A very fine bronze ‘Head of Christ’ Follis. The coin’s obverse depicts the bust of Christ holding the book of gospels. A nimbate cross is set behind his head, displaying a decorative motif to each limb. The letters IC and XC are set in the field at either side of the bust. The reverse depicts a cross on three steps with IS-XS above BAS-ILE BAS-ILE below, left to right, translating to ‘Jesus Christ, King of Kings’ The collapse of Iconoclasm during the mid 9th century AD initiated a gradual recovery of Byzantine religious art, which was testified on currency from the latter part of the reign of Michael II (842-67) by the use of the bust, or enthroned figure of Christ on the obverse of Constantinopolitan coins. Copper alloy pieces bearing such iconography, as seen on this example, appeared in the 10th century AD and became known as the ‘Anonymous Bronze Coinage’. First issued by John I, they replaced folles with imperial portraits, which were only reintroduced almost a century later by Constantine X (1059-67). The Christ/inscription in the four line design of the ‘Anonymous Bronze’ remained unchanged until AD 1028, when these types became increasingly varied, with some showing the bust or figure of the Virgin or a highly ornate cross. This piece dates to the joint reign of Basil II and Constantine VIII (AD 976-1028), under which the Byzantine State reached the zenith of its power. Diameter: 2.9cm Weight: 12.3g Provenance: Ex Cambridgeshire private collection, acquired 1970s.