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Click here to subscribeConstans AV Solidus. Aquileia, AD 337-340. FL IVL CONSTANS PF AVG, laurel and rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIAE D N AVG, two Victories standing facing, holding between them a wreath inscribed VOT V MVLT X in four lines; SMAQ in exergue. RIC 7; C. 161 var. 4.46g, 22mm, 7h. Good Extremely Fine. Very Rare. From the property of B.R.S., United Kingdom.
Constans AV Solidus. Antioch, AD 338-339. FL IVL CONSTANS PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM, Victory seated right on cuirass, inscribing VOT V MVLT X on a round shield supported on her knee and by a winged genius standing left before her; SMANS in exergue. RIC 29; Bastien, Donativa, 83b and 84, note 3; C. 140; Depeyrot 5/7. 4.47g, 22mm, 12h. Extremely Fine, some earthen adhesions. Ex Dr. Patrick Tan Collection; Ex Hess-Divo 328, 22 May 2015, lot 290; Ex Monnaies et Médailles 68, 15 April 1986, lot 404.
Constantius II AV Solidus. Siscia, AD 337-340. Decennalia issue. FL IVL CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, laurel and rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA DD NN AVG, Victory seated right on cuirass, holding shield inscribed VOT X MVLT XX in four lines and supported by winged Genius standing left; SIS* in exergue. RIC 30; Depeyrot 5/2; Biaggi 2176. 4.46g, 21mm, 7h. Good Extremely Fine. Beautiful style. Ex private Swiss collection.
Constantius II AV Solidus. Antioch, AD 337-347. FL IVL CONSTANTIVS PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM, Victory seated to right on cuirass, with Cupid supporting shield inscribed VOT XV MVLT XX in four lines; SMANZ in exergue. RIC 25; C. 243; Depeyrot 5/3. 4.51g, 22mm, 5h. Near Extremely Fine. Rare. From the V.D.T. Collection; Ex Gorny & Mosch 240, 10 October 2016, lot 580.
Constantius II AV Solidus. Trier, AD 347-348. CONSTANTIVS AVGVSTVS, pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIAE DD NN AVGG, two Victories standing facing holding between them a wreath inscribed VOT XX MVLT XXX in four lines; TR in exergue. RIC 132; Depeyrot 6/1. 4.58g, 22mm, 6h. Good Extremely Fine. From a central European collection.
Constantius II AV Solidus. Antioch, AD 355-361. FL IVL CONSTANTIVS PERP AVG, diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif / GLORIA REIPVBLICAE, Roma and Constantinopolis,with foot on prow, enthroned facing, each holding sceptre and supporting shield between them inscribed VOT XXX MVLT XXXX in four lines; SMANΔ• in exergue. RIC 162; Depeyrot 9/1. 4.49g, 20mm, 5h. Near Mint State; exceptional quality for the type. From a private Canadian collection.
Constantius II AR Ingot of 1 Roman Pound. Circa AD 337-361. Shaped like a double axe-head with flaring blades, thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges; stamped with an obverse die of Constantius II (D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right); IVLI chiselled above / Blank; large silver plug, adding metal to raise the weight. Manhattan Sale III, 225 (also of Constantius II, and also with IVLI inscribed); for similar double-axe shaped ingots, cf. Collingwood and Wright, The Roman Inscriptions of Britain (1965), 2402.4, p. 30; cf. Guide to the Antiquities of Roman Britain (1964), p. 46, fig. 21.b.4 = BM OA.247; cf. Painter, Two Roman Silver Ingots from Kent, Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 97 (1981), pp. 201-207. 343.45g, 117mm x 63mm (at widest point). As made. Extremely Rare, one of approximately 50 known such ingots, of which only a very few are in private hands. From a private European collection. Silver ingots like this one were used to pay soldiers and civil servants from around AD 305. The accession donative, at least between AD 361 and 518, is known to have been five gold solidi and one pound of silver per man for the rank and file (Ammianus Marcellinus, XX, 4.18). Officially, stamped ingots therefore occur fairly frequently in the fourth century, however ingots stamped at an imperial mint and bearing the emperor's portrait and titles are extremely rare; only six others are known - the Manhattan Sale example, and five all in the name of Magnentius (two found at Emona and three found at Kaiseraugst), all now in museum collections: see H.A. Cahn, Der spatromische Silberschatz von Kaiseraugst, 1984, pp. 324-329. The government department responsible for the collecting of taxes and levies was the Sacrae Largitiones, to which naturally fell the responsibility of also redistributing the gold and silver to the soldiers and officials. The Comes sacrarum largitionum "Count in charge of the sacred distributions" is possibly the IVLI named on this ingot, and the Manhattan Sale example.
