Byzantine class A anonymous folles

In the late 10^th century the Byzantine rulers embarked on a bronze coinage devoid of the emperor’s  name. Theses may be divided into 11 classes, labelled chronologically A through to I. The earliest, class A, features a nimbate or haloed facing bust of Christ on one side, combined with a legend in Greek on the reverse that, in four lines reads Jesus Christ King of Kings. Although appearing uniform study shows that they are far from that.

A1 overstruck on a follis of Nicephorus II

The class A coins may be further subdivided into two distinct groups. The earliest bear the designation A1 and are almost invariably found overstruck on the coins of Nicephorus II, Constantine VII or Romanus I.

The slightly later type, the so-called A2 do not tend to be overstruck and may be further distinguished from the A1 type by the presence of a series of marks. These marks are noted in four places; the halo and Bible on the obverse and then above and below the legend on the reverse. The scholar Albert Bellinger collated the combinations of known marks and came up with 51 distinct groupings. The numbering sequence of the 51 combinations does not imply a chronological progression.

Bellinger's table of marks

Whilst it may be just chance some believe that certain groups of symbols may indicate that subsidiary mint(s) may have been in operation besides Constantinople. This has been postulated on the basis of A2 hoards and site finds contain a disproportionately large number of certain symbol combinations. On that basis Metcalf postulated that Bellinger types 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 20 (and possibly 7 and 9) may be from a mint operating in central Greece.

A2, Bellinger 24

There is a further complication with the A2 coinage in that they do not all appear to be struck to the same weight standard. There is, again, a pattern with Bellinger number and weight. This can be summarised as follows:

15g = 1, 6, 10-19, 21-23, 30, 36-38, 48-50 (“metropolitan” ie Constantinople coins)

12.4-13.9g = 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 20 (postulated Central Greek mint)

9g = 24, 33, 39, 40 (39 and 40 are also known on the 15g standard)

<15g = 25, 26-28 (all with blundered reverse inscriptions) 

10g = 29, 41, 43-47

13g = 34 (all rough style on irregular flans, probable provincial mint)

That leaves 31 and 32, related by similar markings but apparently on two different weight standards (15g and 10g respectively). And finally 51 which may be related to 34.

A2, Bellinger 40

                            

A2, Bellinger 15

A2, Bellinger 41

A coinage decree from Gortyna, Crete

 

Not particularly well preserved this bronze coin originates from Gortyna on the Greek island of Crete. With a diameter of 18mm this bronze coin has, on the obverse, a woman (Europa or a nymph?) seated in a tree, a device used on the earlier silver coinage. The reverse has Europa, with her veil billowing behind her, riding on a bull that is abducting her, in fact, the god Zeus in the form of the animal. I have previously posted on the abduction of Europa by Zeus as a white bull (March 2019).

Dating to c. 250 BC this is apparently the earliest known type of bronze coin from the city. The city of Gortyna, in common with the other Cretan cities, was a late adopter of base metal coinage compared to the rest of the Greek world.

The reason for this late adoption is not clear. There may previously have been adequate supplies of silver to make small denominations that then got interrupted. Alternatively there may have been public resistance to the introduction of non precious metal coinage.

The idea of public resistance may not be far from the truth as there is an inscription from Gortyna dated to around this time that fines people for not using bronze coinage.

“Make use of the bronze money, which the city has put in circulation, and do not accept silver obols. If anyone accepts in payment silver obols, or refuses to accept bronze money, or sells anything in exchange for grain (that is to say, receiving or requiring grain in payment), he shall pay a fine of five silver staters. Disputes in these cases shall be referred to the neotas, and of the neotas the seven who are elected as agoranomoi shall give judgment under oath. And judgment shall be rendered in favor of the party for which the majority shall have taken oath (that is to say, the judgment shall be given by the majority of votes), and this college of seven, having exacted the fine of the party which has lost the suit, shall give half to the party which has won the suit and half to the city. “