An Exceedingly Rare Solidus of Nepos

Julius Nepos AV Solidus. Arelate, AD 474-475. D N IVL NEPOS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long cross; A-R across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC X 3223; Depeyrot 29/1; Lacam 8 = Heritage NYINC 3071, 32317 = NAC 33, 632; DOCLR 948; E. A. Arslan and M. A. Turchetti, Il Ripostiglio Di San Mamiliano a Sovana (Sorano-GR): 498 Solidi Da Onorio a Romolo Augusto (Fondazione Centro italiano di studi sull’alto Medioevo, 2015), 479-83. 4.34g, 22mm, 5h.

About Extremely Fine; slightly creased. Exceedingly Rare; only one example on CoinArchives.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

804.

3,000

805.

Leo II and Zeno AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 474. D N LEO EƮ ZENO P P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Leo and Zeno seated facing on double throne, each holding mappa in right hand; star and cross above, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 803; Depeyrot 98/1; DOC 600. 4.46g, 21mm, 7h.

Extremely Fine; planchet flaw. Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

1,200

Zeno AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 476-491. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Z, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 910 and 929; Depeyrot 108/1; Rauch 79, 2578 (same dies); Künker 193, 1071 (same obv. die, AVGGT Θ); Peus 414, 332 (same obv. die, AVGGT Є); Leu Web 20, 2842 (same obv. die, AVGGG I). 4.49g, 20mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

This issue is obverse die linked to the AVGGT series.

806.

Zeno AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 476-491. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Z, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 910 and 929; Depeyrot 108/1; for similar, cf. Lacam pl. 55, 27-31 (attributed to Bononia under Theoderic); CNG 106, 862 (uncertain mint) = CNG Triton XX, 934 = NAC 92, 898 (attributed to Theoderic) = NGSA 5, 338 = CNG Triton VI, 1186 = Tkalec February 2001, 434 = Spink 142, 372 = NFA XVIII, 635 (same obv. die, officina Є, CONOR mintmark); Künker 262, 8414 (same obv. die, officina B); Sincona 1, 122 (same obv. die, officina B); KHM ID82320 (same obv. die, officina Γ). 4.46g, 20mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine; of beautiful style.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

807.

300

Zeno AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 476-491. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Δ, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 911 and 930; Depeyrot 108/1; Roma XXV, 1124 (same obv. die, officina Z). 4.44g, 19mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine; a superb portrait.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

300

Zeno AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 476-491. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGT B, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 927 (Constantinople); Depeyrot 112/1 (Constantinople); MIRB 8 (Constantinople); DOC 664-5 var. (officina, attributed to Thessalonica); Lacam pl. 54-5, 16-25 var. (officina, attributed to Ticinum under Theoderic); Auktionen Frühwald 141, 55 (same obv. die, officina Z). 4.38g, 20mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine. Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

The replacement of the last letter of AVGGG with a T preceding the officina letter on solidi issued in the name of Zeno has been the subject of much numismatic debate. For the most part, this has been focused on the theory that this letter represents a mint location or minting authority separate from Constantinople.

Attributions to Western mints have been convincingly discredited. The coins are unlike anything minted in the name of Zeno in the West. Numismatists who have recognised the evidently Eastern origin of these coins have argued for attributions to Thessalonica or an unidentified imperial mint. That the use of the letter T has been associated with Thessalonica is unsurprising. Die links prove however that the coins were struck contemporaneously with regular AVGGG issues (see lot 805). If the letter T was intended to represent a location, it was not used consistently. Grierson and Mays argued that the coins were struck in Thessalonica using dies imported from Constantinople however this seems unlikely unless regular AVGGG reverses came too (DOC, p. 184). If that were the case, the theory that the reverse dies were engraved with a T to indicate their intended location of use is less convincing. Furthermore, it has been argued by Hahn that one would expect the officina letter to be replaced if the dies were commissioned (MIRB, p.51).

Attributions to an unidentified imperial mint have placed an emphasis on the use of CONOR rather than CONOB in the exergue. There is no question however that both are found on the AVGGT coins and therefore this is not necessarily peculiar to a separate mint. Given that OB (an abbreviation of obryza) was a guarantee of the metal purity of the coin itself and therefore crucially important, it is more likely that R was substituted for B occasionally without any self-conscious intention on the part of the engraver. The confusion between B and R can be observed in other legends from the coins of Leo I onwards (Kent, RIC X, p. 61 and 117).

That all ten officinae were employed to strike the coins favours attribution to Constantinople. Hahn argued that for this reason alone there can be no doubt regarding the mint attribution of the coins (MIRB, p. 51). For Depeyrot, the attribution to Constantinople is certain on the basis that many coins from this series were hoard found at Abritus (Depeyrot, p. 263). The explanation for the T is therefore not likely related to a mint location but to something else.