Constantius Gallus, as Caesar, AV Solidus. Nicomedia, AD 351-354. D N FL CL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right / GLORIA REIPVBLICAE, Roma and Constantinopolis, enthroned facing, supporting between them a wreath inscribed VO-TIS V in three lines, Roma holding spear and Constantinopolis holding sceptre while resting foot on prow; SMNS in exergue. RIC 75; C. 24; Depeyrot 5/3. 4.41g, 22mm, 7h. Extremely Fine; flan crack at 7h obv., 11h rev. Very Rare. From the collection of A.S., Canada.
Julian II 'the Apostate' AV Solidus. Sirmium, AD 361-363. FL CL IVLIANVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VIRTVS EXERCITVS ROMANORVM, soldier standing to right, head left, holding trophy and dragging captive; *SIRM(wreath) in exergue. RIC 96; C. 78; Depeyrot 21/1. 4.21g, 21mm, 12h. Good Very Fine; traces of ancient jewellery mounting at 6 o'clock. Rare. From the collection of Z.P., Austria.
Valentinian I AR Siliqua. Sirmium, AD 364. D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VOTIS V MVLTIS X in four lines within wreath with jewel at apex; SIRM in exergue. RIC 2; RSC 79a. 1.81g, 19mm, 12h. Near Mint State. Dark old cabinet tone. From the V.D.T. Collection.
Valentinian I AV Solidus. Arelate, AD 364-367. D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / RESTIVTOR REIPVBLICAE, Emperor standing facing, head right, holding labarum inscribed with a Christogram and Victory on globe; KONSTAN in exergue. RIC 1b; Depeyrot 13/1. 4.44g, 21mm, 12h. Fleur De Coin. Exceptionally well detailed reverse.
Valentinian I AV Solidus. Treveri, AD 373-375. D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGG, Valentinian and Valens enthroned facing, holding globe between them; above, Victory facing with wings spread, palm frond between; TROBT in exergue. RIC 17b.6; Depeyrot 43/1. 4.46g, 20mm, 6h. Near Extremely Fine. From the V.D.T. Collection.
Valentinian I AV Solidus. Treveri, AD 373-375. D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGG, Valentinian and Valens enthroned facing, holding globe between them; above, Victory facing with wings spread, palm frond between; TROBT in exergue. RIC 17b.6; Depeyrot 43/1. 4.51g, 20mm, 1h. Extremely Fine; slight bend in flan. From a central European collection.
Valens AR Heavy Miliarense. Constantinople, circa AD 367-375. D N VALENS P F AVG, peal-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA D N AVG, Victory standing right, head left, holding wreath in left hand and staff surmounted by shield inscribed VOT X MVLT XX; Chi-Rho in left field, captives crouched at feet to left and right, (branch)CONSA(wreath) in exergue. Cf. RIC 31, pl. XII, 1 for similar miliarense in the name of Valentinian; otherwise unpublished. 5.22g, 25mm, 6h. Good Extremely Fine. Unique and unpublished. From a private German collection.
Valens AR Siliqua. Constantinople, AD 367-375. D N VALENS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VOT X MVLT XX in four lines within wreath with jewel at apex; (palm)C(Christogram)S(wreath) in exergue. RIC 37b; RSC 96†d. 2.31g, 18mm, 6h. Fleur De Coin. Scarce. Ex Chapdelaine Collection.
Gratian AV Solidus. Treveri, AD 367-375. D N GRATIANVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGG, two emperors seated facing, jointly holding globe; Victory above, wings spread; palm branch below; TROBT in exergue. RIC 17g; Depeyrot 43/3. 4.46g, 21mm, 6h. Near Mint State. From the V.D.T. Collection.
Valentinian II AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 375-378. D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA AVGGG Є, Constantinopolis seated facing on throne, head right, holding sceptre and globe; right foot on prow, CONOB in exergue. RIC 69b1; Depeyrot 47/5; Biaggi 2288. 4.50g, 21mm, 12h. Fleur De Coin.
