Hi,
I believe these three coins to be Byzantine imitations from the Umayyad, minted at Emesa.
I would like to have some help to further identify them (exact type and any other interesting information).
All three have a size of 21mm but the weight varys very much.
Coin 1: 3.18gr
“This is the most extensive issue of the whole Arab-Byzantine series (at least 59 obverse and 63 reverse dies); coins of Emesa are more common than those of any other mint, including that of the capital, Damascus. These coins appear to form a highly controlled and organized production. Because of its regularity and the complexity of its symbols, it may have eight (and possibly sixteen) periods of minting. There is also an abundant series of imitations…, with at least twenty obverse dies.” Clive Foss Arab-Byzantine Coins 2008 p50-1.
Your three coins are not imitations.
Dating of these coins is tentative and questionable. Weights vary, from 3.69-4.61g.
Type: Album #3524; SICA v1: plate 38, coins #538-547.
Coin 1
Obv. Type VII imperial bust. To left, downwards KAΛON. To right, downwards, بحمص (bi-hims).
Rev. Cursive m, with EMI-CHC either side. Above, a star with something (circle or bird's eye?) on either side.
In exergue, طيب (tayyib).
Coin 2
Obv. Type VII imperial bust. To left, downwards KAΛON. To right, downwards, بحمص (bi-hims), with star after bi-hims.
Rev. Cursive m, with EMI-CHC either side. Above, a star with circle on either side.
In exergue, طيب (tayyib).
Coin 3
Obv. Type VII imperial bust. To left, downwards KAΛON. To right, downwards, بحمص (bi-hims).
Rev. Cursive m, with EMI-CHC either side. Above, a star with circle on either side.
In exergue, طيب (tayyib).
Citeer: "maudry"Hi,
I believe these three coins to be Byzantine imitations from the Umayyad, minted at Emesa.
I would like to have some help to further identify them (exact type and any other interesting information).
All three have a size of 21mm but the weight varys very much.
Coin 1: 3.18gr
Coin 2: 3.47gr
Coin 3: 4.49gr
Thank you for your comments.
numisquare you say that the weight is between 3.69 and 4.61g
The two first coins from my post are below that weight. Does that still qualify them as standard coins from that series?
In the set that I examined there was also one at 3.11 grams. Yes, there are low weights in the series.
The crude imitation coin has the following features:
obv. standing crowned emperor
rev. retrograde cursive m; Greek to left, Arabic below.
I examined a large selection of the Byzantine-Arabic coins but did not find a close specimen. This is probably a pseudo Byzantine-Arabic coin (i.e contemporary imitation, not from an official mint). Likely Album #3522.1
Thank you very much for the details on this coin.
I believe it is very well preserved and decently centered but the weak strike combined with a too short flan hides some details.
I like it very much but will have to classify it as you suggested as simply "contemporary imitation, not from an official mint"
