11 minute read
COINS OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
Advertisement
830.
Anastasius I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 491-518. D N ANASTASIVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear over right shoulder and shield with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG H, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding voided cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. MIBE 4a; DOC 3g; Sear 3. 4.51g, 20mm, 6h.
Mint State.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 92, 16 December 2021, lot 1110.
831.
Justinian I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 545-565. D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVC, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVCCC A, angel standing facing, holding long staff surmounted by staurogram and globus cruciger; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. MIBE 7; DOC 9a; Sear 140. 4.50g, 21mm, 6h.
Mint State.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 92, 16 December 2021, lot 1131.
832.
Justinian I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 545-565. D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVC, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVCCC H, angel standing facing, holding long staff surmounted by staurogram and globus cruciger; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. MIBE 7; DOC 9h; Sear 140. 4.38g, 20mm, 6h.
Mint State; lustrous metal, an attractive example.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 93, 6 January 2022, lot 1374.
600
600
450
Phocas AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 603-607. O N FOCAS PЄRP AVC, draped and cuirassed bust facing, wearing crown without pendilia, holding globus cruciger / VICTORIA AVCC I, angel standing facing, holding staff surmounted by staurogram and globus cruciger; CONOB in exergue. MIBE 7; DOC 5j; Sear 618. 4.48g, 22mm, 6h.
Mint State; mirror-like surfaces. Previously NGC graded MS 5/5 - 4/5 (#5782097-002).
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 93, 6 January 2022, lot 1400; Acquired from Oslo Myntgalleri AS.
450
833.
Phocas AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 607-610. ∂ N N FOCAS PЄRP AVG, draped and cuirassed bust facing, wearing crown without pendilia and holding globus cruciger / VICTORIA AVςЧ Є, angel standing facing, holding staff surmounted by staurogram and globus cruciger; CONOB in exergue. MIBE 11 corr. (rev. legend); DOC 10e. 6-7; Sear 620. 4.51g, 20mm, 7h.
Good Extremely Fine.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 91, 2 December 2021, lot 1243.
834.
Heraclius AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 610-613. ∂ N ҺЄRACLIЧS P P AVG, cuirassed bust facing, wearing plumed helmet and chlamys, holding cross in right hand / VICTORIA AVςЧ Є, cross potent set on three steps; CONOB in exergue. MIB 5; DOC 3b; Sear 731. 4.36g, 21mm, 7h.
Near Mint State.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 91, 2 December 2021, lot 1250.
300
300
835.
Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine and Heraclonas, AV Solidus. Constantinople, dated IY 11 = AD 637/8. Heraclius, Heraclonas and Heraclius Constantine, each crowned, wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger, standing facing / VICTORIA AVςЧ Γ, cross potent on three steps, monogram in left field, IA monogram in right field; CONOB in exergue. MIB 45; DOC 39b; Sear 764. 4.43g, 19mm, 6h.
Near Mint State.
Privately purchased from Numismatica Ars Classica AG.
Exceedingly Rare Ceremonial ½ Hexagram Unknown before 2005
300
836.
Constans II AR Ceremonial ½ Hexagram. Constantinople, AD 652-654. ∂ N CONSƮANƮINЧS P P AV, Constans standing facing, wearing crown and chlamys and holding globus cruciger / Cross potent on three steps; palm fronds flanking. DOC -; MIB -; Sear -; S. Bendall, “A New Silver Ceremonial Coin of Constans II,” NumCirc CXIII.5 (October 2005), p. 306, no. 103. 2.35g, 18mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine; areas of flat strike, lustrous and untouched fields. Exceedingly Rare; possibly only the tenth known example of the type.
From a private UK collection. 1,500
838.
Constans II, with Constantine IV, Heraclius and Tiberius, AV Solidus. Ravenna, dated IY 10 = AD 666/7. ∂ N CONSƮANƮINI CONSƮANI, facing busts of Constans, on left with long beard and chlamys, and Constantine IV, beardless, wearing crown and chlamys; cross between their heads / VICTORIA AVςЧ I, cross potent on three steps between facing standing figures of Heraclius, on left, and Tiberius, on right, both beardless, wearing crown and chlamys, and holding globus cruciger; • below, CONOB in exergue. Unpublished variant with pellet below steps; for similar, cf. BCI 477 (Ravenna); cf. MIB 132 (Ravenna); cf. Ricotti Prina 1972, p. 28, 4a (Venice); cf. BNP pl. 57, Atelier Italiaens 01-02; cf. Sear 1142 (uncertain mint). 4.40g, 19.5mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, the type rated R4 by BCI, and seemingly unpublished with a pellet on the rev. Ex Fernand David Collection, Editions V. Gadoury, Spring Auction, 12 March 2022, lot 99.
3,000
839.
