Uncertain Authority, Copper, Follis, Imitation, Uncertain Mint, circa 1080-1110?
Obverse
Christ seated on high throne.
Reverse
Cross with floriate ends and leaved base, H in upper quarters.
Obverse
Christ seated on high throne.
Reverse
Cross with floriate ends and leaved base, H in upper quarters.
| Accession number | BZC.1979.35 |
|---|---|
| Ruler | Uncertain Authority |
| Metal | Copper |
| Denomination | Follis |
| Mint | Uncertain Mint |
| Date | circa 1080 – 1110? |
| Weight | 3.9 g |
| Relation of Dies | 12:00 |
| Shape | Flat |
Acquisition History
From Henry Weller, 13 September 1979, probably from Asia Minor. H. Weller bought not only on the Istanbul market but also on his travels to Anatolia, and we cannot tell from what particular region he got this coin and BZC.1979.34.
Commentary
This coin is clearly an imitation loosely inspired by the enthroned Christ of class D anonymous folles (ca. 1050–1060) for the obverse. The cross foliate with leaved base and letters in quarters on the reverse has no parallel. But class I anonymous folles (ca. 1075–1080) have a leaved base. This type is unpublished and unknown to W. Schulze (personal communication, 5 May 2016) although he has been extensively studying and collecting coins of this period, particularly those found in Syria. Varieties of this cross with leaved base and one (or more) pellet(s) at the end of the arms feature on several types from the county of Edessa—Tancred (see Schlumberger, Numismatique de l’Orient latin, plate I, 7–9)—and the principality of Antioch—Bohemond (see ibid., plate II, 3) and Tancred (see ibid., plate II, 7). Searches among the Antioch excavation coins at Princeton and those from other Turkish sites might give the solution. Tentatively, Cécile Morrisson favors an attribution to one of these Latin rulers, perhaps Bohemond, if the two visible letters in the upper quarters are a B—wrongly oriented and partially preserved—and an H).
This coin has the same dies as BZC.1979.34.