Valentinian II AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 380-381. D N VALENTINIANVS IVN P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA AVGGG, Constantinopolis seated facing with head to right, holding long sceptre and globe; CONOB in exergue. RIC 44b; C. 1; Depeyrot 32/2. 4.44g, 21mm, 6h. Fleur De Coin. Very Rare. Privately purchased from Divus Numismatik, Germany.
Theodosius II AV Tremissis. Constantinople, AD 408-420. D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM, Victory walking right, her head turned left, holding wreath in her right hand and globus cruciger in her left; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. RIC 213; Depeyrot 70/1. 1.49g, 15mm, 5h. Good Extremely Fine; beautiful tone.
Theodosius I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 382-383. D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA AVGGG, Constantinopolis seated facing on throne, head right, holding sceptre and globe; right foot on prow, CONOB in exergue. RIC 44c; Depeyrot 32/3. 4.46g, 21mm, 11h. Extremely Fine. From the collection of A.S., Canada.
Theodosius I AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 383-388. D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA AVGGG B, Constantinopolis seated facing on throne, head right, holding sceptre and shield inscribed VOT V MVL X in four lines; right foot on prow, CONOB in exergue. RIC 70b; Depeyrot 45/1. 4.25g, 20mm, 12h. Near Mint State.
Theodosius II AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 441-450. D N THEODOSIVS•P•F•AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust right, holding spear over his right shoulder and shield decorated with horseman spearing a fallen enemy / IMP•XXXXII•COS•XVII•P•P•, Constantinopolis seated left on throne, holding globus cruciger and sceptre; right foot on prow, shield at her side, star in left field, COMOB in exergue. RIC 293; Depeyrot 84/1. 4.41g, 21mm, 6h. Mint State.
Theodosius II AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 441-450. D N THEODOSIVS•P•F•AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust right, holding spear over his right shoulder and shield decorated with horseman spearing a fallen enemy / IMP•XXXXII•COS XVII P•P•, Constantinopolis seated left on throne, holding globus cruciger and sceptre; right foot on prow, shield at her side, star in left field, COMOB in exergue. RIC 310; Depeyrot 84/1. 4.46g, 21mm, 6h. Near Mint State.
Arcadius AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 388-392. D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA AVGGG H, Constantinopolis, turreted, seated facing, head right, holding sceptre and shield inscribed VOT V MVL X; CONOB in exergue. RIC 70c.4; Depeyrot 46/3. 4.49g, 21mm, 6h. Mint State.
Arcadius AV Solidus. Sirmium, AD 393-395. D N ARCADIIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGG H, emperor standing right, holding Victory on globe and standard; at his feet, captive; S-M across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC IX 13c; Depeyrot -. 4.43g, 21mm, 11h. Extremely Fine; flan flaw on obv. portrait. Extremely rare with this variant obv. legend.
Arcadius AV Solidus. Mediolanum, AD 395-402. D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGGG, Emperor standing right, holding labarum and crowned by Victory on globe, with foot on captive to lower right; M-D across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC IX 35b = RIC X 1205; Depeyrot 16/1. 4.37g, 21mm, 12h. Good Extremely Fine. From the V.D.T. Collection; Ex Spink & Son (Zurich) 26, 25 April 1988, lot 28.
Arcadius AV Solidus. Mediolanum, AD 395-402. D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGGG, Emperor standing right, holding labarum and crowned by Victory on globe, with foot on captive to lower right; M-D across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC IX 35b = RIC X 1205; Depeyrot 16/1. 4.46g, 21mm, 6h. Extremely Fine.
Honorius AV Solidus. Mediolanum, AD 394-395. D N HONORIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGGG, Emperor standing right, holding labarum and Victory on globe, treading on captive to right; M-D across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC IX 35c = RIC X 1206a; Depeyrot 16/2. 4.48g, 21mm, 6h. Mint State.
Honorius AV Solidus. Mediolanum, AD 394-395. D N HONORIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGGG, Emperor standing right, holding labarum and Victory on globe, treading on captive to right; M-D across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC IX 35c = RIC X 1206a; Depeyrot 16/2. 4.49g, 21mm, 1h. Good Extremely Fine.
Honorius AV Solidus. Rome, AD 404-416. D N HONORIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVGGG, Emperor standing right, holding standard and Victory on globe, treading on captive seated left; R-M across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC 1252; Depeyrot 34/2. 4.46g, 21mm, 12h. Near Extremely Fine.
