Kinzer Coins

Justin I Ancient Byzantine Bronze Half Follis — Antioch Mint (AD 518–527) — Exact Coin

Name: Justin I Ancient Byzantine Bronze Half Follis — Antioch Mint (AD 518–527) — Exact Coin
Brand: Kinzer Coins
Price: 55.0 USD
Availability: InStock

Justin I Ancient Byzantine Bronze Half Follis — Antioch Mint (AD 518–527) — Exact Coin

$55.00 USD

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Justin I Half Follis from Antioch — The Reign That Prepared Justinian’s Rise

Own a Coin from the Years Immediately Before Justinian I

The exact Byzantine bronze half follis of Emperor Justin I shown, struck at Antioch during the reign in which Justinian’s political career advanced toward the imperial succession.

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🏛 Struck at the ancient Antioch mint
👑 Issued during the reign in which Justinian rose to high office and eventually co-emperorship
🤲 The exact historic coin pictured is the one you'll receive

Own This Piece of History

Why This Coin Matters

Justin I became emperor in AD 518 after a long military career. His accession brought his adopted nephew Justinian into an increasingly important position within the imperial government.

Justinian’s rise was gradual rather than the product of one dramatic moment in which Justin simply “chose an heir.” Justin had adopted his nephew and helped provide opportunities for his education and career. During Justin’s reign, Justinian received major offices and honors, exercised increasing political influence, and in April AD 527 was formally elevated as co-emperor. He became sole emperor after Justin’s death a few months later.

Justinian’s subsequent reign transformed the sixth-century Mediterranean. His government oversaw the construction of Hagia Sophia, the compilation of the Corpus Juris Civilis, and major military campaigns that restored imperial rule to North Africa, Italy, and parts of the western Mediterranean.

This authentic bronze half follis was struck at Antioch, one of the major cities of the Eastern Roman Empire. The large K indicates a denomination of 20 nummi, part of the denomination-marked bronze system introduced under Anastasius I.

The coin therefore belongs to the reign immediately preceding Justinian’s and to the political world in which his ascent to imperial power actually occurred.