Description:  Obverse: Bust of Justinian I wearing plumed helmet, diadem, cuirass and paludamentum (military cloak).

Reverse: Justinain I nimbate, in military dress, holding a spear in right hand and a globus cruciger in left. This coin has the same design as those of Justin I, leading Bellinger to suppose that they were produced early in the reign of Justinian I. Justinian came to power in 527 as co-emperor to his uncle, the ailing Justin I. When Justin died a few months later Justinian became sole emperor. Today Justinian is best known for his attempts to reconquer the western provinces of the Roman Empire, his codification of Roman law, and the building of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Inscriptions / Translations:  Obverse: DNIVSTINI ANVSPPAVC (Our Lord Justinian Eternal Augustus)

Reverse: GLORIARO MANORVM (Glory of the Romans) COB (C=Mint mark of Constantinople, OB=obrizum, refined gold (possibly also used for silver) or COB=Comes Obryzi, the official in charge of issues of the gold coinage, and possibly the silver coinage at this time) in exergue.

Bibliography:  Bellinger, A.R. Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection (Washington D.C. 1966) coin 24
Grierson, P. Byzantine Coins (London 1982) pp43-83.
Whitting, P.D. Byzantine Coins (London 1973) pp106-111

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