon Aspron Trachy
SBC 2012v.
31 mm.
4.24 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Alexius (on left) and St. Constantine standing, each holding a globus cruciger.
Reverse: Bust of Christ facing. Mint of Constantinople.

[Alexius III]17k JPG

Alexius III, Angelus-Comnenus (1195 - 1203 AD)
Billon Aspron Trachy
SBC 2012v.
22 x 25 mm.
3.20 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Alexius (on left) and St. Constantine standing, each holding (?). Unusual double-strike.
Reverse: Bust of Christ facing. Mint of Constantinople.

Isaac II, Angelus and Alexius IV, Angelus
July 18, 1203 - January 28, 1204

Alexius V, Ducas
February 5 - April 12, 1204

The Latin Rulers of Constantinople (1204 - 1261)
and Thessalonica (1204 - 1224)


The Empire of Nicaea

Theodore I, Comnenus-Lascaris
1208 - 1222

John III, Ducas-Vatatzes
1222 - November 3, 1254

Theodore II, Ducas-Lascaris
November 3, 1254 - August, 1258

John IV, Lascaris
August, 1258 - 1261

The Empire of Thessalonica

Theodore, Comnenus-Ducas
1224 - 1230

Manuel, Comnenus-Ducas
1230 - 1237

John, Comnenus-Ducas
1237 - 1244

The Despotate of Thessalonica

Demetrius, Comnenus-Ducas
1244 - 1246

Anonymous Thessalonican Issue of Uncertain Attribution


The Restored Byzantine Empire

Michael VIII, Palaeologus
August 15, 1261 - December 11, 1282

Andronicus II, Palaeologus
December 11, 1282 - May 24, 1328

Anonymous Issues of the Period 1295 - 1310

Andronicus III, Palaeologus
May 24, 1328 - June 15, 1341

John V, Palaeologus
June 15, 1341 - February 16, 1391

John VI, Cantacuzenus
April, 1353 - November 22, 1354

Andronicus IV, Palaeologus
August 12, 1376 - July 1, 1379

Emergency Issues of the Period of the Civil War
Between John V and Andronicus IV

John VII, Palaeologus
April 14 - September 16, 1390

Manuel II, Palaeologus
February 16, 1391 - 1423

John VIII, Palaeologus
1423 - October 31, 1448

Constantine XI, Palaeologus
October 31, 1448 - May 29, 1453


g o  t o  p a g e  1



b a c k  t o  a n c i e n t  c o i n s