Coins with the effigy of two Davids
Type: Coins with the effigy of two Davids
Description, picture:
Silver. The weights range from 2,3 gr. to 2,9 gr.
d=23/24 mm.
Obverse: Labarum in the centre and the kings’ effigy in Imperial coat on the both sides. On the left and right, Georgian Asomtavruli legends placed vertically ႣႫႴ, ႫႫႣ – “King David” and “King of the Kings David”.
Reverse: St. Virgin seated upon a throne like on the Imperial issue of Michael VIII Palaeologus, and corresponding Georgian legend on the left and right: Ⴃ ̃Ⴃ/Ⴖ ̃Ⴇ-ႱႠ.
Silver. The weights range from 2,3 gr. to 2,9 gr.
d=23/24 mm.
Obverse: Labarum in the centre and the kings’ effigy in Imperial coat on the both sides. On the left and right, Georgian Asomtavruli legends placed vertically ႣႫႴ, ႫႫႣ – “King David” and “King of the Kings David”.
Reverse: St. Virgin seated upon a throne like on the Imperial issue of Michael VIII Palaeologus, and corresponding Georgian legend on the left and right: Ⴃ ̃Ⴃ/Ⴖ ̃Ⴇ-ႱႠ.
Scholarly commentary:
“Western Georgian money of the 13th-15th cc.” is the name of coin group. It consists of the coins struck by David Ulugh and David Narin (Coins with the effigy of two Davids) and Kirmaneuli tetri.
Coins with the effigy of two Davids are patterned on the issues of the Emperors, John Comnenos (1118-1143) and Michael Palaeologus (1258-1282). We have only 10 samples of them.
Towards the midst of the 13th c. the Mongol overlords exercised their rule over Georgia through joint-rule of the two vassal kings, David Ulugh and David Narin, and they had real power in the Eastern provinces. This co-regnancy was interrupted, when David Narin fled to safety of Western Georgia, thus splitting the country into two kingdoms. That of Eastern Georgia was vassal state.
Georgian narrative does not support the exact chronology of this very disintegration. General consideration leads to 1259 as possible date.
Still some Western sources are more precise.
Friar William of Rubruck made his journey to the court of the Great Khan. When back in France in 1257, he read a formal report. One passage of it is extremely interesting and runs as follows: “beyond that estuary is Ziquia (modern Tuaphse region, Russian Federation – T. D.), which is not subject to the Tartars, and further East the Sueni (Suani, West Georgian highlanders – T. D.) and the Iberi, who are not subject to them”. This simply means that the Mongols are already missing Western Georgia by 1257. But that could be only upper chronological limit in the case William added some recent information. Lower one depends on when he was in those sites. And William of Rubruck was in touch with Georgia in early 1255. That is the lower chronological limit for the entire kingdom to split into two parts.
Still, the date of issue of the coins with the effigy of two Davids can not be changed. Now David Ulugh fled to safety of Western Georgia in 1260. 1261-1262 saw both kings in Western Georgia. And in the frames of restored co-regnancy, they designed coin inspired by the Byzantine iconography, putting their names and titles thoroughly on it.
As concerning Kirmaneuli, i.e. the Georgian imitations to the aspers of Trebizond, they are patterned mostly on the coins of the two Emperors: Manuel I (1238-1263) and John II (1280-1297). The descriptions are presented below.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with the name of Manuel. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,60 gr. to 2,97 gr. d=20/21-24/25 mm.
Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ο-Α-ΓΙ/ΕΥ-ΓΕ-ΝΙ-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand and akakia – in his left hand. On the right and above – Manus Dei. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Μ-Ν-Λ/Ο-Κ-ΜΝ.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with the name of John. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,43 gr. to 2,96 gr. d=19/20-22/23 mm.
Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ⓐ-Ε-Υ/ΓΕ-ΝΙ.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand and akakia or globus cruciger – in his left hand. On the right and above – Manus Dei. Below – six-pointed star. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: ω-Ο Κ/Ν-Ο.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with “Emperor in three-arched stemma”. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,08 gr. to 2,34 gr. d=18/20-19/26 mm.
1. Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ο-Υ/Γ-Ε-Ν-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and three-arched stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand and globus crusiger – in his left hand. On the right and above – Manus Dei. Below – six-pointed star. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ιω-Ο-ΚΟ/Η-Ο.
Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,37 gr. to 2,4 gr. d=18/20-22/24 mm.
2. Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ε-Ι/Γ-Ε-ΝΥ-Ο-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and three-arched stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand. On the left, globus cruciger, it looks like a flower. On the right and above – Manus Dei. Below – six-pointed star. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: ω-Ο-Κ-Η/Ν-Ο.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with Emperor’s bust. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,12 gr. to 2,61 gr. d=18/19-22/24 mm.
Obverse: Bust of St. Eugenius facing, holding labarum in his right hand and long cross – in his left hand. Greek legend is traced.
Reverse: Bust of Emperor in loros and stemma facing, holding labarum in his right hand and long cross – in his left hand. On the left, globus cruciger, it looks like a flower. Shield on the right. No sign of the Greek legend.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issue with Asomtavruli letters. Only two samples are known. One of them, kept at Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia, was in Kopitnari hoard. The next one, sample from Barataev’s collection, is in Berlin Museum. Description of the coin from Kopitnari hoard is as follows:
GF. (Fund of Treasury, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia) №6213. Silver. Weight – 1,13 gr. d=18/19 mm.
Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left – some uncertain signs.On the right, above, Asomtavruli letters – ႢႨ, below, Greek letters in two lines – ΓΕ-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor (king) in loros and three-arched stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his left hand. On the left Asomtavruli letters placed vertically: Ⴔ-Ⴋ.
Georgian legends are read as “Giorgi, the king” and Greek – as “St. Eugenius”. Giorgi I, king of Imereti in 1389-1392 issued these coins; this is general opinion.
Kirmaneuli tetri, Vamek’s money with St. Eugenius’ effigy. Silver. Weight – 2,91 gr. d=20/21 mm.
Obverse: Mkhedruli letters for the name Vamek (a mirror image) in ornamented frame.
Reverse: St. Eugenius in stemma, standing, facing, holding either labarum or long cross in his right hand. On the left and right – Greek legend: Ο-Ε/ΓΕ-ΙΝ.
S. Makalatia was the first to publish Vamek’s money. The coin kept in Sokhumi was examined by him in 1940. He made a photo of this sample and attributed it to Vamek I Dadiani (1384-1396), prince of Samegrelo. D. Kapanadze supported this idea. He also made a note about a mirror image of the legend. T. Abramishvili tried to explain it. As a local lord, Vamek had no right to issue a coin. Still, he struck it to commemorate his victory over usurper Giorgi I of Imereti, placing his name as a mirror image.
O. Retowski classified the aspers of Trebizond. Still, it can be checked concerning both, the original coins and Kirmaneuli tetri.
And many years before, in 1844, M. Barataev thought the imitations to the aspers of Trebizond to be issued in Georgia, as he found term “Kirmaneuli” in the Georgian documents.
Still, it had been just a hypothesis before Retowski did his research. He was the first to distinguish Georgian imitations to the aspers of John II according to the following evidences: distorted details of the effigies and distorted legends. True, it is very difficult to distinguish imitations to the aspers of Manuel from the original ones. Retowski thought that on the former coins there is article before the name of Emperor and letter M is wrongly depicted.
The works of O. Retowski, K. Golenko and T. Abramishvili present Kirmaneuli tetri struck according to the aspers of John II. The term itself denotes that first Manuel’s aspers were imitated.
Retowski’s criteria were presented above. T. Abramishvili chose the same way. She studied the hoard found in 1907 in Kopitnari village near Samtredia (652 pieces). The list of the coins is as follows: I. aspers of Trebizond – Manuel I (1238-1263) – 6 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 7 samples, Manuel III (1390-1417) – 1 sample, Alexios IV (1417-1446) – 1 sample, 15 samples in all; II. Bulgarian money of the 12th -14th cc. – 1 sample; III. Western Georgian money (Kirmaneuli) – 633 pieces. 5 of them have Manuel’s name, 619 – John’s. 9 pieces belong to issues with Emperor’s bust. Later, some coins with absolutely different dates were mistakenly ascribed to this complex.
