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An unexpected surprise!


voulgaroktonou

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I picked up yesterday an unexpected treat at our monthly local coin show, a stavraton of Manuel II (1391-1425). While I love the stavrata and their fractions, and am always seeking new examples, I never expected to encounter one at this venue. As I examined my new purchase, I kept thinking that I had seen it somewhere before. Turning to page 472 in my copy of Sear’s Byzantine Coins and Their Values gave me the answer: it’s the Sear plate coin!

Although I own a number of Sear plate coins, this is my only one from the Palaeologan period.  It’s an example of DO Class II (Reduced weight series, 1403-1425). The sigla on the obverse, a Γ Κ monogram and lis, put it at the end of this series, ca. 1420-1425. Perhaps these are an acquired taste, but to me, they are hauntingly beautiful.

Its details are: 7.04 gr. 24.9 mm. 6 hr. Sear 2549 (This coin); DO 1407-1408; PCPC 332, 6; LPC 160,1.

2024_55.jpg.5622e90e4bc027a09ee128d1f556e067.jpg
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voulgaroktonou, Congrats on a great score 🤩! A long time ago I scored a handsome nummus of Diocletian, & only discovered it was a plate coin after buying David Sear's ROMAN COINS AND THEIR VALUES, Volume Four, 2011. I did email David asking where he found the coin, but he couldn't remember ☹️.

NGC2491170-015AlKowskyCollection.jpg.6b35910d85dd47d230e128cdff18c79e.jpg

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34 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

Does the coin show's name contain Hills? If so, I was thinking of going there again.  I've picked up minor ancients during the 1990's there, and a nice Probus Ant, purchased in 2009, but never anything of that caliber.  I was thinking of going there, to look for a toned Morgan.

Yes. Last Sunday of the month.!

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3 hours ago, Al Kowsky said:

voulgaroktonou, Congrats on a great score 🤩! A long time ago I scored a handsome nummus of Diocletian, & only discovered it was a plate coin after buying David Sear's ROMAN COINS AND THEIR VALUES, Volume Four, 2011. I did email David asking where he found the coin, but he couldn't remember ☹️.

NGC2491170-015AlKowskyCollection.jpg.6b35910d85dd47d230e128cdff18c79e.jpg

That's a beauty! Yes, it would be wonderful to know the provenance on these plate coins.

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@voulgaroktonou Congratulations on acquiring a Sear plate coin!

One can only imagine, where that coin has been. Initial circulation. Burial. Unearthed. From 1 collection, to another, to another. The Mr. Sear photograph. Other collections. And now, it's in your collection.

My copy of Sear was printed in 2014, but it seems to be a reprint of the 2nd edition which was 1st printed in 1987. Therefore, the provenance of your coin seems to go back to 1987, or maybe even earlier. The 1st edition of Sear was 1st printed in 1974. If your coin was shown in the 1st edition of Sear, then the provenance would go back to 1974.

I think very late Byzantine coins are very interesting. The very late bronze coins, and the very late silver half stavrata and stavrata. It's interesting to study, what the Byzantine Empire was like, during its desperate last few centuries. In the last few centuries of the Byzantine Empire, the Byzantine Empire had declined, from a once vast Empire, to a far frontier of the Christian world.

Here's my Manuel II half stavraton.

image.jpeg.0dda8cca8cf0fb940f04634e3f5682d1.jpeg

Manuel II. AR Half Stavraton. Minted 1391 AD To 1425 AD. Constantinople Mint. Sear 2551. Grierson 1517. Maximum Diameter 20.2 mm. Weight 3.68 grams. Obverse : Jesus Christ Bust Facing Front, With Halo. Reverse : Manuel II Bust Facing Front, Wearing Crown With Pendilia, With Halo, "M-A-N-O-V-H-Lambda" Greek For "Manuel" Clockwise Starting At 12 O'Clock.

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6 hours ago, sand said:

@voulgaroktonou Congratulations on acquiring a Sear plate coin!

One can only imagine, where that coin has been. Initial circulation. Burial. Unearthed. From 1 collection, to another, to another. The Mr. Sear photograph. Other collections. And now, it's in your collection.

My copy of Sear was printed in 2014, but it seems to be a reprint of the 2nd edition which was 1st printed in 1987. Therefore, the provenance of your coin seems to go back to 1987, or maybe even earlier. The 1st edition of Sear was 1st printed in 1974. If your coin was shown in the 1st edition of Sear, then the provenance would go back to 1974.

I think very late Byzantine coins are very interesting. The very late bronze coins, and the very late silver half stavrata and stavrata. It's interesting to study, what the Byzantine Empire was like, during its desperate last few centuries. In the last few centuries of the Byzantine Empire, the Byzantine Empire had declined, from a once vast Empire, to a far frontier of the Christian world.

Here's my Manuel II half stavraton.

image.jpeg.0dda8cca8cf0fb940f04634e3f5682d1.jpeg

Manuel II. AR Half Stavraton. Minted 1391 AD To 1425 AD. Constantinople Mint. Sear 2551. Grierson 1517. Maximum Diameter 20.2 mm. Weight 3.68 grams. Obverse : Jesus Christ Bust Facing Front, With Halo. Reverse : Manuel II Bust Facing Front, Wearing Crown With Pendilia, With Halo, "M-A-N-O-V-H-Lambda" Greek For "Manuel" Clockwise Starting At 12 O'Clock.

That's a very nice piece, @sand! My coin is not photographed in the first, 1974 edition.

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