Manuel I Komnenos, Electrum, Trikephalon (Aspron Trachy), Thessalonike, circa 1160-1167?
Obverse
Virgin nimbate wearing tunic and maphorion and seated upon backless throne. Holds beardless nimbate head of Christ against breast. Θ to left and right.
Reverse
Manuel I Komnenos standing, beardless, and nimbate, wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys. Akakia in right hand, labarum on long shaft held in left hand with St. Demetrios. Saint wears short military tunic and breastplate.
Obverse
Virgin nimbate wearing tunic and maphorion and seated upon backless throne. Holds beardless nimbate head of Christ against breast. Θ to left and right.
Reverse
Manuel I Komnenos standing, beardless, and nimbate, wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys. Akakia in right hand, labarum on long shaft held in left hand with St. Demetrios. Saint wears short military tunic and breastplate.
| Accession number | BZC.2000.6 |
|---|---|
| Ruler | Manuel I Komnenos |
| Date of Reign | 1143–1180 |
| Metal | Electrum |
| Denomination | Trikephalon (Aspron Trachy) |
| Mint | Thessalonike |
| Date | circa 1160 – 1167? |
| Diameter | 27.0 mm |
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Relation of Dies | 12:00 |
| Shape | Cup |
| Condition | Clipped and hammered |
Acquisition History
Elsen, liste 211, no. 374, September 2000
Commentary
This is a Manuel I aspron trachy of type DOC 4.1:304–5, no. 9, which depicts Manuel and St. Demetrios depicted on the reverse. In the thirteenth century, the coin was clipped by hammering out the edges so that it expanded. It was then clipped down to its original size and this has resulted in the lack of detail of the outer parts of the design, the extreme thinness of the edge and the low weight, about half that of the original. See N. Kapamadj and C. Morrisson, “Trachéa d’électrum légers de Jean II et Manuel I Comnène” and S. Bendall and D. Sellwood, “Clipped Twelfth-Century Byzantine Electrum Trachea.”