Catalogue
Leo III the 'Isaurian', (A.D. 717-741), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, issued 717-720, (4.46 g), 4th officina, obv. facing crowned and draped bust of Leo III, holding globus cruciger and akakia, around DNO LEON P A MUL, rev. cross potent on base and three steps, below CONOB, around VICTOR[IA A]VGU**D*, (S.1502 ?1000, DOC 1 var., MIB 1, BMC 5-7). Extremely fine portrait, with weak areas of legend, rare.
Estimate $1,700
SOLD $1,000
Leo III the 'Isaurian' and Constantine V, (717-741), gold solidus, (4.37 g), Constantinople mint, issued 721-724, obv. facing bust of Leo III with short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, holding cross potent on globe, around dND LEO ND AMUL, rev. Constantine V beardless wearing crown and chlamys, holding cross potent, around DN CONST ANTINUS M, (S.1504, DOC 5, BMC 8, T.54, R.1734, Fueg 4A). Light scratch in reverse field, good very fine - nearly extremely fine and rare.
Estimate $700
SOLD $850
Leo IV, the Khazar, (775-780) with Constantine VI (from 776), Leo III and Constantine V, gold solidus, (4.43 g), Constantinople mint, 9th officina, issued 778-780, obv. crowned facing busts of Leo IV and Constantine VI, each wearing chlamys, dot between their heads, cross above, around LEON VS S ESSON CONSTANTINOS O NEOS, rev. LEON PAPS CONSTANTINOS PATHR, crowned facing busts of Leo III and Constantine V, each wearing loros, dot between their heads, cross above, (S.1583, DOC 1b, Fueg 2.A.1). Area of die roughness on reverse, good very fine and rare.
Estimate $1,500
SOLD $1,700
Nicephorus I, (A.D.802-811) with Stauracius (from 803), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, (4.32g), issued 803-811, obv. facing bust of Nicephorus I, wearing crown and chlamys, holding cross potent, around NICI FOROS bASILE', rev. facing bust of Stauracius beardless wearing crown and loros, holding cross on globe, around STAVRA CIS DESPOIE, (S.1604, DOC 2a, BMC 8-10, Fueg 2.B.2). Weakly struck in some areas, otherwise good very fine.
Estimate $600
SOLD $850
Theophilus, (A.D.829-842), with Michael II (deceased father) and Constantine (deceased son), gold solidus, Constantinople Mint, (4.45g), issued 829-830/1, obv. facing bust of Theophilus, bearded wearing loros and crown with cross, patriarchal cross in hand, around *OEOFI LOS bASILE **Q*, rev. facing busts of Michael II and Constantine, each wearing crown and chlamys, cross between heads, around +MIXAHL S COnStANtIn', (S.1653, DOC 3, BMC 2). Very fine.
Estimate $700
SOLD $950
Theophilus, (A.D. 829-842), gold semissis, issued at Syracuse mint in A.D. 831-842, (1.76 grams), obv. facing bust of Theophilus, crowned with cross, holding cross on globe wearing chlamys, around **QEO FILOS, rev. facing bust of Theophilus, wearing loros, cross on head, holding cross on globe, around **QEO FILOS, (S.1674, DOC 26c, BMC 36-40). Good very fine and scarce.
Estimate $400
SOLD $480
Basil I and Constantine, (867-886), gold solidus (4.41 g), Constantinople mint, struck 868-879, obv. Christ enthroned facing wearing nimbus, raising right hand in benediction, also holding Gospels, the throne has curved ornamented arms, around + IhS XPS REX REGNANTIUM*, rev. bASILIOS ET CONSTANT' AUGG' b' around, facing busts of Basil I wearing loros on left and Constantine wearing chlamys on right, both crowned, between them long patriarchal cross, (S.1704, DOC 2b, R.1858). Good very fine, scarce.
Estimate $1,400
SOLD $1,100
Basil I the Macedonian, with Constantine, (A.D.867-886), gold solidus, class II, Constantinople mint, (4.41g), issued from A.D.870-871, obv. Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing wearing nimbus, raising right hand in benediction, also holding Gospels, the throne has curved ornamented arms, around + IhS XPS REX REGNANTIUM*, rev. bASILIOS ET CONSTANT' AUGG' b' around, facing busts of Basil I wearing loros on left and Romanus II wearing chlamys on right, both crowned, between them long patriarchal cross, (S.1704, DOC 2c, Fueg 3.B, R.1858). Very fine.
Estimate $400
SOLD $850
Constantine VII and Romanus II, (A.D.913-959), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, issued from A.D. 945, (4.39 g), obv. Christ facing bust wearing nimbus, raising right hand in benediction, also holding Gospels, around + IhS XPS REX REgNANTIUm around, rev. around CONSTANT CE ROMAN AVGG bR around, facing busts of Constantine VII wearing loros on left and Romanus II wearing chlamys on right, both crowned, between them long patriarchal cross, (S.1751, R.1905, DOC 15, BMC 60-63, R.1905). Small scratched X on obverse, otherwise nearly extremely fine and very scarce.
Estimate $1,000
SOLD $1,200
John I Tzimisces, (A.D.969-976), gold histamenon nomisma, Constantinople Mint, (4.03g), issued A.D.973-976, obv. facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, rev. crowned facing bust of John, holding patriarchal cross, being crowned by the Virgin Mary to right; manus Dei above John (S.1785, DOC 3; F?eg 4.C). A few light scratches, good fine.
