A Guide to Byzantine Coins from circa 969-1118 A.D.

For more than a century, the production of Follis denomination Byzantine coins was dominated with purely religious Christian motifs which included included Jesus Christ, and sometimes Virgin Mary. The Follis denomination coins were the largest bronze denomination coins issued by the Byzantine empire, and their large size, along with the Christian motif make them a popular coin type for collectors. This series ran from the period of Byzantine emperors John I (969-976 A.D.) to Alexius I (1081-1118 A.D.). The accepted classification was originally devised by Miss Margaret Thompson with her study of these types of coins. World famous numismatic author, David R. Sear adopted this classification system for his book entitled, Byzantine Coins and Their Values. The references about this coin site Mr. Sear's book by the number that they appear in that work. The class types of coins included Class A1, Class A2, Class B, Class C, Class D, Class E, Class F, Class G, Class H, Class I, Class J, Class K. Read more and see examples of these coins by reading the JESUS CHRIST Anonymous Class A-N Byzantine Follis Coins Reference.

Click here to see all the Jesus Christ Anonymous Follis coins for sale.
Click here to see all coins bearing Jesus Christ or related available for sale.
Press buttons CTRL and D together to bookmark this page.

Class A1

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class A1
Bronze Follis 22mm (2.99 grams) Struck 969-976 A.D.
under John I - Byzantine Emperor: 969-976 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1793
+ЄMMANOVHΛ - Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus crown (with two pellets in each limb of cross), pallium and colobium , and holding book of Gospels (the cover ornamended with central pellet in border of dots) with both hands; to left, IC; to right, XC.
+IhSЧS / XPISTЧS / bASILЄЧ / bASILЄ ("Jesus Christ King of Kings") in four lines.

Class A2

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class A2
Bronze Follis 28mm (10.10 grams)
Struck during the joint-reign of Basil II and Constantine VIII 1025-1028 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1813
Bust of Christ facing, wearing a nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and holding book of Gospels with both hands.
+IhSЧS / XPISTЧS / bASILЄЧ / bASILЄ ("Jesus Christ King of Kings") in four lines.

Class B

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class B
Bronze Follis 28mm (11.67 grams)
Struck during the reign of Romanus III 1028-1034 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1823
Bust of Christ facing , wearing a nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and holding book of Gospels with both hands.
Cross, with pellet at each extremity, standing on three steps; in field, above transverse limbs of cross, IS -XS; beneath limbs, bAS - ILЄ, bAS - ILЄ ("Jesus Christ King of Kings").

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class C
Bronze Follis 27mm (9.11 grams)
Struck during the reign of Michael IV 1034-1041 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1825
+ЄMMANOVHΛ - Three-quarter length figure of Christ Antiphonetes standing facing, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; in field to left, IC; to right, XC.
Jeweled cross cross, with pellet at each extremity; in the angles, IC -XC / NI - KA ("May Jesus Christ Conquer").

Class D

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class D
Bronze Follis 30mm (8.86 grams)
Struck during the reign of Constantine IX 1042-1055 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1836
Christ seated facing on throne with back, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and holding book of Gospels with both hands; in field to left, IC; to right, XC.
IS XS / bASILЄ / bASIL ("Jesus Christ King of Kings") in three lines; above, cross.

Class E

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class E
Bronze Follis 26mm (8.43 grams) Constantinople mint: 1059-1067 A.D.
under Constantine X - Byzantine Emperor: 25 December 1059 - 21 May 1067 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1855
Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and holding book of Gospels
with both hands; to left, IC; to right, XC.
IS XS / bASILЄ / bASIL' ("Jesus Christ King of Kings") in three lines, - + - above, -u- underneath.

Class F

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class F
Bronze Follis 25mm (7.76 grams) -
Struck under Constantine X - Byzantine Emperor: 25 December 1059 - 21 May 1067 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1856
Christ seated facing on throne without back, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; in field to left, IC; to right, XC.
IS XS / bASILЄ / bASIL ("Jesus Christ King of Kings") in three lines, - + - above, + beneath.

Class G

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class G
Bronze Follis 28mm (7.71 grams)
Struck during the reign of Romanus IV, Diogenes -
Byzantine Emperor: 1 January 1068 A.D. - 19 August 1071 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1867
Bust of Christ facing , wearing a nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, scroll; to left, IC; to right, XC; border of large pellets.
Facing bust of the Virgin orans, nimbate and wearing pallium and maphorium; to left, MP; to right, ΘV; border of large pellets.

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class H
Follis 24mm (9.23 grams)
Struck during the reign of Michael VII
Emperor: October 24,1071 - March 24, 1078 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1880
Bust of Christ facing , wearing a nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; to left, IC; to right, XC; normal border.
Patriarchal cross, with globule and two pellets at each extremity; in lower field, on either side, floral ornament.

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class I
BrBronze Follis 24mm (4.65 grams)
Struck during the reign of Nicephorus III - 24 March 1078 - 4 April 1081 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1889
Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in beneditcion, in left hand, the book of Gospels, IC to left, XC to right; within border.
Latin cross, with X at center, and globule and two pellets at each extremity; in lower field, on either side, floral ornament; in uppper field, on either side, crescent.

Class J

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class J
ByByzantine Follis 25mm (4.38 grams)
Struck during the reign of Alexius I, Comnenus
Byzantine Emperor: 4 April 1081 � 15 August 1118 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1900
Bust of Christ facing, cross behind head; He wears pallium and colobium, raises right hand in benediction, and holds book of Gospels in left; in upper field, C - C; in lower field, IC - XC.
Cross, with globule and two pellets at each extremity; beneath, large crescent; around, four globules, each surrounded by pellets.
* Numismatic Note: Alexius I was the Byzantine emperor during the time of the First Crusade.

Class K

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class K
BrBronze Follis 22mm (6.75 grams)
Struck during the reign of Alexius I, Comnenus
Byzantine Emperor: 4 April 1081 � 15 August 1118 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1901
Bust of Christ facing , wearing a nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; to left, IC; to right, XC; border of large pellets.
Three-qauarter length figure of the Virgin orans, nimbate and wearing pallium and maphorium; on either side of nimbus, M - Θ or MP - ΘV; border of large pellets.
* Numismatic Note: Alexius I was the Byzantine emperor during the time of the First Crusade.

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class L
Bronze Follis
Struck during the reign of Alexius I, Comnenus
Byzantine Emperor: 4 April 1081 � 15 August 1118 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1902
Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimubs corwn, pallium and colobium; infield to left, IC; to right, XC.
Cross pattee; above and beneath, IC/XC; on either side; NI - KA.

Class M

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class M
Bronze Follis
Struck during the reign of Alexius I, Comnenus
Byzantine Emperor: 4 April 1081 � 15 August 1118 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1903
Christ Enthroned Facing, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium; in field to left, IC; to right, XC.
Jewelled cross, with three pellets at each extremity; beneath, large crescent.

Class N

Byzantine Empire
Anonymous Class N
Bronze Follis
Struck during the reign of Alexius I, Comnenus
Byzantine Emperor: 4 April 1081 � 15 August 1118 A.D.
Reference: Sear 1904
Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; to left, IC; to right, XC.
Patriarchal cross on base; in upper field, IC - XC; in lower field, NI - NA.

Ancient Zodiac Coins Download this article by right-clicking here and selecting save as

JESUS CHRIST Anonymous Class A-N Byzantine Follis Coins Reference (http://bit.ly/jesuscoins)