Honorius AV Solidus. Ravenna, AD 421. D N HONORIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, draped, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear and round shield decorated with Chi-Rho symbol / Roma and Constantinopolis, each seated facing one another on cuirass, holding wreath between inscribed VOT XXX MVLT XXXX in four lines; below, palm branch set on ground, R-V across fields, COMOB in exergue. RIC 1332; Ranieri 19; Depeyrot 4/2. 4.46g, 22mm, 1h. Extremely Fine. Very Rare. From a central European collection.
Aelia Eudocia (wife of Theodosius II) AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 441-450. AEL EVDOCIA AVG, draped, diademed bust right, above, manus dei holding wreath / IMP XXXXII COS XVII P P, Constantinopolis enthroned to left, foot set on prow of ship, holding sceptre with her left hand, globe cruciger on her outstretched right hand, at side, shield; star to left, COMOB in exergue. RIC 289; DOC 459; Depeyrot 84/4var. (CONOB). 4.47g, 21mm, 6h. Extremely Fine; area of weak strike. From a central European collection.
Anthemius AV Solidus. Rome, AD 468. D N ANTHEMIVS P F AVG, helmeted, pearl-diademed and cuirassed bust facing, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman and enemy motif / SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Anthemius and Leo I, in military attire, standing facing, holding spears and supporting a globus cruciger between them; Christogram in centre field, CORMOB in exergue. RIC 2822; C. 4; Lacam 71-3; Depeyrot 63/1; LRC 917. 4.34g, 20mm, 6h. Very Fine. Very Rare. From the collection of Z.P., Austria.
Julius Nepos AV Tremissis. First reign. Ravenna, AD 474-475. D N IVL NEPOS P F AVG, draped and cuirassed bust right wearing plain single banded diadem / Elaborate cross potent terminating in pellets at points; around, wreath with crossed ties, jewel in bezel at apex, COMOB below. Cf. Lacam 70 (plain diadem, plain cross); RIC -, cf. 3214 (pearl-diadem, not plain diadem, plain cross); C. -, cf. 16 (same); cf. DOC 940 (same); Depeyrot -, cf. 40/1 (same). 1.51g, 13mm, 6h. Near Mint State. Apparently unique and unpublished type for Nepos, with a plain diadem, and highly elaborate cross within an exceptionally well engraved wreath for this period, evidencing a high level of competency on the part of the engraver which indicates production in the first reign of Nepos at the Imperial court of Ravenna. From the collection of Z.P., Austria; Privately purchased from old Swiss collection (includes collector's ticket). While many historians consider Romulus Augustus to have been the last Roman emperor in the West (see next lot), Julius Nepos’ claim to this dubious honour is no less strong. Elevated to the position of Augustus by the Eastern emperor Leo I in AD 474 in order to replace the usurper Glycerius, who had been raised to the vacant throne by the Burgundian Magister militum Gundobad, Julius Nepos was married to the niece of Leo I and was also the nephew of the sovereign governor of Dalmatia, Marcellinus, hence his agnomen of nepos - “nephew”. In January, before Nepos could move against Glycerius, Leo I died, and was succeeded by his grandson, the young Leo II, who chose his own father Zeno as co-emperor. While little is known of Glycerius, according to Ennodius, the emperor “made many measures for the public good”, and seems to have tried his best to remain on good terms with the East Roman Empire, making overtures for reconciliation and abstaining from choosing a second Consul in order to allow Leo II to be sole Consul for the year 474. Nonetheless, under Roman Law Glycerius’ elevation was illegal, as the Eastern emperor had the right to choose his co-emperor, and Zeno maintained the official position of Constantinople to deny recognition to Glycerius. Therefore, in the Spring of 474, when the ports which had been closed for the winter reopened, Nepos made to cross the Adriatic Sea to depose Glycerius, who may have temporarily left the Imperial Court at Ravenna and relocated to Rome to resist the invasion, where he minted an extremely rare silver issue claiming himself as Augustus along with Leo II and Zeno. However, by June Nepos had entered Ravenna and deposed Glycerius without bloodshed, perhaps because he had failed to receive the support of the Roman Senate and Gallo-Roman aristocracy, or because his Magister militum Gundobad was absent from Italy either to raise more troops in Gaul, or to receive the legacy of his father Gundioc as King of the Burgundians. In any case, Nepos spared Glycerius’ life, an act of clemency possibly prompted by Glycerius’ apparently benevolent rule and the respect he had shown to the Eastern emperors throughout his short reign, and he was sent to lead a life of religious service as Bishop of Salona. Nepos’ own reign was hardly longer than that that of his predecessor; in August of 475 his Magister militum Orestes took control of the government at Ravenna, forcing Nepos to flee by ship back to Dalmatia. Orestes then proceeded to enthrone his teenage son as the new emperor in the West, under the regnal name Romulus Augustus. Though deposed, Nepos continued to be recognised as the de jure Emperor of the West until his death in 480, whereupon Zeno formally abolished the division of the Empire, ending the last legal claim to the throne of the West Roman Empire.