It is possible that these coins are the result of a misinterpretation of the abbreviation for trium augustorum. This explanation however would require the same error to have been made by die engravers working for all ten officinae. As particular obverse dies were being utilised by multiple officinae (for example, Kunker 193, 1071 and Peus 414, 332), this would also require some contemporaneity. If the T was included intentionally then it is curious that the die engravers chose to replace a letter in the legend rather than make use of the fields. Hahn suggested that this might be an especially marked emission for the financing of a celebration, possibly a triumph after the defeat of the usurper Leontius, though this is simply conjecture (MIRB, p. 51).

Thessalonica Mint

Zeno AV Solidus. Thessalonica, AD 476-491. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in left and right fields, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 939; Depeyrot 62/1; DOC 666-8; MIRB 19. 4.45g, 20mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine; well-centred and highly lustrous. Very Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

600

810.

Pseudo-Imperial, Odovacar (Odoacer) AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Ravenna, AD 476-489. D N ZENO PERP F AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOBRV in exergue. RIC X 3634; Depeyrot 42/1; DOC -; BMC Vandals 2; Lacam pl. 51, 32; Roma XXV, 1127 (hammer: £4,400); Roma XXIII, 1150; NAC 93, 1100 (hammer: CHF 7,000); Künker 104, 679 = Künker 97, 2014 = Künker 89, 2810; Bolaffi 31, 296. 4.45g, 19mm, 6h.

Mint State. Very Rare; only five other examples on CoinArchives.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

1,800

811.

Pseudo-Imperial, Odovacar (Odoacer) AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Rome, AD 476-489. D N ZENO PER P F AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG :, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, COMOB in exergue. RIC X 3651; cf. Depeyrot 78/2 (Nepos); Ladich p. 11; MEC 1 -; BMC Vandals -; DOC -; Lacam pl. 50, 2 (same obv. die). 4.42g, 22mm, 7h.

Extremely Fine. Very Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

1,200

812.

Pseudo-Imperial, Odovacar (Odoacer) AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Rome, AD 476-489. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG A, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. Unpublished in the standard references; cf. RIC X 3651-7; cf. DOC 686-7; cf. Lacam pl. 57-8, 70-81; Lanz 162, 453 = CNG e332, 391 (same dies). 4.48g, 19mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; unpublished in the standard references and only one other on CoinArchives.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

This example is undoubtably linked in style and fabric to the issues attributed to Rome despite bearing the mint mark CONOB instead of COMOB (see lot 813).

813.

Pseudo-Imperial, Odovacar (Odoacer) AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Rome, AD 476-489. D N ZENO AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Γ, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, COMOB in exergue. RIC X 3654; Depeyrot 91/1; Ladich p. 11; MEC 1 -; BMC Vandals -; DOC -; Lacam pl. 57, 70 (same obv. die); NAC 93, 1096 (hammer: CHF 8,500); CNG MB 72, 2213; Roma XXIII, 1152 (same obv. die). 4.29g, 21mm, 7h.

Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

In RIC X, Kent argues that the Rome solidi struck at the behest of Odovacar can be divided into two series. The first series bearing the mint mark COMOB and :, R or Γ at the end of the reverse legend, and the second with •COMOB• and Γ• or Ä (see p. 216).

1,200

815.

Pseudo-Imperial, Odovacar (Odoacer) AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Rome, AD 476-489. D N ZENO PERP F AVG, helmeted, pearl-diademed and cuirassed bust facing, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Ä, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, •COMOB• in exergue. RIC X 3657; Depeyrot 92/1; Ladich p. 11; MEC 1, -; BMC Vandals -; DOC -; Lacam pl. 50, 8. 4.26g, 21mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine. Very Rare; rated R4 by RIC.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

816.

1,200

Pseudo-Imperial, uncertain AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Uncertain mint, AD 476-489. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / IVCTORIA AVGGG Δ, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. For prototype, cf. RIC X 911 and 930, Depeyrot 108/1. 4.36g, 20mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine; highly lustrous. Extremely Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

1,200

Pseudo-Imperial, uncertain AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Uncertain mint, AD 476-489. D N ZENO PERP F AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG S, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, COMOB in exergue. For prototype, cf. RIC X 910 and 929, Depeyrot 108/1; CNG 57, 1455 (same dies); for similar, cf. Roma XXV, 1130 (hammer: £3,000). 4.36g, 20mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

1,200

817.

Pseudo-Imperial, uncertain AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Uncertain mint, AD 476-489. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Δ, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. For prototype, cf. RIC X 911 and 930, Depeyrot 108/1. 3.52g, 19mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine; considerably below the official weight standard. Extremely Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

900

818.

