This page: Byzantine, Medieval, and Arabic coins for sale
Go to: Newest (of all types), Byzantine in chronological order,
Turkoman figural bronze, Crusader, and Medieval.
Late Byzantine. World coins.
TERMS: Prices are in brackets: [$xx]. I accept PayPal and Zelle (I prefer Zelle in the US. Here is why) and checks and cash. Postage in the US is $2 for orders up to $25, $3 for orders up to $50, $4 for orders up to $100, and an additional $2 for each hundred thereafter.
Usually I don't ship to other countries because shipping is too expensive ($20 or $25). More-detailed terms of sale are here.
After I confirm by e-mail that I still have the coin, you can pay by logging into your account and sending Zelle or PayPal payment to my e-mail address.
To order, or to ask any questions, e-mail me, Warren, at: 
Purple marks items that have sold and are no longer available.
Most are in chronological order (Exceptions are the new ones at the top). Skip down to
Anastasius, Justin, Justinian, Vandal and Ostrogothic, Justin II, Maurice, Heraclius, Constans II, Constantine IV, late Byzantine (anonymous and later)
Most recent: 2024, Nov. 30: First Crusade, Tancred, his bust facing. Many sold coins removed entirely.
2024, Nov. 23: Anonymous follis of Class F
2024, Nov. 18: Anonymous Class J of Alexius I.
2024, Nov. 3: Maurice pentanummium.
2024, Oct. 30. Almost all coins on the page (except tsome of he most recent) have had their prices reduced today. Many sold coins removed entirely. Another Justinian penta.
2024, Oct. 25: Excellent Class E. Two Justinian pentanummia, Maurice dekanummium. Large Heraclius with three figures.
2024, Oct. 20: Crusader of the First Crusade, Bohemond II.
2024, Oct. 17, Rare Justin pentanummium. Scarce Class F anonymous follis. Justinian year 38 from Antioch.
Recent:
Tancred, regent at Antioch, 1101-1112.
22.8-20.1 mm. 2.58 grams.
His second type of four.
Bearded facing bust of Tancred, holding raised sword in his right hand. This is the only type of the First Crusade with a "portrait" of the ruler. The three other types of Tancred don't and none of the other rulers have portrait types.
This type has lettering around which includes his name at the end (2:30-4:00). Most coins of this type do not a have a legible obverse legend. This one is more legible than most and says something like
+KЄBOH ------ TANKPI "Lord, help Tancred"
The reverse has:
IC XC
NI KA in quadrants of a cross, floral ornament at base.
Abbreviating "Jesus Christ Conquers".
This is a very common reverse legend and type on Byzantine coins, including the anonymous folles of "Class C".
CCS Antioch 4 (page 199)
Metcalf 63-70. Also, page 25, type 4 [$37] (for more coins of the First Crusade, see below)
Anonymous Class F, attributed to Constantine X, 1059-1067
27.5-26.0 mm. 7.86 grams.
Christ seated facing with right hand raised in blessing,
ISXS
bASILЄ
bASIL
wide cross below
Sear 1856
None on vcoins and none on MA-Shops come up searching with "Constantine X 1856".
[$44 SOLD]
Anonymous follis, Class J
23.8 - 21.8 mm. 7.09 grams.
Attributed to Alexius I, 1081-1118 (time of the First Crusade)
Bust of Christ facing with three projections, each with five dots, normally associated with a nimbus but this type does not have the circle of a halo.
Cross with crescent at base and big pellets at ends
Sear 1900.
(This type used to be, long ago, attributed to Crusaders at Edessa.)
Overstruck on Sear 1888 of Nicephorus III, as is common and noted in Sear.
A nice example. Please compare condition and price to those on vcoins.
[$48 SOLD]
Justinian, 527-565
Pentanummia
16-14 mm. 1,66 grams.
Sear 170
Legible and well-centered. [$9]
Tancred, regent at Antioch, 1101-1112.
24 mm. 4.62 grams.
Obverse: Bust of St. Peter facing, nimbate, with scroll in left and diagonal long cross in right.