Justinian II AV Solidus. Second reign. Constantinople, circa AD 705. ∂ N IҺS CҺS RЄX RЄGNANTIЧM, bust of Christ Pantokrator facing / ∂ N IVSTINIANVS MЧLTЧS AN, facing bust of Justinian, wearing crown and loros, holding cross potent on three steps and globus cruciger inscribed PAX. MIB 1; DOC 1; Sear 1413. 4.44g, 20mm, 6h.
Near Mint State; areas of flatness.
Acquired from Morton & Eden Ltd; Ex European Ambassador Collection, formed in the 1950s and 1960s.
840.
2,100
Justinian II AV Solidus. Second reign. Constantinople, AD 705-711. ∂ N IҺS CҺS RЄX RЄGNANTIЧM, bust of Christ Pantokrator facing / δ N IЧSTINIANЧS ЄT TIbЄRIЧS P P A’, crowned half-length figures of Justinian, on left, and smaller figure of Tiberius, on right, both wearing divitision and chlamys, jointly holding with their right hands a cross potent on two steps. MIB 2a; DOC 2a; Sear 1414. 4.50g, 21mm, 6h.
Near Mint State; weak obv. strike.
Acquired from Morton & Eden Ltd; Ex European Ambassador Collection, formed in the 1950s and 1960s.
Anastasius II Artemius AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 713-715. ∂ N ARTЄMIЧS ANASTASIЧS MЧL, crowned and draped bust facing, holding globus cruciger and akakia / VICTORIA AVςЧ A, cross potent on three steps; CONOB in exergue. MIB 2; DOC 2a; Sear 1463. 4.44g, 19mm, 6h. Mint State.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 91, 2 December 2021, lot 1262.
3,000
1,200
841.
Anastasius II Artemius AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 713-715. ∂ N ARTЄMIЧS ANASTASIЧS MЧL, crowned and draped bust facing, holding globus cruciger and akakia / VICTORIA AVςЧ A, cross potent on three steps; CONOB in exergue. MIB 2; DOC 2a; Sear 1463. 4.49g, 19mm, 6h. Mint State; some areas of weak strike.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 91, 2 December 2021, lot 1263.
Extremely Rare
842.
1,200
843.
Theodosius III of Adramytium AR Hexagram(?). Constantinople, AD 715-717. d N ThEOdO-SIЧS M[ЧL A’], crowned facing bust with short beard, wearing loros, holding patriarchal cross on globe and akakia, crown topped with cross / VIC[TORIA A]Ч A, cross potent on three steps; CONOB in exergue. MIB 12; DOC 2 note; Sear 1491. 3.16g, 22mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine; beautiful light cabinet tone over lustrous metal. Extremely Rare, and among the finest surviving examples.
1,800
From a private European collection. Sear posits that this uncertain silver denomination could be a hexagram using the solidus dies for Sear 1487. Very few examples of this issue survive.
844.
Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo III, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 740-742. C LЄON P A MЧL Θ, crowned and draped bust of Leo facing, holding cross potent and akakia / C N CONSƮANƮINЧ NC(ligate), crowned and draped bust of Constantine facing, holding cross potent and akakia. Füeg 1.B.7; DOC 1b var. (rev. legend); Sear 1550. 4.46g, 20mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine.
From a private European collection.
Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo III, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 745-750. C LЄON P A MЧL’, crowned and draped bust of Leo facing, holding cross potent and akakia / [C] N CONSƮANƮNIЧS, crowned and draped bust of Constantine facing, holding cross potent and akakia. Füeg 2.B.4¹; DOC 1d.1-2 var. (rev. legend); Sear 1550; Gorny 212, 3232. 4.48g, 21mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare with this combination of legends; just one other example on CoinArchives.
From a private European collection.
300
300
845.
Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo IV and Leo III, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 756-764. COҺSƮAҺƮIҺOS S LЄOҺ O ҺЄOS, crowned facing busts of Constantine V and Leo IV, each wearing chlamys; cross above, pellet between / C LЄON P A MЧL, crowned facing bust of Leo III wearing loros, holding cross potent. Füeg 5.A.2; DOC 2d.1; Sear 1551. 4.44g, 20mm, 7h.
Extremely Fine.
From a private European collection.
846.
300
847.
Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo IV and Leo III, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 764-773. COҺSƮAҺƮIҺOS S LЄOҺ O ҺЄOS, crowned facing busts of Constantine V and Leo IV, each wearing chlamys; cross above, pellet between / C LЄON P A MЧL Φ, crowned facing bust of Leo III wearing loros, holding cross potent. Füeg 6.B.5; DOC 2g; Sear 1551. 4.43g, 20mm, 7h.
Good Extremely Fine.
From a private European collection.
848.
300
849.
