Anonymous Folles Bronze Coin, Sterling Silver Pendant, Class A, ID16142

Description: Class A Anonymous Folles Bronze Coin (976-1025 CE)

Obverse: Bust of Christ facing, with a nimbus cross with two dots in each limb of the cross. He holds a book of Gospels, decorated with a border of dots and a central dot. The inscription reads + ЄMMANOVH (“God With Us”), with the letters IC XC (“Jesus Christ”) in the field. Reverse: Four-line inscription reading + IҺSЧS XRISTЧS ЬASILЄЧ ЬASILЄ (“Jesus Christ, King of Kings”), sometimes with ornamental crosses above and below.

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.

The Class A folles are the earliest in the series and were first issued during the reign of John I Tzimiskes (969-976 CE), a devout ruler. 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.