Θ/ΠЄ to left and POC down the right (Identifying St. Peter)
Reverse: Legend in four lines:
KЄBOI
ΘHTOΔV
ΛOCOVT (His name begins here: T-ANKRI)
ANKRI+
"Oh Lord come to the aid of thy servant Tancred"
CCS Antioch 3 (page 199) Tancred's first type of four.
Metcalf 49-62. Also page 25, type 6.
Significantly nicer and much more legible than most [$37]
Anonymous follis, Class I
Attributed to Nicephorus III, 1078-1081
23 mm. 4.25 grams. Repatinated.
Nicephorus III, 1078-1081
Sear 1889
You can see Christ's eyes (which is not always the case) and the IC XC is bold. Cross with floral ornament at base.
[$26, reduced to $24]
Anonymous follis, Class H
24.3-21.7 mm. 7.23 grams. Repatinated.
Attributed to Michael VII, 1071-1078
Bust of Christ
Patriarchal cross with floral base
Sear 1880
[$32, reduced to $28] As I write, the least expensive one on vcoins is $47 and not nearly as nice.
DOC 3.2 says "The coins in DO are all in poor condition, much worn and corroded."
Phocas, 602-610
26.5 mm. 9.79 grams. Repatinated.
Sear 640
ANNO
XXXX U (year 5)
CONE
Legible legend. Good details on his face which has the triangular beard that distinguishes Phocas.
[$33, reduced to $29] (On vcoins you can pay over $90 for examples that are not as nice.)
Anonymous follis, Class I
25 mm. 3.87 grams
Nicephorus III, 1078-1081
Sear 1889
[$24, reduced to $21 SOLD]
Tiberius II, 578-582
15 mm. 1.875 grams.
dM TIb PP AVG
U
Sear 438
A good example of the U-shape for the Roman numeral V = 5.
[$22, reduced to $19]
Anonymous follis, Class I
Nicephorus III, 1078-1081
Bust of Christ
Floral cross
25 mm. 5.28 grams.
Sear 1889. Lots of details. [$27, reduced to $24 SOLD]
Turkoman figural bronze.
30 mm. Large. 10.08 grams.
SSS Begteginid 1. (Not in Spengler and Sayles which did not cover the Begteginids)
Muzaffar al-Din Kokburi [Gokburi, Gokbori]
AH 563-630. AD 1168-1233
(coins struck in 1193-1233)
Enthroned facing Turkish figure, legend around:
Muzaffar al-Dawla wa 'l-Din Kokburi ibn Ali
3-line legend in square:
al-Malik al-Nasir Salah al-Dunya wa 'l-Din Yusuf
Legend continues outside the square.
ibn Ayyub Muhyi Dawlat Amir al-Mu'minin.
["ibn Ayyub" is Saladin].
Muhyi Dawlat Amir al-Mu'minin means "the reviver of the dynasty/state of the commander of the faithful."
Rare. [$89, reduced to $78]
This one was $340 plus fees: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1216193
The only one on vcoins:
https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/marc_breitsprecher_classical_numismatist/8/product/begteginids_muzaffar_al_din_kukburi_ah_563631__ad_11681233_198_dirham/1910538/Default.aspx
Coins of the First Crusade. (Byzantine coins below)
Tancred, regent at Antioch, 1101-1112.
22 mm. 3.37 grams.
Obverse: Bust of St. Peter facing, nimbate, with scroll in left and diagonal long cross in right.
Θ/ΠЄ to left and POC down the right (Identifying St. Peter)
Reverse: Legend in four lines:
KЄBOI
ΘHTOΔV
ΛOCOVT (His name begins here: T-ANKRI[D])
ANKRI+
"Oh Lord come to the aid of thy servant Tancred"
CCS Antioch 3 (page 199) Tancred's first type of four.
Metcalf 49-62. Also page 25, type 6.
On this example his curly beard is evident. Tancred's first type of four. [$26, reduced to $24]
Compare with https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=122483 at $500 plus 20%.
Tancred, regent at Antioch, 1101-1112.
21 mm. 2.68 grams.
His third type of four.
Facing bust of Christ, IC XC either side, very much like many Byzantine anonymous folles.
