Byzantine Empire, Leo III the Isaurian and Constantine V, 31 March 720 - 18 June 741 A.D.
BZ117407. Bronze follis, DOC III-1 30 (medium size variant), Wroth BMC 19, Morrisson BnF 30/Cp/AE/1, SBCV 1514, Tolstoi 15, Ratto -, Sommer -, VF, brown tone, light earthen deposits on the rev., most of legends illegible as usual for the type, scratches, edge split, 5.363g, 21.2mm, 150o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, d N D LEON PA MY L (Latin: Dominus Noster Dei Leo Perpetuus Augustus Multos Annos - Our lord, by grace of god, Leo, perpetual emperor, [wishing him] many years), crowned bust of Leo III facing, short beard, wearing crown with cross on circlet and chlamys, globus cruciger in right hand, akakia in left hand; reverse d N CONSTA-NTINVS (Latin: Dominus Noster Constantinus - Our lord, Constantine), bust of Constantine V facing, beardless, wearing crown and chlamys, globus cruciger in right hand, akakia in left hand, cross right, horizontal bar under bust ornamented with a zigzag pattern, two small globes above each end of the bar; large M (40 nummi) below bar, flanked by A/N/N in column left and X/X in column right; the first specimen of this type handled by FORVM; scarce
This type was struck over many years in three different sizes as follow: Large: DOC III-1 29, c. 9g - 12g, c. 25mm - 27mm, 720 - c. 721 A.D.; Medium: DOC III-1 30, c. 3.5g - 6.5g, c. 20mm - 23mm, c. 721 - c. 725 A.D.; and Small: DOC III-1 31, c. 2.5g - 5g, c. 18mm - 20mm, c. 725 - 732 A.D. The legends on this coin, as usual for the type, are illegible and may vary from the given intended legend. Under Leo III, ANN XX became a stylized imperial motif, symbolizing authority rather than a literal 20th regnal year. The large and medium sizes have a zigzag pattern on the horizontal bar, which is simplified to horizontal lines or dots on the small size.