According to T. Abramishvili, 5 coins from Kopitnari hoard are the imitations to the aspers of Manuel I. They show the gradual stages of degradation. Technique of GF. №6162 is very high. GF. №№ 6159-6161 are already degrading both in a view of technique and legends. GF. №6158 shows extremely bad technique and artisan’s complete ignorance, due to that some attributes and legends changed their places.
According to K. Golenko, Tobanieri hoard (see below) contains 21 imitations to Manuel’s aspers, 6 of them being overstruck from the Arabic and Hulaguid dirhems. On these coins effigy of St. Eugenius is flat, schematic and rude, legends – distorted. Some new details also appeared. The coins are of a larger size and flat.
In 1927 a hoard was found in Tobanieri village (Vani district). 215 pieces from the hoard are kept at Kutaisi State Museum. Mostly aspers of Trebizond and Kirmaneuli form the hoard. The list of the coins is as follows: I. aspers of Trebizond – John I (1235-1238) – 4 samples, Manuel I (1238-1263) – 56 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 125 samples, John II and Alexios II (up to 1297) – 1 sample. II. Seljuk dirhem struck in A.H. 630 (?) (1232-1233); III. Georgian-Hulaguid dirhem, struck at Tbilisi in the name of Abaqa in A.H. 680 (?) (=1281-1282); IV. Western Georgian money (Kirmaneuli) – 25 pieces. 21 of them are the imitations to Manuel I’s aspers and 4 – to John’s aspers; V. coins with the effigy of two Davids – 2 samples. The hoard was buried at the turn of the 13th -14th cc.
Ir. Sokolova too studied Kirmaneuli. She wrote that original coins of Manuel I and John II have the legends without any mistake, with familiar for Trebizond palaeography, and their weight is higher than 2,5 gr. Kirmaneuli’s weight is lowered.
Now about the date of Kirmaneuli. T. Abramishvili thinks of the 14th c. as upper chronological limit for issue of these coins, still having in mind that the 15th c. Georgian documents bear the term “Kirmaneuli”. Also, we must take into consideration Kopitnari hoard, buried in the 15th c., with a large number of Kirmaneuli.
According to D. Kapanadze, lower chronological limit for Kirmaneuli is 1284/85. In 1284 Theodora Comnena, with the help of the Georgians, managed to seize the crown from her half-brother, Emperor John II, and she reigned for a while. Georgian assistance could be also financial, for this reason they started to issue money according to numismatic pattern of Trebizond.
As certain samples of Kirmaneuli are overstruck from the “Qā’ānics” and the dirhems of Il-khans, Abaqa (1265-1282) and Arghun (1284-1291), K. Golenko dates imitations to the aspers of Manuel I by the 80s of the 13th c. Then John II’s original coins started to circulate intensively in Georgia. And imitations with his name were struck up to the 15th c.
Ir. Sokolova takes Manuel I’s death as starting point for Georgian issues with the name of Manuel. At least, it could happen before the second half of the 80s of the 13th c., as some of the samples are overstruck from Arghun’s dirhems. And soon, after Theodora’s expedition, Georgians started to issue imitations to the aspers of John II.
Next question is, who struck these coins. For O. Retowski and Evg. Pakhomov Kirmaneuli is counterfeit money, and for D. Kapanadze Georgian government issued these coins to support Theodora Comnena. According to the Georgian documents, name of the money is derived from the name of “king of the Greeks”.
“Western Georgian money of the 13th-15th cc.” is the name of coin group. It consists of the coins struck by David Ulugh and David Narin (Coins with the effigy of two Davids) and Kirmaneuli tetri.
Coins with the effigy of two Davids are patterned on the issues of the Emperors, John Comnenos (1118-1143) and Michael Palaeologus (1258-1282). We have only 10 samples of them.
Towards the midst of the 13th c. the Mongol overlords exercised their rule over Georgia through joint-rule of the two vassal kings, David Ulugh and David Narin, and they had real power in the Eastern provinces. This co-regnancy was interrupted, when David Narin fled to safety of Western Georgia, thus splitting the country into two kingdoms. That of Eastern Georgia was vassal state.
Georgian narrative does not support the exact chronology of this very disintegration. General consideration leads to 1259 as possible date.
Still some Western sources are more precise.
