Copper scyphate coins, unlocalised mint (Tarnovo/Preslav)
- Metal
- Copper
- Mint
- Tarnovo / Preslav
- Diameter
- 28, 26, 28, 26 mm
- Weight
- 2.6, 2.7, 2.5, 2.9 g
- Rarity
- R7 — between 70 and 200 known
Obverse
Bust of St. Nicholas with a short beard, with a nimbus around the head. He is dressed in archieratic vestments - sakkos and omophorion. In His left hand He holds a gospel, and with His right hand He blesses in front of His chest. In the field on both sides is inscribed the name of the saint: ОНИК - ОЛЛОС.
Reverse
Variant A. Half-length figure of the ruler with a stemma with pendilia, with a rounded beard and mustache. Mitso Asen is dressed in sakkos and maniakion. The ends of the loros are thrown over his arms. In the right hand he holds a sceptre ending at the top with a trefoil, and in the left - a cross with a short handle. Above his head are depicted the blessing right hand of God and the letter combination Ѧ (АСЪ). To the left of the figure is the monogram M (МУ), and below it the letter Ъ (O?). To the right is the abbreviation of the title царь, depicted mirror-wise - Ѱ. Variant B. The image is as in Variant A, but to the left instead of the letter Ъ is written S (?), and above to the right - Ѱ. Variant V. The image is as in Variant A, but the letter combination above to the right has an underlined S. Variant G. The image is as in Variant A, but the abbreviation of the title царь - Ѱ, is on the left and is written normally.
Reconstructions
Line drawings reconstructing the coin's design from the surviving specimens.
Also struck by Mitso Asen
Coin photographs and reconstruction drawings from A. Radushev & G. Zhekov, Catalogue of Bulgarian Medieval Coins IX–XV c. (Agató, 1999).