SINCONA AG
Auction 51 - Part 1 23 Oct 2018
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BYZANTINE EMPIRE. Johannes V, 1341-1347, and Anna and Andronicus III. Hyperpyron, Constantinople. Standing facing figures of Anna, on left and John V on right. Rv. On left, Andronicus III kneeling, facing, blessed by Christ standing facing on right. 3.60 g. Sear 2466 (Andronicus III). DOC 942. LPC p. 116, 1 (Andronicus III). PCPC 190 (Andronicus III). Scyphate form. Crude striking. Edge faults. About very fine.
(~€ 350/USD 405)
In all published descriptions of this coin what is actually the concave side, that with Andronicus III and Christ, is termed the obverse and the convex side, with Anna and John V, is termed the reverse (this description is mixed up on p. 176 of DOC 5). In fact, this simply can not be true. While there are a few obverse/reverse mix-ups with some copper scyphate issues of the 13th and 14th centuries, this never seems to occur on gold or silver and it seems unlikely that it would occur here. In addition, the sigla on normal Palaeologan gold coins primarily appear on obverses (as they do above, below or to the sides of the Virgin orans within the walls of Constantinople on the usual hyperpera that began to be struck under Michael VIII), and that is precisely where they do on these coins assuming the convex side is the obverse. In PCPC, Bendall lists all the sigla for this issue on p. 43 as being on the obverse (quite rightly so) but in his catalogue he terms the side where the sigla appear the reverse (as 190.2 where the siglum K is visible on the plate to the left of Anna). Grierson's attribution of this type to John V and Anna rather than Andronicus III (pp. 176-177) seems unquestionable (Dr. A. Walker, May 2006).
Ex Baldwin's London, June 2003.
(~€ 350/USD 405)
In all published descriptions of this coin what is actually the concave side, that with Andronicus III and Christ, is termed the obverse and the convex side, with Anna and John V, is termed the reverse (this description is mixed up on p. 176 of DOC 5). In fact, this simply can not be true. While there are a few obverse/reverse mix-ups with some copper scyphate issues of the 13th and 14th centuries, this never seems to occur on gold or silver and it seems unlikely that it would occur here. In addition, the sigla on normal Palaeologan gold coins primarily appear on obverses (as they do above, below or to the sides of the Virgin orans within the walls of Constantinople on the usual hyperpera that began to be struck under Michael VIII), and that is precisely where they do on these coins assuming the convex side is the obverse. In PCPC, Bendall lists all the sigla for this issue on p. 43 as being on the obverse (quite rightly so) but in his catalogue he terms the side where the sigla appear the reverse (as 190.2 where the siglum K is visible on the plate to the left of Anna). Grierson's attribution of this type to John V and Anna rather than Andronicus III (pp. 176-177) seems unquestionable (Dr. A. Walker, May 2006).
Ex Baldwin's London, June 2003.