Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 355 15 July 2015
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RUSSIA, Kievan Rus. temp. Vladimir I Svyatoslavich the Great to Oleg Sviatoslavich of Chernigov (or Tmutarakan). 980-1115. BI Miliaresion (19mm, 1.51 g, 6?h). Imitating a Constantinople mint issue of Basil II and Constantine VIII. Cross-crosslet with central x and crescent on shaft, flanked by crude crowned busts / Legend reduced to series of dashes. Cf. SB 1810 (for prototype); Golenko 5. Near VF, brown patina, trace of roughness.
These imitative issues circulated on the Taman penninsula on the Black Sea coast of modern day Ukraine. They were contemporary with the silver srebrenniki struck in Kievian Rus. The earliest imitations, probably struck during or immediately after the striking of the prototype, were of reasonably good silver. By the middle of the 11th century, later derived copies become highly debased, in this case little more than bronze with perhaps a trace of silver.
These imitative issues circulated on the Taman penninsula on the Black Sea coast of modern day Ukraine. They were contemporary with the silver srebrenniki struck in Kievian Rus. The earliest imitations, probably struck during or immediately after the striking of the prototype, were of reasonably good silver. By the middle of the 11th century, later derived copies become highly debased, in this case little more than bronze with perhaps a trace of silver.