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5 Nummi - Anastasius I Dicorus Constantinopolis, no Officina Letter
| Issuer | Byzantine Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 498-518 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | First Solidus Nomisma (498-720) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse bears a large Greek numeral epsilon (Ε) centered within a double beaded circle, denoting the value of 5 nummi (pentanummium). Two pellets flank the central bar of the epsilon, one above and one below, serving as decorative or functional punctuation elements. The design is entirely contained within the double border, with no officina letter or mintmark present in the field. The surrounding flat field and beaded border are consistent with the Constantinople mint issues of Anastasius I's monetary reform coinage. The simplicity of the design reflects the utilitarian character of the lowest denomination in the reformed Byzantine bronze coinage system. |
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| Additional information |
Anastasius I's currency reform of 498 AD overhauled a bronze coinage system that had deteriorated so badly that small denomination pieces were effectively trading by weight rather than face value. The reform introduced clearly marked denominational values — the numeral on the reverse indicating the coin's worth in nummi — replacing decades of ambiguity in small bronze transactions.
The absence of an officina letter on this Constantinopolis issue remains a cataloguing puzzle. Most scholars treat it as an early transitional product of the reform, before workshop attribution was systematized across the mint's output.