Estimate $300
SOLD $550
Basil II, (A.D.976-1025), with Constantine VIII Co-emperor throughout reign and also (A.D.1025-1028), gold tetarteron, Constantinople mint, (4.21g), obv. Christ bust facing wearing nimbus with crescents in upper quarters, raising right hand, in left hand the Gospels, IhS XIS REX REgNANTInm around, rev. +bASIL C CONSTANT I bR around, facing busts of Basil on left wearing loros of square pattern, and Constantine on right wearing jewelled chlamys, each wearing crown, each holding between them a plain cross with X on the shaft, (S.1806; DOC 15b). Scratch of the reverse, otherwise good very fine and rare.
Estimate $700
SOLD $950
Eudocia, with Michael VII and Constantius, (A.D. 1067), gold histamenon nomisma (scyphate), Constantinople Mint, (4.11 g), obv. Christ Pantocrator seated facing on throne, wearing nimbus crown, colobium, and pallium, raising hand in benediction, and holding Gospel book, around +IhS XIS RECX REGNANTINM, rev. Eudocia standing on footstool, flanked by her sons Michael and Constantius, around +MIX EV DK KWNS, (S.1857, DOC 1). Very fine - good very fine and extremely rare.
Estimate $1,500
SOLD $1,900
Romanus IV, (A.D. 1068-1071), gold histamenon nomisma (scyphate), Constantinople mint, Class II, (4.30 g), obv. Christ standing on footstool, with nimbus crowning Romanus and Eudocia, IC XC, around +PWMA EVDKKA (sic), rev. Michael in centre, Constantius on left, and Andronicus on right, without footstools, around KWN MX AND, (S.1861, DOC 2, R.2026). Very fine/good very fine.
Estimate $700
SOLD $500
Michael VII, (A.D. 1071-1078), electrum gold histamenon nomisma (scyphate), Constantinople Mint, (4.28 g), obv. bust of long bearded Christ Pantokrator facing, wearing nimbus, raising right hand, in left hand the Gospels, IC XC across, double dotted border, rev. +MIXAH**L* BACI**L O D*, around bust of Michael facing, bearded wearing crown and loros, holding labarum without pellet on shaft and globe with cross, (S.1868, DOC 2d, BMC 3, R.2032). Good bust of bearded Christ, good very fine or better, scarce.
Estimate $450
SOLD $600
Nicephorus III, (A.D.1078-1081), electrum gold histamenon nomisma (scyphate), Constantinople mint, (4.33 g), obv. bearded Christ enthroned no back, facing, wearing nimbus, raising right hand, in left hand the Gospels, IC XC across, double dotted border, rev. +NIKH**F D*EC T W ROTANIAT, around bust of Nicephorus facing, bearded wearing crown and loros, holding labarum with X on shaft and globe with cross, (S.1881, DOC 3, BMC 7-11, R.2051-2). Flan crack, good very fine and very scarce.
Estimate $250
SOLD $400
John II Comnenus, (A.D.1118-1143), gold hyperpyon, Constantinople mint, (4.31g), second coinage, circa 1122-1137, obv. seated facing figure of Christ Pantokrator IC XC across at top, rev. full-length facing busts of John and the Virgin, John wearing divitision and loros holding labarum and akalia, the Virgin wears pallium and maphorium, right hand crowning the emperor, (S.1939, DOC 3, 2, R.2097, Hendy Pl.9, 4-5, BMC 41-42). A few marks, good very fine.
Estimate $600
SOLD $650
Manuel I, (A.D.1143-1180), gold hyperpyron, Constantinople mint, (4.27g), obv. Christ bust facing, beardless wearing nimbus, IC XC over to left +KERO, to right H**Q*EI, rev. facing figure of Manuel standing wearing crown, holding patriarchal cross to right 'manus Dei' legend to left **ML/NW/UHLD/E*C/**PO /TH to right **P/OR/F/UR/OGE/NH/T/W*, (S.1956, Hendy Pl.12, 1-11, BMC 1-13, R.2111-4). Graffiti on reverse, good very fine.
Estimate $500
SOLD $500
Isaac II, (A.D.1185-1195), gold hyperpyron, Constantinople mint, (4.16g), obv. The Virgin Mary enthroned facing, wearing nimbus, holds infant Christ facing, MP monogram to left and **QU* to right, rev. facing half length figures of the Archangel Michael nimbate on right and Isaac to left, holding between them sword in sheath, emperor holds cruciform sceptre and is crowned by manus Dei, legend to left ICAAKIOC, plain above, to right X/M, (S.2001, Hendy Pl.20, 2-4, BMC 3-11, R.2174-6). Light graffiti, good very fine.
Estimate $500
SOLD $650
Andronicus II and Michael IX, (1295-1320), gold hyperpyron (scyphate), Constantinople mint, (4.15 g), obv. bust of Virgin within city walls and six towers, control letters (sigla) B and **G* to left and right, rev. Andronicus II and Michael IX to left and right with Christ standing between both emperors, traces of partial legend downwards of each emperor, (cf.S.2396, Bendall PCPC 127, type sigla 10, cf.DOC 244). Weak in places as usual, otherwise very fine and very scarce.
Estimate $500
SOLD $400