Cross with
TA NK
P H in its quadrants, for "Tancre[d]"
floral ornament at base.
Metcalf 49-62. Also p. 25, type 6.
CCS Antioch 5 (page 199f).
Better struck than most. [$49, reduced to $44]
Tancred, regent at Antioch, 1101-1112.
20 mm. 1.86 grams.
His third type of four.
Facing bust of Christ, IC XC either side, very much like many Byzantine anonymous folles.
Cross with
TA NK
P H in its quadrants, for "Tancre[d]"
floral ornament at base.
Metcalf 49-62. Also p. 25, type 6.
CCS Antioch 5 (page 199f). [$27]
First Crusade. Tancred, regent at Antioch, 1101-1112.
19 mm.
His fourth type of four.
St. Peter, standing, with right hand extended in blessing and left holding a long cross.
S PE TPV either side, for "St. Peter"
Square cross with
D S
F T in the quadrants, for
"Domine Salvum Fac Tancredum"
"Lord, save Tancred"
CCS Antioch 6, Tancred's fourth type.
Metcalf 71-80, Type 5 page 27. [$29]
Crusader of the First Crusade.
Tancred, regent at Antioch, 1101-1112.
19 mm.
His fourth type of four.
St. Peter, standing, with right hand extended in blessing and left holding a long cross.
S PE TPV either side, for "St. Peter"
Square cross with
D S
F T in the quadrants, for
"Domine Salvum Fac Tancredum"
"Lord, save Tancred"
CCS Antioch 6, Tancred's fourth type (of four).
Metcalf 71-80, Type 5 page 27. [$32]
Byzantine coins
Justinian, 527-565
25 mm. 7.82 grams.
K
* above and below, Δ to right.
Sear 164.
Legend pretty good. Slightly larger than a quarter. [$19, reduced to $16]
Byzantine
Tiberius II, 578-582
14.0 mm. 1.22 grams.
Pentanummion
Monogram of "Constantine" (his other name)
U is a form of V for "5"
Sear 459 (at 65 pounds in VF)
[$43, reduced to $39, reduced to $36]
Tiberius II, 578-582
21-16 mm
Decanummia
Sear 436, Constantinople
[$19, reduced to $15]
ex Dan Clark, March 3, 2007, with his crude ticket and with my ticket
None on vcoins under $50! (All of them cost too much!)
Byzantine: Many Byzantine coins below in chronological order, after some literature.
Byzantine reference literature for sale:
HAHN, Wolfgang and METCALF, William E.-1988 (ANS) "Studies in Early Byzantine Gold Coinage"-144pp, 24pls, hardbound in red cloth, gilt, 4to. [$15]
Sternberg catalog 8 (11/78) MV, HQP. 1015 ancients. 339 G, 41 Aksum, 374 R, 238 Byz including AE, 18 Arab-Byz, on 50 ppl + 2E [$8, reduced to $6]
Aksumite (41), Byzantine AE (among 238)
Catalog: Baldwin's 5 (11 Oct. 1995) "Byzantine Gold Coins from the P. J. Donald Collection" 285 Byz gold on 12 large ppl. Photos okay but worse than most. [$5, reduced to $3]
Byzantine gold (285)
Elsen 125 (2015, June 13) 1085 ancients among 1982. 120 G, 157 Celtic, 25 RR, 130 RI, 16 RP, 544 Byz gold and silver "Collection Henri Potteir," 32 Carolingian [$7, reduced to $5]
544 Byzantine gold and silver
Chronological order begins here:
Anastasius, 491-518
Justin I, 518-527
Justin I, 518-527
Struck at Antioch.
14 mm. 1.90 grams.
5 nummia. Small coin.
Backwards epsilon (for "5") and Tyche in shrine with river-god below. Why the epsilon remained backwards for all the dies in this large issue is unknown to me.
Remarkably clear obverse legend. Good portrait for the type. Flan flaw causing a hole all the way through the coin in the back of his head. Better details than almost all of this type, but with the flan flaw.
Sear 111. [$21, reduced to $16]
Justin, 518-527
Pentanummia
13 mm. 2.08 grams.