Friar William of Rubruck made his journey to the court of the Great Khan. When back in France in 1257, he read a formal report. One passage of it is extremely interesting and runs as follows: “beyond that estuary is Ziquia (modern Tuaphse region, Russian Federation – T. D.), which is not subject to the Tartars, and further East the Sueni (Suani, West Georgian highlanders – T. D.) and the Iberi, who are not subject to them”. This simply means that the Mongols are already missing Western Georgia by 1257. But that could be only upper chronological limit in the case William added some recent information. Lower one depends on when he was in those sites. And William of Rubruck was in touch with Georgia in early 1255. That is the lower chronological limit for the entire kingdom to split into two parts.
Still, the date of issue of the coins with the effigy of two Davids can not be changed. Now David Ulugh fled to safety of Western Georgia in 1260. 1261-1262 saw both kings in Western Georgia. And in the frames of restored co-regnancy, they designed coin inspired by the Byzantine iconography, putting their names and titles thoroughly on it.
As concerning Kirmaneuli, i.e. the Georgian imitations to the aspers of Trebizond, they are patterned mostly on the coins of the two Emperors: Manuel I (1238-1263) and John II (1280-1297). The descriptions are presented below.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with the name of Manuel. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,60 gr. to 2,97 gr. d=20/21-24/25 mm.
Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ο-Α-ΓΙ/ΕΥ-ΓΕ-ΝΙ-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand and akakia – in his left hand. On the right and above – Manus Dei. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Μ-Ν-Λ/Ο-Κ-ΜΝ.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with the name of John. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,43 gr. to 2,96 gr. d=19/20-22/23 mm.
Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ⓐ-Ε-Υ/ΓΕ-ΝΙ.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand and akakia or globus cruciger – in his left hand. On the right and above – Manus Dei. Below – six-pointed star. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: ω-Ο Κ/Ν-Ο.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with “Emperor in three-arched stemma”. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,08 gr. to 2,34 gr. d=18/20-19/26 mm.
1. Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ο-Υ/Γ-Ε-Ν-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and three-arched stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand and globus crusiger – in his left hand. On the right and above – Manus Dei. Below – six-pointed star. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ιω-Ο-ΚΟ/Η-Ο.
Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,37 gr. to 2,4 gr. d=18/20-22/24 mm.
2. Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: Ε-Ι/Γ-Ε-ΝΥ-Ο-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor in loros and three-arched stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his right hand. On the left, globus cruciger, it looks like a flower. On the right and above – Manus Dei. Below – six-pointed star. On the left and right, Greek legend placed vertically: ω-Ο-Κ-Η/Ν-Ο.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issues with Emperor’s bust. Silver. The weights range from ex. 1,12 gr. to 2,61 gr. d=18/19-22/24 mm.
Obverse: Bust of St. Eugenius facing, holding labarum in his right hand and long cross – in his left hand. Greek legend is traced.
Reverse: Bust of Emperor in loros and stemma facing, holding labarum in his right hand and long cross – in his left hand. On the left, globus cruciger, it looks like a flower. Shield on the right. No sign of the Greek legend.
Kirmaneuli tetri, issue with Asomtavruli letters. Only two samples are known. One of them, kept at Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia, was in Kopitnari hoard. The next one, sample from Barataev’s collection, is in Berlin Museum. Description of the coin from Kopitnari hoard is as follows:
GF. (Fund of Treasury, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia) №6213. Silver. Weight – 1,13 gr. d=18/19 mm.
Obverse: St. Eugenius standing, facing, holding long cross in his right hand. On the left – some uncertain signs.On the right, above, Asomtavruli letters – ႢႨ, below, Greek letters in two lines – ΓΕ-Ο.
Reverse: Emperor (king) in loros and three-arched stemma, standing, facing, holding labarum in his left hand. On the left Asomtavruli letters placed vertically: Ⴔ-Ⴋ.
Georgian legends are read as “Giorgi, the king” and Greek – as “St. Eugenius”. Giorgi I, king of Imereti in 1389-1392 issued these coins; this is general opinion.
Kirmaneuli tetri, Vamek’s money with St. Eugenius’ effigy. Silver. Weight – 2,91 gr. d=20/21 mm.
Obverse: Mkhedruli letters for the name Vamek (a mirror image) in ornamented frame.
Reverse: St. Eugenius in stemma, standing, facing, holding either labarum or long cross in his right hand. On the left and right – Greek legend: Ο-Ε/ΓΕ-ΙΝ.