Romulus Augustus AV Tremissis. Ravenna, AD 475-476. D N ROMVLVS AGVSTVS P F A, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / Cross within wreath; COMOB below. Lacam 27 corr. (obv. legend, this coin); RIC 3410 var. (obv. legend, recorded under Rome but see note under Ravenna); Depeyrot -. 1.44g, 11mm, 6h. Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; a highly attractive example of this most desirable type, featuring a bold portrait and complete legend. From the collection of Z.P., Austria; Ex Münzen & Medaillen XVII, 2-4 December 1957, lot 655. On 31st October AD 475, the usurper Romulus Augustus was crowned Western Roman emperor. Placed on the throne as a proxy by his father, Romulus’ rule was short lived and unremarkable for he made no notable achievements. Despite this, the end of Romulus Augustus’ ten-month reign was popularised by famed historiographer Edward Gibbon as “the extinction of the Roman empire in the West”, meaning following his reign, Western emperors were no more than ineffectual puppets (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776–88). Romulus Augustus was the son of the Western Empire’s Magister Militum, Orestes. While serving the emperor Julius Nepos, Orestes staged a military coup forcing Nepos to flee into exile in Dalmatia. Having deposed Julius Nepos, Orestes proclaimed his son as emperor, a strange candidate since he was thought to be around fourteen years old at the time. Although not officially in charge, Orestes ruled with his son fulfilling the symbolic requirements of imperial tradition and his armies supplying military support. However, legitimacy to rule could only be achieved with the consent of the Eastern emperor who throughout Romulus Augustus’ reign still considered Julius Nepos (living in exile in Salonae near Split) the constitutional emperor. Historiographers have disagreed whether Julius Nepos was in fact the final Western emperor since following his death in AD 480, the Eastern emperor Zeno declared himself sole Roman Emperor. However, Julius Nepos never returned from his exile to rule as emperor in the West and following his usurpation by Orestes and Romulus Augustus, he was in fact completely powerless, thus, Romulus Augustus was undeniably the last de facto ruler of the West. Another more poetic reason for choosing Romulus Augustus as the final Western emperor over Nepos is that the names Romulus and Augustus tie the final emperor with both the mythical founder of Rome, and its first emperor. In AD 476 Orestes’ troops mutinied and he was executed at the hands of their new leader Odovacar. Odovacar advanced on Ravenna and captured the city and the young ruler. Romulus Augustus was compelled to abdicate and a signed letter was taken along with his imperial regalia to the Eastern emperor, Zeno, in Constantinople. Odovacar’s message to the East was that there was no longer need for the Empire to be split between Byzantium and Ravenna and that one ruler based in Byzantium would suffice. Romulus Augustus’ life was spared and he was sent by Odovacar to Campania to live with his relatives apparently with a pension. A letter by Cassiodorus in the name of Theodoric the Great in AD 507 seems to be written to the ex-emperor suggesting he was still alive in the sixth century. He is also mentioned by Count Marcellinus, a writer under Justinian, where he is called Augustulus, a diminutive often given to Romulus Augustus highlighting his youth. The coinage struck in the name of Romulus Augustus survives as part of very limited evidence of his reign. The standardised portraits are the only surviving images of Romulus Augustus and yet they tell us nothing about the person behind the imperial façade. Unfortunately, scholars thought the boy of little importance compared with the political crisis his reign concluded in and no information regarding his character survives.