Leo IV ‘the Khazar’, with Constantine VI, Leo III, and Constantine V, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 778-780. LЄOҺ VS S ЄςςOҺ COҺSƮAҺƮIҺOS O ҺЄO[...], crowned busts of Leo IV and Constantine VI facing, each wearing chlamys; cross above, pellet between / LЄOҺ PAP’ COҺSƮAҺƮIҺOS PAƮHR, crowned facing busts of Leo III and Constantine V, each wearing loros; cross above, pellet between. Füeg 2.A/B; cf. DOC 1b; Sear 1583. 4.42g, 20mm, 6h.
Near Mint State.
From a private European collection.
300
Constantine VI, with Leo III, Constantine V, and Leo IV, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 780-787. [LЄOҺ VS S ЄςςOҺ COҺSƮAҺƮI]ҺOS O Һ[ЄOS], Leo IV and Constantine VI enthroned facing, each wearing crown and chlamys and holding akakia; cross above / [LЄOҺ PAP COҺSƮAҺƮI] ҺOS PAƮHR, crowned facing busts of Leo III and Constantine V, each wearing loros; cross above, pellet between. Füeg 1.B.1; DOC 2.1 (Leo IV); Sear 1584 (Leo IV). 4.43g, 21mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd, Auction XXII, 8 October 2021, lot 1551.
600
Constantine VI, with Leo III, Constantine V, and Leo IV, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 780-787. [LЄOҺ VS S ЄςςOҺ COҺSƮAҺƮIҺOS O ҺЄOS], Leo IV and Constantine VI enthroned facing, each wearing crown and chlamys and holding akakia; cross above, pellet between / LЄOҺ PAP COҺSƮAҺ[ƮIҺOS PAƮHR], crowned facing busts of Leo III and Constantine V, each wearing loros; cross above, pellet between. Füeg 1.B/C; DOC 2 (Leo IV); Sear 1584 (Leo IV). 4.41g, 20mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine.
From a private European collection.
300
850.
Constantine VI and Irene, with Leo III, Constantine V, and Leo IV AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 787-790. COҺSƮIҺOS […], Constantine V, Leo III, and Leo IV seated facing, each crowned and draped / S IRIҺI AVΓ’ MI[…], crowned facing busts of Constantine IV, draped and holding globus cruciger, and Irene, wearing loros and holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre; cross above, pellet between. Cf. Füeg C.2.13/Ir.2; DOC 1; Sear 1593. 4.39g, 20mm, 6h.
Near Mint State.
From a private European collection.
851.
600
852.
Constantine VI and Irene AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 793-797. IRIҺH AΓOVSƮI, crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre / COҺSƮAҺƮINOS bAS’ Θ, crowned and draped facing bust of Constantine, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia. Füeg 5.A; DOC 3a; Sear 1594. 4.44g, 21mm, 7h.
Near Mint State; area of flat strike.
From a private European collection.
853.
1,800
Constantine VI and Irene AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 793-797. IRIҺH AΓOVSƮI, crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre / COҺSƮAҺƮINOS bAS’ Θ, crowned and draped facing bust of Constantine, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia. Füeg 5.A; DOC 3a; Sear 1594. 4.40g, 21mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd, Auction XXII, 8 October 2021, lot 958.
1,050
Irene AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 797-802. ЄIRIҺH ЬASILISSH, crowned bust of Irene facing, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre / • ЄIPIҺH ЬASILISS[H ⴲ], crowned bust of Irene facing, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre. Füeg 1.C.1; DOC 1a.2, 4-5; Sear 1599. 4.39g, 19mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine. Rare.
From a private European collection.
1,800
854.
Extremely Rare
Nicephorus I AV Solidus. Syracuse, AD 802-803. ҺICIFOROS ЬAS, crowned facing bust of Nicephorus, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent and akakia / IhSЧS XRIS ƮЧS ҺICA X, cross potent on base, set on two steps; C-I across fields. BCI 820b (this coin) corr. (rev. legend); unpublished elsewhere. 3.88g, 19mm, 6h.
Mint State. Extremely Rare.
This coin published in D’Andrea, Costantini & Ranalli, Byzantine coinage in Italy (Acquaviva Picena, 2017); Ex Numismatica Ars Classica AG, Auction 75, 18 November 2013, lot 696 (hammer: 10,000 CHF).
900
855.
Nicephorus I, with Stauracius, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 803-811. • ҺICIFOROS ЬASILЄ’, crowned facing bust of Nicephorus, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent and akakia / SƮAVRACIS ∂ЄSPO’ X, crowned facing bust of Stauracius, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia. Füeg 2.B.3; DOC 2c; Sear 1604. 4.38g, 20mm, 6h.
Mint State.
From a private European collection.
Very Rare
600
856.