Large chi-rho, N to left and Є to right, two dots low in fields
Sear 93, attributed to Nicomedia because of the "N".
None on vcoins as I write. [$27, reduced to $19]
Justin 1, 518-527
Small. 5-nummia. 12 mm.
Tyche of Antioch seated left.
Retrograde Є (Why did these have "5" retrograde?)
Sear 111. DO 57.
[$23, reduced to $14]
Justin and Justinian, joint reign, 527
Justin and Justinian, joint reign
4 April - 1 August 527. Short joint reign--less than 3 months!
pentanummium. 12.4-11.9 mm. 2.16 grams. Small
Minted at Antioch with Tyche seated left and backwards Є .
Facing busts with some weak legend around
Sear 133.
[$49, reduced to $43]
Justinian, 527-565
Justinian, 527-565
14-13 mm. 2.22 grams.
Year 35 (late in his reign and therefore small)
Sear 205, Nicomedia
DOC 159
[$12, reduced to $9] Cute! Smaller than most 5-nummia pieces.
Justinian, 527-565
10-nummi
year 32?
Nicomedia
Sear 205. [$12, reduced to $7]
Justinian, 527-565
23 mm.
Bust right
AISP (IS = 16)
Sear 175ff.
Thessalonica mint and its unusual denomination "16"! [$29, reduced to $21, reduced to $19]
Justinian 1-nummis, small, 9 mm. 0.84 grams. AE nummis.
Chi-rho reverse. Close to the end of this denomination.
Sear 283
Rare, Carthage mint.
Remarkably good detail and even some obverse legend, which is not common.
Cute! [$79, reduced to $49, reduced to $45, reduced to $39]
Justinian, 527-565
9 mm. Very small.
Bust right
VOT
XIII (very late for a vota coin)
Sear 278 from Carthage, year 13
This one is clear "for type" [$39, reduced to $27, reduced to $24]
Vandals and Ostrogoths, time of Justinian
Free! An up-to-date reference for many of the small Vandalic AR4's is Bijovsky, INR6.3 "From Carthage to the Holy Land: The ‘Palm Tree’ Nummus" which you can get for free on Academia.edu or ask me for it gratis via e-mail (It is 1.7 mb).
Vandal
King Gelimer, 530-534
Tiny! 8.8 mm. 0.58 grams.
Wroth WPBC plate II. 21.
Rare. Lousy, like usual. [$39, reduced to $29, reduced to $25]
(Better than the only one on vcoins, at $70, as I write.)
Justin II and Sophia, 565-578
Tiberius II, 578-582
Tiberius II, 578-582
pentanummium
Small. 13 mm. 1.43 grams.
Theoupolis (Antioch).
Monogram of Tiberius II Constantine.
Large U; above, cross.
Sear 459. (65 pounds in VF) [$55, reduced to $45]
Maurice, 582-602
Maurice, 582-602
10 nummia.
18-16 mm. 2.63 grams.
at Antioch
Year 8 (589/90)
Sear 536
Bought in 2006 from Glen Woods at the Summer ANA in Denver for $25 (plus a lot of trip expenses!) with his ticket (for $40)
Pretty little wear. Good details. Cute! [$30, reduced to $24, reduced to $22]
Maurice, 582-602
Pentanummium
14.3-13.1 mm. Small. 1.07 grams.
Sear monogram 15
U (for 5) with cross above.
Sear 539
Two on vcoins as I write, at $150 and $175.
[$34]
A rarity: A pentanummus of Maurice not in Sear.
Maurice, 582-602
Small. Pentanummium. 15 mm. 1.44 grams.
Not in Sear
Monogram much like his monogram 16 on page 32, but quite different at the right end where what is a "K" on 16 is a and E or square C (lunate S) with bits of the K or maybe E.
Є+ on the reverse.
Unlisted in Sear. cf. Sear 540 which is different.
MIBEC Maurice V105 where the monogram is not as clear as this one. ("V" numbers were not known in time for the first edition.)
Maybe it would be Sear 542A in a new edition, were one to appear (It won't).
Theoupolis (Antioch). Rev. Large Є with cross. SB 540 var (monogram, Ч) . Good fine.