Odoacer (Odovacar), King of Italy, AV Tremissis. Mediolanum, AD 476-491. In the name of Zeno. D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / Cross within wrath; COMOB in exergue. RIC 3608, Depeyrot 43/11. 1.40g, 13mm, 7h. Near Mint State. Extremely Rare. From the collection of Z.P., Austria.
Merovingians, AV Solidus. In the name of Anastasius. Time of Clovis I - Chlothar II, circa AD 500-587. PHΛNΛCTA[...] SIV - YUAVC, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Anastasius facing, holding spear and shield; Θ to right / VICTORI ΛUYGG, Victory standing left, holding long voided cross; star over monogram (FET?) in right field, CONOB in exergue. Unpublished in the standard references, for type cf. Belfort 5045-68; MEC 343-348; Collection NK 1013-23; for monogram cf. Prou p. cxvi. 4.43g, 20mm, 6h. Near Mint State. Unique. There is still no modern comprehensive study on the Frankish coinage of the early Merovingian period, namely the pseudo-imperial gold solidi and tremisses issued in the names of the eastern emperors Anastasius, Justin I and Justinian I, with Victory as a reverse type. The largest collection of material is published in A. De Belfort, Description générale des monnaies mérovingiennes, tome IV (Paris, 1894, reprinted in 1996), nos. 5022-5356. Under the Roman Empire the minting of gold coins was a jealously guarded imperial monopoly, a privilege respected by the early Frankish kings who had little idea of the state as a public institution and could not conceive of any other form of government or economic system beyond that of their primitive Frankish tribal groupings. These pseudo-imperial issues were initially struck in the name of the eastern emperor Anastasius (491-518), who realised the military qualities of Clovis I and in 508 bestowed on him the titles of consul and patrician. Gold solidi continued to be struck until the late 580s in various styles and engraving quality and exhibit a large variety of mint initials and symbols for an ever expanding kingdom which had once been Roman civilised Gaul. This pseudo-imperial gold appears to have been withdrawn in about 587 in favour of a new national coinage with clearer mint marks, moneyers names and royal titles, so characteristic of later Merovingian coinage. Throughout this period the Frankish kings had usually deferentially respected the imperial convention of issuing pseudo-imperial gold coins in the emperor’s name, but there was a striking exception: Theodebert I (534-548) had the audacity to break imperial custom by minting gold coins containing his own name and image (cf. Belfort 5467-5472and MEC 389). Not surprisingly, the Byzantine chronicler Agathias recorded the rumour in Constantinople that Theodebert was suspected of planning an invasion of Thrace. During the migration period of the 4th and 5th centuries AD the Franks were one of the principal elements in the West Germanic peoples, which included the Suevi, Burgundians, Ostrogoths and Visigoths. They settled in two principal groups; the Salians to the north-west of the river Rhine frontier covering modern Brabant and Flanders up to the Somme, and the kingdom of the Riparians around Cologne in the area between the rivers Moselle and Rhine. As Roman federate allies for much on the 5th century, the Franks achieved political mastery of much of Gaul under the leadership of the Salian Childeric (c. 457-481) and his son Clovis I (Chlodovech, 481-511), who became king as a boy of 15 at Tournai and whose talents can only be inferred from his legendary achievements. Culturally the Franks owed nearly everything to their contact with Gallic Rome, and they spoke a Latin dialect, the basis of modern French. The very name Clovis (in reconstructed Frankish ‘Hlodoweg’ meaning ‘renowned fighter’) was to morph into Latin as Ludovicus and the modern names Louis and Ludwig. During his reign Clovis increased Frankish power by brute force, putting to an end the old divisions between Ripuarian and Salic Franks and defeating the independent Roman governor Syagrius at Soissons in 476. According to the late 6th century History of Gregory of Tours, Clovis’ conversion to Catholicism was largely due to the influence of his second wife, the Burgundian Princess Clothilda who he married in 493. This was a brilliant diplomatic move, followed by a long series of royal baptisms started in Rheims by St Remi in 496. Clovis now forged a new Frankish identity allied to the Roman population of Gaul which was of great help in the struggle with the Arian Visigoths whom he defeated at Vouillé in 507 when he took over Aquitaine. Eventually he gained control over most of ancient Gaul, now called the Kingdom of the Franks (Francia). From his chosen capital at Paris, Clovis coordinated the political and economic organization of his kingdom with a council of bishops. There he also instituted the Salic Law, which codified the traditions of the Salian Franks with Roman law, still in force in Provence in southern France. Part of the Salic Law stipulated that a kingdom be equally divided among the immediate heirs of a ruler. On the death of Clovis in 511, Francia was divided into four nearly equal shares. His immediate successors, styling themselves ‘Merovingian’ after their semi-mythical ancestor named Merovech, were: Thierry I, Chlodomir, Childebert and Chlotar I, who inherited Metz, Orleans, Paris and Soissons respectively. Their greed and discord made them bitter and faithless enemies. When Chlodomir died in 524, Childebert and Chlotar murdered his sons and took his share. Yet Francia survived as one kingdom: Childebert I died in 558, and the extinction of his debauched grandson Theodebald I in 555 left the remaining Merovingian Chlotar I sole king. By this time Francia was even larger than it had been under Clovis: Thuringia was conquered by Thierry I in the early 530s; Burgundia occupied in 534 and Provence taken from the Ostrogoths in 537; much of northern Italy was occupied by Theodebert I in the early 540s, though not retained and recovered by Justinian's reconquest of Italy in the 560s.