Michael I Rhangabe, with Theophylactus, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 811-813. • MIXAHL bASILЄ’, crowned and draped bust of Michael facing, holding cross potent and akakia / ΘЄOFVLACƮOS dЄSP’ Є, crowned bust of Theophylactus facing, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and transverse cruciform sceptre. Füeg 1.A; DOC 1b; Sear 1615. 4.49g, 20mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine; minor scrape to obv., highly lustrous. Very Rare.
From a private European collection.
6,000
858.
Theophilus,
Good Extremely Fine; small contact mark to rev.
Ex Dr. Peus Nachfolger, Auction 351, 23 April 1997, lot 1013.
859.
1688. 4.40g, 20mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine; small area of flatness. Very Rare, particularly in this condition.
From a private European collection.
Michael III became sole emperor at the age of just two, and in his infancy the empire was governed by his mother Theodora, and the minister Theoktistos. During the regency period, the use of religious icons, which previous rulers had sought to ban, was reinstated. This definitive end to Iconoclasm led to a renaissance in visual arts.
3,000
His later reign is difficult to evaluate due to the overtly hostile accounts written under Basil I, which characterise him as a drunkard. The impression gained from Arab sources, however, is one of Michael as an active and often successful military commander. Most importantly, during his reign Bulgaria had been transformed from a dangerous enemy into a religious and cultural satellite of Byzantium. This conversion of the Bulgarians has been evaluated as one of the greatest cultural and political achievements of the Byzantine Empire.
860.
Basil I ‘the Macedonian’, with Constantine, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 870-871. ⧾ IhS XPS RЄX RЄGNANTIЧM*, Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing / ЬASILIOS ЄT COҺSƮAhƮ’ AЧGG Ь’, crowned facing busts of Basil, with short beard and loros, and Constantine, beardless and wearing chlamys, holding patriarchal cross between them. Füeg 3.C.2; DOC 2; Sear 1704. 4.45g, 20mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine.
Ex Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung, Auction 60, 5 October 1992, lot 683.
600
Basil I ‘the Macedonian’, with Constantine, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 870-871. ⧾ IhS XPS RЄX RЄGNANTIЧM*, Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing / ЬASILIOS ЄT COҺSƮAhƮ’ AЧGG Ь’, crowned facing busts of Basil, with short beard and loros, and Constantine, beardless and wearing chlamys, holding patriarchal cross between them. Füeg 3.C.2; DOC 2; Sear 1704. 4.47g, 20mm, 6h.
Good Extremely Fine.
Acquired from Morton & Eden Ltd; Ex European Ambassador Collection, formed in the 1950s and 1960s.
861.
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, with Romanus I and Christopher, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 924-931. ⧾ IhS XPS RЄX RЄϚNANTIЧM ⸭, Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing / ROMAҺ’ ЄT XRISƮOFO’ AЧϚϚ Һ’, crowned busts of Romanus and Christopher facing, holding patriarchal cross between them, and wearing loros and chlamys respectively. Füeg 7.A.2; DOC 7; Sear 1745. 4.43g, 20mm, 6h.
Near Mint State.
Acquired from Morton & Eden; Ex European Ambassador Collection, formed in the 1950s and 1960s.
862.
1,200
863.
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, with Romanus II, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 955-959. ⧾ IҺS XPS RЄX RЄϚNANTIЧm, bust of Christ Pantokrator facing / COҺSƮAҺƮ CE ROMAҺ’ AЧϚϚ Ь R, crowned facing busts of Constantine VII, wearing loros, and Romanus II, wearing chlamys, holding patriarchal cross between them. Füeg 15.A.2; DOC 15; Sear 1751. 4.40g, 21mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine; well-centred.
Ex Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger, Auction 360, 27 April 1999, lot 792.
750
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, with Romanus I, Stephen and Constantine AR Miliaresion. Constantinople, AD 931-944. IҺSЧS XRISTЧS ҺICA, cross potent set upon three steps, crowned facing bust of Romanus in central medallion, pelleted cross below; RƜ-MA across fields / ROMAҺO COҺSTAҺT STЄFAҺOS CЄ COҺSTA ЄҺ XƜ Ь R in five lines; pelleted cross between dashes above and below. DOC 20; Sear 1755. 2.93g, 25mm, 12h.
Good Extremely Fine; pleasant old cabinet tone, superb for the issue.
Acquired from Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger.
600
Nicephorus II Phocas AV Histamenon Nomisma. Constantinople, AD 967-969. ⧾ IҺS XPS RЄX RЄϚNANTȠ’ᙏ, facing bust of Christ Pantokrator / ⧾ ΘЄOTOC’ b’ HΘ’ ҺICHF, ∂ЄSP, half-length facing busts of the Virgin, nimbate, wearing stola and maphorium, and Nicephorus, wearing crown and loros, holding patriarchal cross between them; M-Θ either side of Virgin. Füeg 3.C.1; DOC 4; Sear 1778. 4.44g, 22mm, 6h. Mint State; rev. edge marks.
Acquired from Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger.
865.
