Coin from the Byzantine Empire bearing likeness of Christ

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Description

Coin from the Byzantine Empire, very likely from the reign of Basill II, bearing a faint front-facing bust of Jesus Christ. The obverse shows Christ surrounded by a nimbate cross. In his left hand is a book of the Gospels. Though worn, the lettering on the obverse flanking the portrait is likely IC-XC, an abbreviation for Jesus Christ. The reverse carries four lines of text reading IhSUS XRISTUS bASILEU bASILE, Jesus Christ King of Kings.

Physical Description

1 coin : bronze ; 3 cm. in diam.

Creation Information

Creator: Unknown. 0976/1028.

Context

This physical object is part of the collection entitled: Abilene Library Consortium and was provided by the Abilene Christian University Library to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 2556 times, with 39 in the last month. More information about this object can be viewed below.

Who

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Creator

  • We've been unable to identify the creator(s) of this object.

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Provided By

Abilene Christian University Library

The Abilene Christian Library is ACU's resource for scholarly Christian communication, innovative technology, and interdisciplinary creativity. The main hub is Brown Library, which provides a wealth of digital resources for students and faculty alike.

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What

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Description

Coin from the Byzantine Empire, very likely from the reign of Basill II, bearing a faint front-facing bust of Jesus Christ. The obverse shows Christ surrounded by a nimbate cross. In his left hand is a book of the Gospels. Though worn, the lettering on the obverse flanking the portrait is likely IC-XC, an abbreviation for Jesus Christ. The reverse carries four lines of text reading IhSUS XRISTUS bASILEU bASILE, Jesus Christ King of Kings.

Physical Description

1 coin : bronze ; 3 cm. in diam.

Notes

According to Hutchinson, this is an example of the first coin to bear a likeness to Christ. Research indicates it very likely from the reign of Basil II; if it is not an example of the earliest image of the bust of Christ on coinage, it is very early.

Subjects

Keyword

Library of Congress Subject Headings

NMC Chenhalls

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Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this object in the Portal or other systems.

  • Accession or Local Control No: 30_FIRST_COIN_TO_BEAR_A_LIKENESS_OF_CHRIST_acu_coin_sleeve4_row2_space3
  • Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth637055

Collections

This object is part of the following collections of related materials.

Abilene Library Consortium

Featuring thousands of newspapers, photographs, sound recordings, technical drawings, and much more, this diverse collection tells the story of Texas through the preservation and exhibition of valuable resources.

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ACU Ancient Coins Collection

This collection, donated to Abilene Christian University by Warren L. Hutchinson in 1980, consists of forty-four ancient coins from the Mediterranean and the Near East. The coins range in date from the 3rd century B.C. to the 6th century A.D.

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Digital Files

When

Dates and time periods associated with this physical object.

Creation Date

  • 0976/1028

Coverage Date

Added to The Portal to Texas History

  • Sept. 9, 2015, 7:06 a.m.

Description Last Updated

  • Oct. 22, 2018, 4:34 p.m.

Usage Statistics

When was this object last used?

Yesterday: 1
Past 30 days: 39
Total Uses: 2,556
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Coin from the Byzantine Empire bearing likeness of Christ, physical object, 0976/1028; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth637055/: accessed April 17, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.

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