S. Makalatia was the first to publish Vamek’s money. The coin kept in Sokhumi was examined by him in 1940. He made a photo of this sample and attributed it to Vamek I Dadiani (1384-1396), prince of Samegrelo. D. Kapanadze supported this idea. He also made a note about a mirror image of the legend. T. Abramishvili tried to explain it. As a local lord, Vamek had no right to issue a coin. Still, he struck it to commemorate his victory over usurper Giorgi I of Imereti, placing his name as a mirror image.
O. Retowski classified the aspers of Trebizond. Still, it can be checked concerning both, the original coins and Kirmaneuli tetri.
And many years before, in 1844, M. Barataev thought the imitations to the aspers of Trebizond to be issued in Georgia, as he found term “Kirmaneuli” in the Georgian documents.
Still, it had been just a hypothesis before Retowski did his research. He was the first to distinguish Georgian imitations to the aspers of John II according to the following evidences: distorted details of the effigies and distorted legends. True, it is very difficult to distinguish imitations to the aspers of Manuel from the original ones. Retowski thought that on the former coins there is article before the name of Emperor and letter M is wrongly depicted.
The works of O. Retowski, K. Golenko and T. Abramishvili present Kirmaneuli tetri struck according to the aspers of John II. The term itself denotes that first Manuel’s aspers were imitated.
Retowski’s criteria were presented above. T. Abramishvili chose the same way. She studied the hoard found in 1907 in Kopitnari village near Samtredia (652 pieces). The list of the coins is as follows: I. aspers of Trebizond – Manuel I (1238-1263) – 6 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 7 samples, Manuel III (1390-1417) – 1 sample, Alexios IV (1417-1446) – 1 sample, 15 samples in all; II. Bulgarian money of the 12th -14th cc. – 1 sample; III. Western Georgian money (Kirmaneuli) – 633 pieces. 5 of them have Manuel’s name, 619 – John’s. 9 pieces belong to issues with Emperor’s bust. Later, some coins with absolutely different dates were mistakenly ascribed to this complex.
According to T. Abramishvili, 5 coins from Kopitnari hoard are the imitations to the aspers of Manuel I. They show the gradual stages of degradation. Technique of GF. №6162 is very high. GF. №№ 6159-6161 are already degrading both in a view of technique and legends. GF. №6158 shows extremely bad technique and artisan’s complete ignorance, due to that some attributes and legends changed their places.
According to K. Golenko, Tobanieri hoard (see below) contains 21 imitations to Manuel’s aspers, 6 of them being overstruck from the Arabic and Hulaguid dirhems. On these coins effigy of St. Eugenius is flat, schematic and rude, legends – distorted. Some new details also appeared. The coins are of a larger size and flat.
In 1927 a hoard was found in Tobanieri village (Vani district). 215 pieces from the hoard are kept at Kutaisi State Museum. Mostly aspers of Trebizond and Kirmaneuli form the hoard. The list of the coins is as follows: I. aspers of Trebizond – John I (1235-1238) – 4 samples, Manuel I (1238-1263) – 56 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 125 samples, John II and Alexios II (up to 1297) – 1 sample. II. Seljuk dirhem struck in A.H. 630 (?) (1232-1233); III. Georgian-Hulaguid dirhem, struck at Tbilisi in the name of Abaqa in A.H. 680 (?) (=1281-1282); IV. Western Georgian money (Kirmaneuli) – 25 pieces. 21 of them are the imitations to Manuel I’s aspers and 4 – to John’s aspers; V. coins with the effigy of two Davids – 2 samples. The hoard was buried at the turn of the 13th -14th cc.
Ir. Sokolova too studied Kirmaneuli. She wrote that original coins of Manuel I and John II have the legends without any mistake, with familiar for Trebizond palaeography, and their weight is higher than 2,5 gr. Kirmaneuli’s weight is lowered.
Now about the date of Kirmaneuli. T. Abramishvili thinks of the 14th c. as upper chronological limit for issue of these coins, still having in mind that the 15th c. Georgian documents bear the term “Kirmaneuli”. Also, we must take into consideration Kopitnari hoard, buried in the 15th c., with a large number of Kirmaneuli.
