Anonymous Folles Bronze Coin, Sterling Silver Pendant, Class B, ID16143

Description: Class B Anonymous Folles Bronze Coin (1028-1034 CE)

Obverse: Bust of Christ facing, with a nimbus cross behind His head, each limb of the cross containing a small square. Christ holds the Book of Gospels, which is decorated with a pattern of five dots, including a central dot within a dotted square. The inscriptions IC XC (“Jesus Christ”) appear to the left and right of His portrait. Reverse: The inscription + IS XS ЬASILЄ (“Jesus Christ King of Kings”) is arranged in three lines, separated by a Cross Potent standing on two steps. This design is a simplification of the longer inscriptions found on Class A folles.

History: This coin belongs to the Anonymous Folles series, a unique class of Byzantine copper coinage issued between 969 and 1092 CE. These coins are so-called because they do not bear the name or mark of any particular ruler, including purely religious images and inscriptions. Folles coins typically range in weight from 5 to 14 grams with diameters between 20 and 30 mm.

Class B folles are commonly attributed to the reign of Romanos III (1028-1034). Many of these coins were overstruck on earlier Class A2 folles, suggesting continuity in production and circulation. These coins played a key role in Christian propaganda, reinforcing the power of the church in everyday life. Their widespread circulation helped link economic transactions with religious devotion, strengthening Byzantine Christianity’s influence across the empire.