Owner Comments:
saac II Angelos (Greek: Ἰσαάκιος Β’ Ἄγγελος), Isaakios II Angelos; September 1156 – January 1204) was Byzantine Emperor from 1185 to 1195, and again from 1203 to 1204.
His father Andronikos Doukas Angelos was a military leader in Asia Minor (c. 1122 – aft. 1185) who married Euphrosyne Kastamonitissa (c. 1125 – aft. 1195). Andronikos Doukas Angelos was the son of Constantine Angelos and Theodora Komnene (b. 15 January 1096/1097), the youngest daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and Irene Doukaina. Thus Isaac was a member of the extended imperial clan of the Komnenoi.
This is probably the latest date coin of the Byzantine Empire that will get into this collection. I could also get a hyperpyron of John Vatzatzes of Nicea, from the early 1200s, which sometimes turns out well. But not usually. This coin usually doesn't look any good either. I think the reverse strike is exceptional, and the obverse, although a little too north on the flan, is also excellent without any wear on the nose or cheeks of Mary that I can see. Her forehead got a little flattened, but I think that is just the strike. And keep in mind, this coin is concave, like the new Baseball and Lunar Landing coins coming out from the US Mint, so the obverse is a lot more exposed to wear than most coins. The reverse strike, on the other hand, is largely protected from wear because it is deep in the bottom of the cup-shaped reverse.
I bought this coin raw from a Künker auction where it was described as:
Isaakios II. Angelos, 1185-1195.
AV-Hyperpyron (Scyphat), Constantinopolis; 4,29 g. Maria thront v. v.//Kaiser mit Kreuzzepter und Erzengel Michael stehen v. v. und halten Schwert.
DOC 1 d; Sear 2001.
R Prägeschwäche, vorzüglich
ex Teutoburger Münzhandlung 62, Borgholzhausen 2011, Nr. 2507.
NGC reports having graded 9 others in MS, one more in MS with a star, and 2 in CH MS. It is unknown which of those have "problems" or strike/surface grades under 4 and 5.