According to D. Kapanadze, lower chronological limit for Kirmaneuli is 1284/85. In 1284 Theodora Comnena, with the help of the Georgians, managed to seize the crown from her half-brother, Emperor John II, and she reigned for a while. Georgian assistance could be also financial, for this reason they started to issue money according to numismatic pattern of Trebizond.
As certain samples of Kirmaneuli are overstruck from the “Qā’ānics” and the dirhems of Il-khans, Abaqa (1265-1282) and Arghun (1284-1291), K. Golenko dates imitations to the aspers of Manuel I by the 80s of the 13th c. Then John II’s original coins started to circulate intensively in Georgia. And imitations with his name were struck up to the 15th c.
Ir. Sokolova takes Manuel I’s death as starting point for Georgian issues with the name of Manuel. At least, it could happen before the second half of the 80s of the 13th c., as some of the samples are overstruck from Arghun’s dirhems. And soon, after Theodora’s expedition, Georgians started to issue imitations to the aspers of John II.
Next question is, who struck these coins. For O. Retowski and Evg. Pakhomov Kirmaneuli is counterfeit money, and for D. Kapanadze Georgian government issued these coins to support Theodora Comnena. According to the Georgian documents, name of the money is derived from the name of “king of the Greeks”.
Mint: Kutaisi (?).
Nominal: Silver. The weights range from 2,3 gr. to 2,9 gr.
Date: 1261-1262.
Collection: Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia – 5 samples, ex. QF. (Main Fund of the Georgian Coins, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia) №1576; Kutaisi State Museum – №2263.
Bibliography:
T. Abramishvili. Coin of Two Davids. Bulletin (“Moambe”) of the State Museum of Georgia. Vol. XVI-В. Tb. 1950 (in Georg.); Western Georgian Money of the 13th -14th cc. Tb. 1959 (in Georg.); Catalogue of the Aspers of Trebizond and Western Georgian Money (Kirmaneuli) of State Museum of Georgia. Tb. 1984 (in Georg.).
G. Dundua. Georgian Numismatics. II. Tb. 2011 (T. Dundua as co-author) (in Georg.).
Iv. Javakhishvili. History of Georgian Nation. Vol. III. Tb. 1949 (in Georg.).
S. Kakabadze. About Weregeld Charters. Bulletin (“Moambe”) of History. II. Tb. 1924 (in Georg.).
D. Kapanadze. About Several Terms in Georgian Numismatics. Bulletin (“Moambe”) of the State Museum of Georgia. Vol. XII-В. Tb. 1944 (in Georg.); Georgian Numismatics. Tb. 1969 (in Georg.).
М. П. Баратаев. Нумизматические факты Грузинского царства. СПб. 1844.
К. В. Голенко. Клад монет из села Тобаниери. Византийский Временник (ВВ). XVI. М. 1959
Д. Г. Капанадзе. Так называемые грузинские подражания трапезундским аспрам. Византийский Временник (ВВ). III. М. 1950.
Е. А. Пахомов. Монеты Грузии. Тб. 1970.
И. В. Соколова. Трапезундские аспры и кирманеули с именем Мануила I и Иоанна Комнинов. Нумизматика и Эпиграфика (НЭ). XI. М. 1974; Кирманеули с именем Мануила из собрания Государственного Эрмитажа. Нумизматический Сборник (НС). Тб. 1977; Медные монеты Трапезундской империи из собрания Эрмитажа. Нумизматика и Эпиграфика (НЭ). XIV. М. 1984.
D. M. Lang. Studies in the Numismatic History of Georgia in Transcaucasia. New York. 1955.
O. Retowski. Die Münzen der Komnenen von Trapezunt. M. 1910; Отдельный оттиск из Нумизматического Сборника. I. 1911.
T. Abramishvili. Coin of Two Davids. Bulletin (“Moambe”) of the State Museum of Georgia. Vol. XVI-В. Tb. 1950 (in Georg.); Western Georgian Money of the 13th -14th cc. Tb. 1959 (in Georg.); Catalogue of the Aspers of Trebizond and Western Georgian Money (Kirmaneuli) of State Museum of Georgia. Tb. 1984 (in Georg.).
G. Dundua. Georgian Numismatics. II. Tb. 2011 (T. Dundua as co-author) (in Georg.).
Iv. Javakhishvili. History of Georgian Nation. Vol. III. Tb. 1949 (in Georg.).