Justinian I AV Solidus. Rome, circa AD 542-546. D N IVSTINIANVS P F AG, helmeted and cuirassed facing bust, holding globe cruciger in right hand, shield over left shoulder / VICTORIA AVGG A (with bar in the form of a pellet), angel standing facing, holding long staff surmounted by staurogram in right hand and and globe cruciger in left; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. MIBE 343; BCI 62; cf. Monte Judica hoard 63. 4.36g, 21mm, 6h. Fleur De Coin. Extremely Rare. From a private English collection.
Phocas Æ 40 Nummi. Ravenna, year 7 (= AD 608/9). D N FOCAS PERP AV, crowned, draped, and cuirassed bust facing, holding mappa and globe cruciger / ANN GI above large X/X-X/X across field, interspersed by pellets and central star; RAV in exergue. MIBE 111; DOC 134.1; Ranieri 520; Sear 705. 7.99g, 25mm, 5h. Good Very Fine. Very Rare.
Justinian II AV Solidus. First reign. Constantinople, AD 692-695. IҺS CRISTOS RЄX RЄςNANTIЧM, facing bust of Christ Pantokrator / D IЧSTINIANЧS SЄRЧ CҺRISTI H, Justinian standing facing, holding cross potent on steps in right hand, akakia in left; CONOP in exergue. Sear 1248; DOC 7f. 4.35g, 19mm, 6h. Extremely Fine. Very rare officina, engraved over a previous control (Δ). From a private Swiss collection.
Byzantine Æ Medallic Icon of the Epiphany. Ravenna, 6-7th century AD. EMMA-NVHL, bust of Christ facing, with cross nimbus behind head with flowing hair and beard and wearing pallium over colobium / Scene of the Adoration of the Magi: the three magi dressed in Persian style robes, cloaks and Phrygian caps, bearing gifts and standing reverently to right before the nimbate infant Jesus whose right hand is raised in benediction, sitting upright on the lap of Mary seated on a high back chair to left; star of Bethlehem above, two doves below. Exhibited at the 3rd Congress of Christian Archaeology, cf. Atti del III Congresso Internazionale di Archeologia Cristiana, Ravenna 25-29 September 1932, Studi di antichità Cristiana 8, Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana, Città del Vaticano 1934; for a similar 6-7th century medallion in gold also with adoration scene, see BM 1983,0704.1. 9.50g, 24mm, 11h. As Struck. Unique, and of great historical and theological interest. Exhibited at the 3rd Congress of Christian Archaeology, 1932 (sold with contemporary congress envelope dated "25 - 29 Sett. 1932 X". This remarkable medal depicts on the obverse a very early lifelike image of Christ as seen on several mosaic scenes in the church of St. Apollinare in Classis, Ravenna, dated to the reign of Justinian I (527-565) and a fresco on a wall of the Catacomb of Commodilla on the Via Ostiense in the periphery of Rome, dated to the reign of Constantine IV (668-685). The Romanised title Emmanuel derives from the Hebrew Immanu'El (‘God with us’), and appears in the Book of Isaiah as a sign that God will protect the House of David. The Gospel of St Matthew (1:22-3) quotes part of this: ‘a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel’, as a prophecy of the birth of the Messiah and the fulfilment of Scripture in the person of Jesus. With the possible exception of the Good Shepherd, the scene of the magi in worshipful adoration before the Holy Child is the earliest and most frequent artistic representation of Jesus' life and ministry. The iconography is in the style of the celebrated mosaic of the Epiphany scene in the church of St. Apollinare.
