Byzantine coin of Basil II, 976-1025. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on four steps; in centre of cross, there is an ‘X’; to left, there is a small bust of Basil II, wearing a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to right, there is a small bust of Constantine VII, Basil II’s brother, who wears a crown with cross and a chlamys; to left, inscription says ‘EnTOVTWnICAT’; to right, ‘bASILEICCWnST’. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘bASIL/CCWnSTAn/ΠORFVROS /ΠISTOIbAS/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, there is an ‘X’ with four pellets placed around it. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Basil and Constantine Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Basil and Constantine, Porphyrogenitus, faithful believers, Kings of the Romans’. 'Porphyrogenitus' is the Latin word for ‘born in the purple’ and indicates a son or daughter who was born while their parent was a Byzantine Emperor. It refers to the fact that the colour purple was most often worn by royalty due to the expense of the dyes.

Byzantine coin of Basil II, 976-1025. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on four steps; in centre of cross, there is an ‘X’; to left, there is a small bust of Basil II, wearing a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to right, there is a small bust of Constantine VII, Basil II’s brother, who wears a crown with cross and a chlamys; to left, inscription says ‘EnTOVTWnICAT’; to right, ‘bASI[LEICCWn]ST’. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘bASIL/CCWnSTAn/[Π]ORFVROS /ΠISTOIbA[S]/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, there are crosses made up of dots. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Basil and Constantine Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Basil and Constantine, Porphyrogenitus, faithful believers, Kings of the Romans’. 'Porphyrogenitus' is the Latin word for ‘born in the purple’ and indicates a son or daughter who was born while their parent was a Byzantine Emperor. It refers to the fact that the colour purple was most often worn by royalty due to the expense of the dyes.

Byzantine coin of Basil II, 976-1025. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on four steps; in centre of cross, there is an ‘X’; to left, there is a small bust of Basil II, wearing a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to right, there is a small bust of Constantine VII, Basil II’s brother, who wears a crown with cross and a chlamys; to left, inscription says ‘EnTOVTWnICAT’; to right, ‘bASILEICCWnST’. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘bASIL/CCWnSTAn/ΠORFVROS /ΠISTOIbAS/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, there are crosses made up of dots. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Basil and Constantine Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Basil and Constantine, Porphyrogenitus, faithful believers, Kings of the Romans’. 'Porphyrogenitus' is the Latin word for ‘born in the purple’ and indicates a son or daughter who was born while their parent was a Byzantine Emperor. It refers to the fact that the colour purple was most often worn by royalty due to the expense of the dyes.

Byzantine coin of John I, 969-976. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on two steps; in centre of cross, there is a circular medallion; within medallion, bust of John I, facing front; he wears a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to left, within medallion, there is ‘IW’ in a vertical position; to right, within medallion, ‘AN’, also in a vertical position; to left, inscription begins with a cross, and says ‘InSϤSXRI’; to right, ‘STϤSnICA’, ending with a star; all enclosed within a triple border of dots, with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘IWAnn/EnXWAVTO/CRAT’EVSEb/bASILEVS/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, there are crosses made up of dots; all enclosed within a triple border of dots, also with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Jesus Christ Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘John, by the Grace of Christ, Absolute Ruler, Pious King of the Romans’.

Byzantine coin of John I, 969-976. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on two steps; in centre of cross, there is a circular medallion; within medallion, bust of John I, facing front; he wears a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to left, within medallion, there is ‘[I]W’ in a vertical position; to right, within medallion, ‘AN’, also in a vertical position; to left, inscription says ‘InSϤSXRI’; to right, ‘STϤSnICA’, ending with a star; all enclosed within a triple border of dots, with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘IWAnn/EnXWAVTO/CRAT’EVSEb/bASILEVS/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, there are crosses made up of dots; all enclosed within a double border of dots, also with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Jesus Christ Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘John, by the Grace of Christ, Absolute Ruler, Pious King of the Romans’.

Byzantine coin of John I, 969-976. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on two steps; in centre of cross, there is a circular medallion; within medallion, bust of John I, facing front; he wears a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to left, within medallion, there is ‘IW’ in a vertical position; to right, within medallion, ‘AN’, also in a vertical position; to left, inscription begins with a cross, and says ‘InSϤSXRI’; to right, ‘STϤSnICA’, ending with a star; all enclosed within a triple border of dots, with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘IWAnn/EnXWAVTO/CRAT’EVSEb/bASILEVS/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, there are crosses made up of dots; all enclosed within a triple border of dots, also with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Jesus Christ Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘John, by the Grace of Christ, Absolute Ruler, Pious King of the Romans’.

Byzantine coin of John I, 969-976. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on two steps; in centre of cross, there is a circular medallion; within medallion, bust of John I, facing front; he wears a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to left, within medallion, there is ‘IW’ in a vertical position; to right, within medallion, ‘AN’, also in a vertical position; to left, inscription begins with a cross, and says ‘InSϤSXRI’; to right, ‘STϤSnICA’, ending with a star; all enclosed within a triple border of dots, with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘IWAnn/EnXWAVTO/CRAT’EVSEb/bASILEVS/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, there are crosses made up of dots; all enclosed within a triple border of dots, also with eight pellets evenly spaced within the border. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Jesus Christ Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘John, by the Grace of Christ, Absolute Ruler, Pious King of the Romans’.

Byzantine coin of Nicephorus II, 963-969. Obverse: bust of Nicephorus II, facing front; he wears a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; he also wears pearls; to left, he holds a cruciform sceptre; to right, he holds a globe with a trefoil ornament attached to it; to left, inscription begins with a cross, and says ‘n…FRb’ to right, ‘A’. Reverse: there is an inscription of four lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘nICH[F]/[E]nΘEWbA/[SIL]EVSRW/MA[I]WN’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Nicephorus, by the Grace of God, King of the Romans’.

Byzantine coin of Nicephorus II, 963-969. Obverse: bust of Nicephorus II, facing front; he wears a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to left, he holds a cruciform sceptre; inscriptions are illegible; there are several letters to the lower right of the bust from a previous coin. Reverse: there is an inscription of four lines, which says ‘[nICHF]/[E]nΘEWb[A]/SILEVSR[W]/MAIWN’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Nicephorus, by the Grace of God, King of the Romans’. Coin has been overstruck.

Byzantine coin of Nicephorus II, 963-969. Obverse: large cross crosslet resting on two steps; in centre of cross, there is a medallion with four lobes; within medallion, bust of Nicephorus II, facing front; he wears a crown with cross and a loros, an embroidered and jewelled scarf; to left, within medallion, there is ‘NI’ in a vertical position; to right, within medallion, ‘CF’, also in a vertical position; to left, inscription begins with a cross, and says ‘InSϤSXRI’; to right, ‘STϤSnICA’, ending with a star; all enclosed within a double border of dots. Reverse: there is an inscription of five lines, which begins with a cross, and says ‘nICHF’/EnXWAVTO/CRAT’EVSEb/bASILEVS/RWMAIW’; above and beneath inscriptions, crosses made up of dots; all enclosed within a double border of dots. The inscription on the obverse in translation says ‘May Jesus Christ Conquer’. The inscription on the reverse in translation says ‘Nichephorus, by the Grace of Christ, Absolute Ruler, Pious King of the Romans’.