Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 1352. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Monday, 10 January 2005.  Sold For $220. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PHOCAS. 602-610 AD. Æ Follis (10.26 gm, 6h). Cyzicus mint. Dated RY 6 (607/8 AD). DN FOCAS PERP AVG, crowned facing bust, wearing consular robes, holding mappa and eagle sceptre with cross; small cross in left field / Large XXXX; ANNO G in fields; KYZA. DOC II 73a; MIB II 76; SB 665. EF for type, brown and green patina, creased. ($200)

From the Malcolm W. Heckman Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 37 (20 March 1996), lot 2068; Classical Numismatic Group XXIV (9 December 1992), lot 525; Berk-England Byzantine Sale (7 December 1989), lot 115.

The crease on this coin was probably an attempt to reduce the size. As the size and weight of the follis continued to shrink during the 7th century the earlier, larger coins were targeted for clipping, sometimes in preparation for re-striking, but often simply to acquire a bit of extra copper.