S. Kakabadze. About Weregeld Charters. Bulletin (“Moambe”) of History. II. Tb. 1924 (in Georg.).
D. Kapanadze. About Several Terms in Georgian Numismatics. Bulletin (“Moambe”) of the State Museum of Georgia. Vol. XII-В. Tb. 1944 (in Georg.); Georgian Numismatics. Tb. 1969 (in Georg.).
М. П. Баратаев. Нумизматические факты Грузинского царства. СПб. 1844.
К. В. Голенко. Клад монет из села Тобаниери. Византийский Временник (ВВ). XVI. М. 1959
Д. Г. Капанадзе. Так называемые грузинские подражания трапезундским аспрам. Византийский Временник (ВВ). III. М. 1950.
Е. А. Пахомов. Монеты Грузии. Тб. 1970.
И. В. Соколова. Трапезундские аспры и кирманеули с именем Мануила I и Иоанна Комнинов. Нумизматика и Эпиграфика (НЭ). XI. М. 1974; Кирманеули с именем Мануила из собрания Государственного Эрмитажа. Нумизматический Сборник (НС). Тб. 1977; Медные монеты Трапезундской империи из собрания Эрмитажа. Нумизматика и Эпиграфика (НЭ). XIV. М. 1984.
D. M. Lang. Studies in the Numismatic History of Georgia in Transcaucasia. New York. 1955.
O. Retowski. Die Münzen der Komnenen von Trapezunt. M. 1910; Отдельный оттиск из Нумизматического Сборника. I. 1911.
Imported coins found in Georgia:
1. Kopitnari hoard includes 15 aspers of Trebizond. They are struck in the name of the following Emperors: Manuel I (1238-1263) – 6 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 7 samples, Manuel III (1390-1417) – 1 sample, Alexios IV (1417-1446) – 1 sample.
2. Tobanieri hoard includes 186 aspers. They are struck in the name of the following Emperors: John I (1235-1238) – 4 samples, Manuel I (1238-1263) – 56 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 125 samples, John II and Alexios II (up to 1297) – 1 sample.
The rest material is presented according to chronology of findings.
3. Asper of Trebizond was found in 1885 in Sokhumi, near left bank of the river Besleti.
4. Asper of Trebizond was found in 1886 in Sokhumi, on the territory of so-called cantonment.
5. A hoard of about 500 silver coins was accidentally found in 1894 in Patara Jikhaishi village, near Khoni. The hoard contains mostly the Ottoman (1520-1617) and Iranian (1524-1574) coins. John III’s (1340-1344) asper was in the hoard.
6. A hoard of the aspers of John I and Manuel I was found near Kutaisi in 1908. Evg. Pakhomov saw 50 pieces from the hoard and he bought 30 pieces.
7. John II’s asper was found in the vicinity of Sokhumi in either 1928, or 1929.
8. John II’s 5 aspers were found in Sokhumi in 1931.One of them is in the Fund of Treasury, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia.
9. D. Kapanadze bought John II’s asper found accidentally in the vicinity of Chiatura in 1932.
10. John II’s one more asper was found in Chiatura in the same year.
11. 13th c. asper of Trebizond was found in Kutaisi in 1935.
12. State Museum of Georgia bought John II’s asper found in 1940 in the vicinity of Shuamta village, Vani district.
13. Clay pot with silver coins was accidentally found in 1948 in Zeda Sazano village (Terjola district). Together with the Seljuk coins, the hoard contained Manuel I’s aspers, 9 pieces in all.
14. Manuel I’s coin was accidentally found in 1951 in Besleti village (Sokhumi district).
15. The following aspers of Trebizond were found in 1960 in Kutaisi during agricultural works to the North-West of Bagrati Cathedral: John I – 1 sample, Manuel I – 1 sample, John II – 19 samples. The hoard is kept at Kutaisi State Museum.
16. Coin of John II was found in 1969 in Khoni.
17. Aspers of Manuel I and Kirmaneuli were found in 1999 in Nojikhevi village (Martvili district) by Nokalakevi archaeological expedition.
19. In about 1930 silver coins were found on the territory of rest home Kechkhobi, Tsaghveri settlement (Borjomi district). Manuel I’s asper was among them.
