Michael VII Ducas is the only ruler that I know of that received a nickname that had to do with coinage. He was known as Parapinakes, or “minus a quarter” – which referred to the devaluation of Byzantine currency under his rule. Here is what I call a “not-so-anonymous” follis featuring the bust of Christ found on earlier anonymous coins, but this type has a reverse with the bust of the earthly king.
Michael VII Ducas, AD 1071-1078.
AE Follis, 25mm, 4.1g, 6; Constantinople mint.
Obv.: Nimbate bust of Christ facing, wearing pallium and colobus, holding book of Gospels; star to either side.
Rev.: MIXAHΛ RACIA O Δ; Bearded bust of Michael VII facing, wearing crown and loros and holding labarum and globus cruciger.
Ref.: SB 1878.