Very rare. [$59, reduced to $45]
Maurice, 882-602
Theoupolis (Antioch) Decanummium Æ
18mm, 2.8 g.
Crowned facing bust, holding mappa in right and eagle-tipped scepter in left hand / Large X; cross above, R below; ANNO II across field.
Cute! Lettering very clear with lovely light cover.
Sear 536 [$19, reduced to $17, reduced to $15]
Maurice, 582-602
27-25 mm. Struck year 15 = 596/7
at Nicomedia
Sear 512, page 123.
ex Wolf at Chicago ANA, August 15, 2013. No ticket
Clear reverse. [$17, reduced to $15, reduced to $13] with my collection ticket.
Maurice, 582-602
20-nummia
Good bust with mappa and eagle-tipped scepter
Sear 534. DO 178
ANNO XX U
Year U = 5, struck 586/7.
Good facial details. [$19, reduced to $12, reduced to $9]
Heraclius, 610-614
Constans II, 641-668
Constans II, 641-668
20-17 mm. 3.98 grams.
Facing bust
Three busts above a small M. (The left two busts are almost gone.)
Ex James Lovette in 2006.
With his ticket, I think from Dan Clark's ancient coins, which notes he bought it in Feb. 1980.
Sear 1014. DOC 89 page 459f struck "666-668"
[$17, reduced to $8] Compare to the $85 and $95 examples on vcoins.
Constans II, 641-668
Struck 652/3
29-24 mm (Pretty large for the era). 4.89 grams.
Emperor standing facing, I A to right (indiction year 11, which dates the coin)
M over SCL for the mint in Sicily at Syracuse.
Overstruck. At 5:00 on the reverse part of SB1107 (DOC 178) is visible.
You can see below the M the chest part of a facing bust.
Why would they overstrike a coin of the same ruler? I don't know, but they did.
ex James Lovette in 2006. Ex Joseph Lepczyk 40 (June 1981), lot 269, with his ticket for $27.50.
An interesting overstrike [$39, reduced to $21, reduced to $19]
Constantine IV, 668-685
Constantine IV, 668-695
Ragged 24-22 mm. 3.65 grams.
No legend. Bust facing, beardless, holding globus cruciger
M with monogram above and standing figures with long crosses on either side.
SCL in exergue for Sicily and its mint, Syracuse.
Sear 1207. Hahn III MIB 104
[$59, reduced to $35, reduced to $29]
Justinian II, first reign, 685-695
Constantine V, 741-775
Leo V, 813-820
Leo V, 813-820
20 mm. 5.40 grams.
Sear 1635. Lambda for Leo and K for Constantine.
[$22, reduced to $12, reduced to $11]
Michael II, 820-829
[Sold]
Basil I, 867-886
Leo VI, 886-912
Constantine VII, 913-959
Coin from Byzantine Cherson, a scarce mint:
Romanus I, 920-944
(Romanus II, according to Sear, but I follow Anokhin, #419)
18 mm. 3.35 grams.
Monogram of Romanus, Cross on steps with pellets either side
Sear 1775 Mint of Cherson
Sometimes the "P" in the monogram is retrograde. This one is normal.
Even dark color, nearly black. Bold monogram. [$59, reduced to $49]
Anonymous folles and later,
Anonymous follis, Class I
Attributed to Nicephorus III, 1078-1081
23-21 mm. 3.87 grams.
Bought from Dan Clark, Clark's Ancient Coins, Nov. 27, 2005
at $29.
Reddish surfaces. Nice cross on the reverse.
Sear 1889. Now, here, [$25, reduced to $21, reduced to $18]
Constantine X, Ducas, 1059-1067
Nicephorus III Botaniates, AD 1078-1081
Nicephorus III Botaniates, AD 1078-1081
Æ Follis. (22mm, 7.4 g) Constantinople mint. Three-quarter length standing figure of Christ Pantokrator facing between two stars; IC-XC across upper fields Cross with pellets at extremities and eight-pointed star within circle at centre;
C - Φ N - Δ in angles.
