Byzantine coins in the Tunay Demran collection

Tunay Demran, a collector registered with the Manisa Museum, has been contributing to the collecting of movable cultural heritage since 2000 with his collection of archaeological and ethnographic artefacts. There are a total of 468 coins in the collection. The coin collection, which covers a broad chronological range from the 6th century BC to the 16th-17th century AD, includes artefacts belonging to different civilisations, including Lydia, Greece, Persia, Rome, Byzantium, the Anatolian Principalities, and the Medieval European period. Our thesis focuses particularly on Byzantine Empire coins, which constitute a significant part of the collection with 218 coins. Based on different perspectives on the origins of Byzantine coinage, our analysis begins with the coinage reform initiated by Emperor Anastasius I (491-518). The coins are categorized and thoroughly examined according to their periods within the Byzantine Empire. This analysis indicates that the collection includes coins up to the reign of Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos (1282-1328). The study starts with a general overview of Byzantine coins, including their origins, the stages of the minting system, basic metals and denominations, and minting locations. It then presents a detailed examination of the collection. Initially, the thesis provides a brief introduction to collector Tunay Demran and a statistical analysis of his collection over the years. Since 2000, the collection has been expanding, and its artifacts have been studied by experts at different times. These studies are presented in a dedicated section of the thesis. Among the various studies, the book titled Tunay Demran Collection, published in 2017, is directly related to our research. This publication includes 69 Byzantine coins added to the collection from 2000 to 2017, analyzed along with statistical data presented in the thesis. Coins added to the collection from 2017 onwards, totaling 149, have been documented through photographs. Following this, a catalog was prepared by reviewing relevant national and international publications. The thesis includes a comparative analysis of coins added between 2000-2017 and 2017-2023, evaluating the collection's growth. It concludes with a results section, followed by plates featuring images of the coins and a comprehensive catalog. The appendices include a chronological list of Byzantine Emperors and a glossary of terms used throughout the thesis.