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Numismatic Auction 100 4 May 2021
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Byzantine. Anonymous. ca. A.D. 976-1035. AE follis (25.9 mm, 5.26 g, 6 h). Class 2. Bust of Christ facing; Arabic countermark "Lillah" on bust of Christ / + IhSYS / XRISTYS / bASILεY / bASILε. Album 1952 on SBCV 1813; DOC A2 pp. 649-675. Fine. Scarce counternark.
The Islamic "Lillah" countermark appears almost exclusively on Byzantine follises that depict a portrait of the Christ and almost exclusively over the face of Christ, defacing him.It almost certainly had a political/religious significance and would certainly have been taken as distasteful and possibly as blasphemous by Byzantine Christians. The choice to strike the countermark on the bust of Christ may have driven further hostility and tensions between the sovereignties who were both simultaneously utilizing the coinage.
The Islamic "Lillah" countermark appears almost exclusively on Byzantine follises that depict a portrait of the Christ and almost exclusively over the face of Christ, defacing him.It almost certainly had a political/religious significance and would certainly have been taken as distasteful and possibly as blasphemous by Byzantine Christians. The choice to strike the countermark on the bust of Christ may have driven further hostility and tensions between the sovereignties who were both simultaneously utilizing the coinage.