.jpg "Ancient Byzantine Coins - John II - AV Gold Hyperpyron")
Details
LOT 2703
Ancient Byzantine Coins - John II - AV Gold Hyperpyron 1118-1143 A.D.
Thessalonica mint. Obv: +KERO-HQEI IC-XC, Christ enthroned facing on throne with back, holding book of gospels. Rev: MQ-QV, IW DEC PO TH (or similar) above, emperor, wearing divitision and loros and holding cross on globe, standing on left, being crowned by Mary, nimbate, on right. Good very fine.(4.45 grams, 27 mm.).
Provenance
Ex Richard Falkiner, 2000s.
Literature
SB 1949.
Footnotes
The traditional gold currency of the Byzantine Empire had been the solidus or nomisma, whose gold content had remained steady at 24 carats for seven centuries and was consequently highly prized. From the 1030s, however, the coin was increasingly debased, until in the 1080s, following the military disasters and civil wars of the previous decade, its gold content was reduced to almost zero. Consequently in 1092, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081-1118) undertook a drastic overhaul of the Byzantine coinage system and introduced a new gold coin, the hyperpyron (meaning super-refined). This was of the same standard weight (4.45 grams) as the solidus, but of less gold content (20.5 carats instead of 24) due to the recycling of earlier debased coins. The hyperpyron remained the standard gold coin until gold coins ceased to be minted by the Byzantines in the mid 14th century. It too, however, was subject to gradual debasement: under the Empire of Nicaea (1204-1261), its gold content fell gradually to 18 carats, under Michael VIII Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282) to 15 and under his son and successor Andronikos II Palaiologos (r. 1282-1328) to 12 carats. At the same time, the quality of the coins declined as well, and in the 14th century, their weight was far from uniform. The last hyperpyra, and thus the last Byzantine gold coins, were struck by Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos (r. 1347-1352). The name remained in use thereafter solely as a money of account, divided into 24 keratia. The name was adopted in various forms by Western Europeans (Latin: perperum, Italian: perpero) and the Slavic countries of the Balkans (perper, iperpero, etc.) designating various coins, usually silver, as well as moneys of account. More often in the West the hyperpyron was called the bezant, especially among Italian merchants.
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Ancient Byzantine Coins - John II - AV Gold Hyperpyron 1118-1143 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £390
Thessalonica mint. Obv: +KERO-HQEI IC-XC, Christ enthroned facing on throne with back, holding book of gospels. Rev: MQ-QV, IW DEC PO TH (or similar) above, emperor, wearing divitision and loros and holding cross on globe, standing on left, being crowned by Mary, nimbate, on right. 4.45 grams, 27 mm.
Good very fine.
Ex Richard Falkiner, 2000s.
The traditional gold currency of the Byzantine Empire had been the solidus or nomisma, whose gold content had remained steady at 24 carats for seven centuries and was consequently highly prized. From the 1030s, however, the coin was increasingly debased, until in the 1080s, following the military disasters and civil wars of the previous decade, its gold content was reduced to almost zero. Consequently in 1092, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081-1118) undertook a drastic overhaul of the Byzantine coinage system and introduced a new gold coin, the hyperpyron (meaning super-refined). This was of the same standard weight (4.45 grams) as the solidus, but of less gold content (20.5 carats instead of 24) due to the recycling of earlier debased coins. The hyperpyron remained the standard gold coin until gold coins ceased to be minted by the Byzantines in the mid 14th century. It too, however, was subject to gradual debasement: under the Empire of Nicaea (1204-1261), its gold content fell gradually to 18 carats, under Michael VIII Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282) to 15 and under his son and successor Andronikos II Palaiologos (r. 1282-1328) to 12 carats. At the same time, the quality of the coins declined as well, and in the 14th century, their weight was far from uniform. The last hyperpyra, and thus the last Byzantine gold coins, were struck by Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos (r. 1347-1352). The name remained in use thereafter solely as a money of account, divided into 24 keratia. The name was adopted in various forms by Western Europeans (Latin: perperum, Italian: perpero) and the Slavic countries of the Balkans (perper, iperpero, etc.) designating various coins, usually silver, as well as moneys of account. More often in the West the hyperpyron was called the bezant, especially among Italian merchants. -
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Ancient Byzantine Coins - Basil II and Constantine VIII Holding the Cross - AV Gold Histamenon 958-1025 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,340
Obv: + IhS XIS REX REGNANTInm, bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cross ornamented with two crescents in the limbs of the cross, holding book of Gospels and raising right hand. Rev: + bASIL C COnStAntI b Rm, crowned facing busts of Basil with short beard on left, wearing loros of square pattern, and Constantine VIII, beardless on right, wearing chlamys, holding plain cross between them. 4.43 grams, 27 mm.
Extremely fine.
Ex Richard Falkiner, 2000s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no 12032-212137.
Basil II was the senior emperor with Constantine VII and ruled from 976 -1025 A.D. The early years of his long reign were dominated by civil war against powerful generals from the Anatolian aristocracy. Following their submission, Basil oversaw the stabilisation and expansion of the eastern frontier of the Byzantine Empire, and above all, the final and complete subjugation of Bulgaria, the Empire's foremost European foe, after a prolonged struggle. For this he was nicknamed by later authors as the Bulgar-slayer; (Greek: Boulgaroktonos), by which he is popularly known. At his death, the empire stretched from Southern Italy to the Caucasus and from the Danube to the borders of Palestine, its greatest territorial extent since the Muslim conquests four centuries earlier. Of far-reaching importance was Basil's decision to offer the hand of his sister Anna to Vladimir I of Kiev in exchange for military support, which led to the Christianisation of the Kievan Rus, and the incorporation of later successor nations of Kievan Rus within the Byzantine cultural and religious tradition. -
![Byzantine Coins - Mixed AE Coin Group [5]](https://timelineauctions.com/upload/images/items/small/213462-s.jpg)
Byzantine Coins - Mixed AE Coin Group [5] Circa 9th-13th century A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £124
Group comprising: mixed issues and types. 19.03 grams total, 17-25 mm.
Fair-good fine.
Ex Spahr collection. Property of an London antiquarian. Accompanied by five old coin tickets.