Sear 1888 [$24, reduced to $19, reduced to $17]
C Φ (The "C" is a lunate "S" (sigma)) ΣΤAYΡЄ ΦΥΛATTЄ "O Cross, Protect"
N Δ (Sear 1888) "Nicephorus [III] Despot/emperor" NIKHΦωPON ΔЄCΠOTH
Alexius I, 1081-1118
John II, 1118-1143
Manuel I, 1143-1180
Andronicus II, 1282-1328
>
Andronicus III, 1328-1341
Arabic and Arab-Byzantine
Arabic/Islamic coins
Turkoman Figural Bronze:
Turkoman figural bronze
Artuqid
Najm al-Din Alpi
1152-117631-30 mm. 11.41 grams. Large.
Facing head with curly hair
Two facing heads (Gemini) with wild hair
Spengler and Sayles 30
Excellent flan. Well-centered. Legend fully clear.
[$69, reduced to $63, reduced to $55]
This coin is better than this one offered at 285 euros (as I write)!
https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/cgb/38/product/artuqids_of_mardin__najm_aldin_alpi_turkestan_c_11641170_31mm_1242g_9h/1947292/Default.aspx
Mamluk coins. Small figural types. Please search for these on vcoins. You will find they are unusual.
Mamluk
19 mm. 2.89 grams.
al-Sali Salah al-Din Salih
AH 752-755. AD 1351-1354
Bird right, head turned back
Legend
[$16, reduced to $12, reduced to $9]
Mamluk
al-Mansur Muhammad
AH 762-764
18.5-15.6 mm.
lion left
legend
Balog Mamluk Sultans 393
[$19, reduced to $14, reduced to $10]
Mamluk
Shalban II
AH 764-778
AD 1363-1377
Small. 18-14 mm.
Lion left in circle
legend in square: al-malik/al-ashraf
Balog Mamluk Sultans 464
[$7, reduced to $6, reduced to $5]
India.
Kashmir Smast
18 mm. 4.65 grams,
Shiva and bull/Brahmi akkharas "300-400 AD"
north of Pakistan from the Kashmir Smast
Mitchner ACW 3666 "Kidarite prinicpality of the Kota Kala in the Punjab"
"c. 360/380-460"
Mitchner listed it as worth 45 pounds in 1978.
High grade. [$55, reduced to $25, reduced to $21]
Nasir al-din Muhammad, 1249-1260
Jital. 16-15 mm. 3.50 grams.
ibn Hasan Qarlagh, Shah of Kurraman (NE Pakistan)
stylized horse right
Mitchner WoI 951
Remarkably nice horse depicted in just a few strokes [$39, reduced to $27, reduced to $22]
ex. Jim Lovette (author of Biblical Related Coins) in 2007
Arab-Byzantine all sold
Medieval
Coins from Medieval Hungary:
Medieval Hungary. Anonymous. 12th C. 1141-1161
Tiny! Silver 12 mm. 0.33 grams.
The denomination is called a "denar"" It is sometimes called a "penny."
Cross and crescents/cross in circles
Huszar 92. Rethy-Probszt 88, plate V group V p. 57, between 1141 and 1161.
Small, well-struck, and cute. [$33, reduced to $27, reduced to $24]
Medieval Hungary. Stephan II. 1114-1131
Tiny! Silver. 11 mm. 0.33 grams.
The denomination is called a "denar"" It is sometimes called a "penny."
Rethy-Probszt 66, plate V, Stephan II 1114-1131
Excellent centering on a small silver coin [$31, reduced to $26, reduced to $23]
Medieval Hungary. Anonymous.
Tiny! 13 mm. Silver. 0.33 grams.
The denomination is called a "denar"" It is sometimes called a "penny."
Time of Beles III, Emmerichs, and Andreas II" c. 1173-1235
according to Rethy-Probszt X-146 group D, plate IX page 64 and page 62.
Wonderful multiple crosses. Very well struck and centered. Rare. Have you ever seen a coin with this many crosses? [$79, reduced to $49, reduced to $44]
World Coins
[none now]
Go to the main page.
Justinian, 527-565
Justinian, 527-565
Maurice, 582-602