Justin I, Nicomedia Mint, AE 40 Nummi, AD 518-527

Byzantine, Justin I, AD 518-527, Nicomedia Mint, AE 40 Nummi (bronze, 17.15g, 30.8mm)

Obv: D N [IVSTI]NVS P P AVC; diademed, draped and cuirassed bust to right

Rev: Large M; flanked by crosses, cross above, B (?) below; NIKM in exergue

Ref: MIBE 38a; DOC 33

Rarity/Choice: Common, VF

Note: Justin I was a prominent Byzantine emperor who came to power after a period of instability following the fall of the Western Roman Empire. His reign marked a period of consolidation and reorganization within the Byzantine Empire. The presence of crosses on the reverse of the coin reflects the importance of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire during Justin's reign. Byzantine emperors often used coins as a means of displaying their piety and promoting Christianity. Nicomedia, located in modern-day Turkey, was strategically important as a major economic and administrative center of the Byzantine Empire. This coin offers a glimpse into the religious, political, and economic life of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Justin I, illustrating the fusion of imperial power and religious symbolism characteristic of Byzantine coinage.