Coin Item Number: 3095/1441 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Byzantine coin from ‘Anonymous Folles’ Period, 970-1092. Obverse: Christ, sitting on throne, facing front; he has a halo; to left, he holds his hand up in benediction. Reverse: there is an inscription of three lines, which says ‘ISX[S]/bASIL[E]/bASIL’; above and beneath inscription, there are crosses. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Jesus Christ, King of Kings’.

History Of Use

"Follis" (denomination); DO# Class F; Sear# 1856. The Sear catalogue suggests that this style of coin may belong to Constantine X, 1059-1067. The collector's envelope suggests Michael VI, 1056-1057.

Narrative

The Anonymous Folles are a group of coins spanning just over a century. They often have a depiction of Christ in place of any images or inscriptions which would indicate the emperor to whose reign they belong, thus rendering them anonymous.