20. Manuel I’s asper was found in one of the caves of Vardzia Monastery (Aspindza district) in 1934.
21. D. Kapanadze bought Manuel I’s asper found in 1936 near Vardzia Monastery (Aspindza district).
22. Hoard of 265 silver coins was found while land works near the church in Kheoba village (Kareli district) in 1939. Mostly Oriental coins were buried after 1267. Manuel I’s asper was among them.
23. Hoard of the silver coins was found while construction in Akhaldaba village (Borjomi district) in 1968. Manuel I’s asper was in the hoard. The hoard is kept at Khashuri Historical Museum.
24. One more asper of Manuel I was found in Vardzia (Aspindza district).
Circulation of 13th-15th cc. foreign coins in Western Georgia
1. Kopitnari hoard includes 15 aspers of Trebizond. They are struck in the name of the following Emperors: Manuel I (1238-1263) – 6 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 7 samples, Manuel III (1390-1417) – 1 sample, Alexios IV (1417-1446) – 1 sample.
2. Tobanieri hoard includes 186 aspers. They are struck in the name of the following Emperors: John I (1235-1238) – 4 samples, Manuel I (1238-1263) – 56 samples, John II (1280-1297) – 125 samples, John II and Alexios II (up to 1297) – 1 sample.
The rest material is presented according to chronology of findings.
3. Asper of Trebizond was found in 1885 in Sokhumi, near left bank of the river Besleti.
4. Asper of Trebizond was found in 1886 in Sokhumi, on the territory of so-called cantonment.
5. A hoard of about 500 silver coins was accidentally found in 1894 in Patara Jikhaishi village, near Khoni. The hoard contains mostly the Ottoman (1520-1617) and Iranian (1524-1574) coins. John III’s (1340-1344) asper was in the hoard.
6. A hoard of the aspers of John I and Manuel I was found near Kutaisi in 1908. Evg. Pakhomov saw 50 pieces from the hoard and he bought 30 pieces.
7. John II’s asper was found in the vicinity of Sokhumi in either 1928, or 1929.
8. John II’s 5 aspers were found in Sokhumi in 1931.One of them is in the Fund of Treasury, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia.
9. D. Kapanadze bought John II’s asper found accidentally in the vicinity of Chiatura in 1932.
10. John II’s one more asper was found in Chiatura in the same year.
11. 13th c. asper of Trebizond was found in Kutaisi in 1935.
12. State Museum of Georgia bought John II’s asper found in 1940 in the vicinity of Shuamta village, Vani district.
13. Clay pot with silver coins was accidentally found in 1948 in Zeda Sazano village (Terjola district). Together with the Seljuk coins, the hoard contained Manuel I’s aspers, 9 pieces in all.
14. Manuel I’s coin was accidentally found in 1951 in Besleti village (Sokhumi district).
15. The following aspers of Trebizond were found in 1960 in Kutaisi during agricultural works to the North-West of Bagrati Cathedral: John I – 1 sample, Manuel I – 1 sample, John II – 19 samples. The hoard is kept at Kutaisi State Museum.
16. Coin of John II was found in 1969 in Khoni.
17. Aspers of Manuel I and Kirmaneuli were found in 1999 in Nojikhevi village (Martvili district) by Nokalakevi archaeological expedition.
Aspers of Trebizond were circulating also in Eastern Georgia:
18. 2 aspers of Trebizond were found in Tbilisi in 1858.19. In about 1930 silver coins were found on the territory of rest home Kechkhobi, Tsaghveri settlement (Borjomi district). Manuel I’s asper was among them.
20. Manuel I’s asper was found in one of the caves of Vardzia Monastery (Aspindza district) in 1934.
21. D. Kapanadze bought Manuel I’s asper found in 1936 near Vardzia Monastery (Aspindza district).
22. Hoard of 265 silver coins was found while land works near the church in Kheoba village (Kareli district) in 1939. Mostly Oriental coins were buried after 1267. Manuel I’s asper was among them.
23. Hoard of the silver coins was found while construction in Akhaldaba village (Borjomi district) in 1968. Manuel I’s asper was in the hoard. The hoard is kept at Khashuri Historical Museum.
24. One more asper of Manuel I was found in Vardzia (Aspindza district).