Co 329 (Late Roman bronze coin of Justinian I from Constantinople) [permalink]

Type

Inventoried Coin

Is Part Of

Coin Finds

Not after (date)

538

Not before (date)

527

Comment

JLR: Follow A. Bellinger (DOCI) in differentiating between two groups of Justinianic 1-nummus issues with large alpha/without mintmark. Those from Constantinople (527-538) are slightly larger and heavier, and show both a bolder denominational marking and more organized and even obverse portrait-legend and reverse wreath/dotted border. Those from Carthage (534-539) are slightly smaller and lighter, and show both a narrower, more attenuated denominational marking and an uneven, schematic, or blundered obverse portrait-legend and variable reverse border, sometimes just a band.

Comment

Undersized flan. Small rounded projection on margin: casting sprue?

Logical part of

Chicago/Indiana/Vanderbilt Excavations Inventoried Coins

Comparanda

DOCI Justinian I 36, p. 82, pl. XIV

Contributor Notes

2008 (May-June): R. Weir studied and described, with reference to KenchreaiIII.

Contributor Notes

2023-2024: JLR restudied and identified.

Published as

Wear: VF. Very slight, sparse pitting and flaking on both faces.

Published as

KenchreaiIII, p. 67, no. 1040, pl. IV (R. Hohlfelder identified as “Justinian, Uncertain, Nummus“)

Has denomination

Nummus

Numismatic Authority

Justinian I (527-565)

Numismatic Diameter (mm)

9.0

Numismatic Mint

Constantinople

Numismatic Weight (g)

0.57

Obverse Description

Overstrike of wreath at upper left? Incuse countermark of Roman numeral III?

Obverse Description

[Diademed and draped] bust of emperor to right

Reverse Description

Denomination mark within thick dotted border (or wreath?)

Reverse Inscription

Large, bold A (bent bar and serifs)

Belongs to Historical Period

Late Roman (Historical Period)

Material

Bronze (Material)

Obverse Photograph

Reverse Photograph