Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted June 29 · Member Share Posted June 29 (edited) This was the second part of the Leontius purchase. I was lacking a decent Apsimar follis so when this showed up at a relative bargain price, I jumped on it. Tiberius III (Apsimar). 698-705 AD. AE Follis (4.75g, 22.5mm). Constantinople mint. Dated year 1 (698/9). Obv.: facing bust with short beard, wearing crown and cuirass, holding transverse spear and shield. Rev.: large M; cross above, year I; B below; CON in exergue. DOC II 19b; MIB III 73; SB 1366. This is my second Isauran example, an opportunistic buy. It actually was more expensive than the Tiberius. My other one has more details but is stripped. Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine. 610-641 AD. AE Follis (11.70g, 32mm). Isaura mint. Dated RY 7 (616/7 AD). Obv.: Facing busts of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, both wearing crown and chlamys; cross between, blundered legend. Rev.: Large M; cross above, ANNO GI across field; A/ISAYR. SB 848. The final one was chosen for the interesting reverse, which unfortunately is pretty much obliterated due to a worn die. It's not often that I go for silvered Ant's. I keep intending to get a Probus, but I've been ending up with Maximians. Maximianus Herculius, first reign. 286-306 AD. AE Silvered Antoninianus (3.59g, 21mm). Lugdunum mint. Struck 287-9 AD. Obv.: IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: VIRTVTI AVGG, Hercules standing right, strangling the Nemean lion; at his feet to left, club. RIC 454; Cohen 650; Lyon 214. Reverse struck from a worn die It must take a talented cleaner to preserve silvering. Feel free to post any related coins you might have. Edited June 30 by Nerosmyfavorite68 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewomack Posted June 30 · Supporter Share Posted June 30 I remember seeing that Tiberius III for sale out there. The price was good. Had I not already had one from that emperor, I may have considered buying it myself. But, given that and given that I was tied up in my Justinian II obsession, I decided it would make a better addition to someone else's collection. I'm glad you landed it! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted June 30 · Member Author Share Posted June 30 Sear values 848 at almost twice the equivalent from Seleucia. Is it really that much scarcer? Of the two mints, I prefer Seleucia and I notice more Isaurans for sale than that of the two bust Seleucia type. The Seleucia imitating S805 seems to come up more frequently. I opened the coins today. The Heraclius is probably the more attractive in-hand of the two. The Apsimar is a dull black and does not show off very well, which is probably why it was so cheap. I had wanted a follis, and it isn't bad, for the price. A halfway decent one can easily be $300-400. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted June 30 · Member Author Share Posted June 30 I just noticed something. Per the regnal year, there seems to be no I to the right of the G. Do you think this is a result of the overstriking? I thought the border was beading at first, but now appears to be part of an undertype legend. For those who are unfamiliar with Byzantine types, Isaura was a relatively scarce military mint, used as staging before Heraclius' counterattack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ela126 Posted June 30 · Member Share Posted June 30 Isaura is definitely less common than Seleucia… I’m on the hunt myself but they never really come up. Nice pieces. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted June 30 · Member Author Share Posted June 30 I want to eventually find a nice Seleucia of the same type. I have one with an unusually large flan, but it's also unusually worn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted July 3 · Member Author Share Posted July 3 My other example is stripped but has unusually bold legends. Is the dealer reading correct, especially around 11 to 12 o'clock obverse? I.e. the funny looking C's between ERA..EhR? I suppose my patinated example could also be year 8. It's cut off due to the overstrike. Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine. 610-641. AE Follis/ 40 Nummi (11.83 gm, 31mm). Seleucia Isauriae mint. Dated RY 8 (617/8). Obv.: LON hЄRACLЄRA, crowned busts of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine facing; cross above. Rev.: large M; cross above, date across field; A//ISAYR. DOC 183; MIB 196; SB 848 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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