Justinian I AE Follis 527-565A.D. Black Death Coin

Description

Justinian I AE Follis 540-1 A.D. Damnatio Memoriae coin
Sear 163
Alpha Officinia
Regal Year 13
21.4 grams
39-40 mm diameter
This Justinian I Follis has the hallmarks of a coin that has been purposely marred because of the Black Plague that hit Europe between the years 541-542 A.D. and wiped out 5,000 people a day alone in Constantinople. Emperor Justinian was so vilified that the plague was called the Justinian Plague because people blamed him personally for all of the deaths even though he caught the plague too but recovered from it; however, it didn’t matter to the people who were dying from it.
Much of his coinage was defaced and cut, which the Romans called a Damnatio.
This 1,481 year old coin is a living testament to the Black Death that nearly depopulated Europe.
Own a piece of history that tells a fascinating story.
Guaranteed to be genuine, all sales are final