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COIN
Unique ID: WILT-0A11B7
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
An unidentified coin, possibly a two nummus piece of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (AD 527-65) or the Ostrogothic king of Italy, Theoderic (AD 493-526). There does appear to be a B on the reverse. The B on Byzantine coins stands for two nummi and is used on coins struck at Carthage, AD 533-8 (MIBE 190) and at Thessalonica, AD 527-38 (MIBE 177). In Ostrogothic Italy, Theoderic's 2 nummus coin from Rome, c. 493-518, has an R on the reverse which looks like a B (Metlich 80b). These coins are all scarce in the Mediterranean and none of them has ever been found in Britain. However, it is hard to find an alternative identification of this piece - the Byzantine piece from Carthage is probably the most likely candidate.
9mm in diameter and weighing 0.9g.
References:
MIBE - W. Hahn, Money of the Incipient Byzantine Empire, Vol. 1, Vienna, 2000.
Metlich - M. A. Metlich, The Coinage of Ostrogothic Italy, Spink, 2004
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: BYZANTINE
Period from: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 496
Date to: Circa AD 538
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Weight: 0.9 g
Diameter: 9 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st January 2012 - Monday 14th May 2012
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum Form No. 3892
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Complete
Coin data (numismatics)
Denomination: copper 2 nummi
Ruler/issuer: Justinian I
Mint or issue place: Carthage
Obverse description: Possible trace of bust/head right
Obverse inscription: [ ]
Reverse description: David Algar noted: εI or BI
Sam Moorhead suggests a B in a linear circle
Degree of wear: Extremely worn: poor
Coin references
No coin references available.
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Hampshire (County)
District: New Forest (District)
To be known as: Martin
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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