Visigoths, Uncertain King AV Solidus. In the name of Zeno. Arelate(?), AD 480-491. D N I ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Z, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. DOC 690 (Arles?) = Lacam pl. 44, 136 (Visigoths, same dies); Roma XXIII, 1157 (same dies). 4.41g, 21mm, 7h.

Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; the second recorded example.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

600

This example is struck from the same dies as the DOC specimen which is tentatively attributed to Arelate (Arles) by Grierson and Mays on the basis of style. As Arles was annexed by the Visigothic kingdom after Zeno’s accession it has been argued that coins were likely to have been struck there in his name (DOC, p. 189) although this was disputed by Kent in RIC X.

819.

Basiliscus AV Solidus. Constantinople, 9 January - August AD 475. D N bASILISCµS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG S, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 1003; Depeyrot 101/1; DOC 607; Roma XXV, 1118 (same dies). 4.41g, 20mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine; planchet flaw. Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

820.

Basiliscus AV Solidus. Constantinople, 9 January - August AD 475. D N bASILISCµS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG S, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 1003; Depeyrot 101/1; DOC 607. 4.32g, 20mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine. Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

823.

Basiliscus and Marcus AV Solidus. Constantinople, autumn AD 475 - August AD 476. D N bASILISCI EƮ MARC P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Є, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, [CONOB] in exergue. RIC X 1024; Depeyrot 105/2; DOC 623 (image in catalogue incorrect). 4.37g, 21mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine. Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

An Extremely Rare Milan Mint Issue

Basiliscus AV Solidus. Mediolanum(?), AD 475-476. D N bASILISCVS PRET AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG:, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, •COMOB• in exergue. RIC X 3313 (Mediolanum); Depeyrot 81/3 (Rome); DOC 616 var. (obv. legend, Mediolanum under Nepos); Lacam pl. 49, 2 (Mediolanum under Nepos) = BM 1852,0903.20 (same dies); Toffanin -. 4.44g, 20mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine; flan slightly wavy. Extremely Rare; rated R4 by RIC, seemingly no others on CoinArchives.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

824.

Anastasius I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 491-498. D N ANASTASIVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG I, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. MIBE 4a; DOC 3i; Sear 3. 4.39g, 21mm, 5h.

Good Extremely Fine.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

Anastasius I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 491-498. D N ANASTASIVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, cross on helmet, holding spear and shield with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Δ, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. MIBE 4a; DOC 4-; Sear 3. 4.41g, 20mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine. Scarce type with the emperor’s helmet decorated with a cross rather than a trefoil ornament.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

825.

Anastasius I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 491-498. D N ANASTASIVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, cross on helmet, holding spear and shield with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG S, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. MIBE 4a; DOC -; Sear 3. 4.47g, 20mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine. Scarce type with the emperor’s helmet decorated with a cross rather than a trefoil ornament.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

827.

Pseudo-Imperial, uncertain AV Solidus. In the name of Anastasius I. Uncertain mint, AD 491-518. D N ANASTASIVS PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG Ɐ, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, •COIIOB• in exergue. Unpublished in the standard references; Roma XXIII, 1156 (same obv. die, hammer: GBP 4,600); for similar style, cf. Roma XXV, 1133 (Θ officina, hammer: GBP 5,000), MEC 1, 343-4 and Belfort 5025-42 (Merovingians). 4.50g, 20mm, 7h.

Near Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; apparently the second known example.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

828.

Pseudo-Imperial, uncertain AV Solidus. In the name of Anastasius I. Uncertain mint, AD 491-518. D N ANAƧTAƧIVƧ PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG ᗺ (sic, retrograde), Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. Unpublished in the standard references; for similar, cf. Roma XXIII, 1156 (Ɐ officina, hammer: GBP 4,600), Roma XXV, 1133 (Θ officina, hammer: GBP 5,000), MEC 1, 343-4 and Belfort 5025-42 (Merovingians). 4.51g, 19mm, 6h.

Near Mint State. Extremely Rare.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

1,200

Ostrogoths, Theoderic AV Solidus. In the name of Anastasius I. Rome, AD 493-518. D N ANASTASIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman and fallen enemy motif / VICTORIA AVGGG ☧, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, COMOB in exergue. Metlich 4; Ladich 31; MEC 1, 13; BMC Vandals 62; NAC 25, 643; Roma XXV, 1134 (same dies); Roma XXIII, 1155 (hammer: £7,000). 4.46g, 22mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; Arslan & Metlich cited the existence of only five specimens of this type.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, R. Beale and S. Parkin, The Mare Nostrum Hoard (forthcoming); From the Mare Nostrum Hoard (1954).

1,200

829.