Philippicus Bardanes AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 711-713. ∂ N FILЄPICЧS MЧL TЧS AN, crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and eagle-tipped sceptre / VICTORIA AVςЧ I, cross potent set upon three steps; CONOB in exergue. Sear 1447; DOC 1j; MIB 1. 4.44g, 20mm, 6h. Near Mint State; a couple of minor hairlines. From a private Swiss collection.
Anastasius II Artemius AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 713-715. ∂ N ARTЄMIЧS ANASTASIЧS MЧL, crowned and draped bust facing, holding globus cruciger in right hand, akakia in left / VICTORIA AVςЧ Θ, cross potent set on three steps; CONOB in exergue. DOC 2h.1; MIB 2; Sear 1463. 4.47g, 20mm, 6h. Near Mint State. Rare. From a private Swiss collection.
Theodosius III of Adramytium AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 715-717. ∂ NTҺЄO∂OSIЧS MЧL A, crowned facing bust, wearing slight beard and loros, and holding akakia and globus surmounted by patriarchal cross / VICTORIA AVςЧ Є, cross potent set on three steps; CONOB in exergue. DOC 1b; MIB 1; Sear 1487. 4.46g, 19mm, 6h. Near Mint State. Very Rare. From a private Swiss collection.
Leo III the Isaurian, with Constantine V, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 717-741. ∂ NO LЄON P A MЧL•, crowned and draped bust of Leo facing, holding globus cruciger and akakia / ∂ N CONSTANTINЧ M, crowned and draped bust of Constantine facing, holding globus cruciger and akakia. DOC 6; Sear 1504. 4.47g, 21mm, 5h. Mint State. From a private Swiss collection.
Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo III, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 741-755. A CONSTANTINЧ NC, crowned and draped bust of Constantine facing, holding cross potent and akakia / C LЄON P A MЧL, crowned and draped bust of Leo facing, holding cross potent and akakia. DOC 1; Sear 1550. 4.44g, 21mm, 6h. Fleur De Coin. From a private Swiss collection.
Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo IV and Leo III, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 741-755. COҺSTAҺTIҺOS 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 in right hand. DOC 2; Sear 1551. 4.45g, 21mm, 6h. Near Mint State. From a private Swiss collection. From a private Swiss collection.
Irene AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 797-802. ЄIPIҺH ЬASILISSH, crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger in right hand, cruciform sceptre in left / •ЄIPIҺH ЬASILISSH Θ, crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre. DOC 1b; Sear 1599. 4.43g, 20mm, 6h. Mint State. From a private Swiss collection. Struck after AD 797, when Irene had had her son Constantine VI deposed and murdered, this solidus depicts Irene on both the obverse and reverse, and marks a distinct shift from the types of her predecessors. Gone is the cross-on-steps reverse type, or figures of deceased members of the dynasty, to be replaced by two facing busts of Irene. Here we have Irene proclaiming herself Empress and sole ruler in the most public way possible. However, after just five years on the throne she herself was deposed and replaced by her Minister of Finance, Nicephorus, and thus ended the first period in the history of the empire during which the throne was occupied by a woman exercising power in her own right. Beginning during the time she ruled as regent for her son, Irene severely depleted the state treasuries with her policy of reducing taxation and making generous gifts to buy popularity, leaving the empire weak and unable to offer effective resistance to foreign aggressors. Having had to accept terms from the Arab Caliphs both in 792 and 798 in order to protect the fragile security, and being harried by the Bulgarians simultaneously, Irene was powerless to stop the formation of a new empire in the west under Charlemagne, who in AD 800 was crowned in Rome by Pope Leo III as Holy Roman Emperor due to his belief that the Imperial position was vacant, as it could not be filled by a woman.
Nicephorus I, with Stauracius, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 803-811. ҺICIFOROS ЬASILЄI, crowned facing bust of Nicephorus, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent in right hand and akakia in left / STAVRACIS ∂ЄSPOI Θ, crowned facing bust of Stauracius, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent in right hand and akakia in left. DOC 2b.3; Sear 1604. 4.43g, 21mm, 6h. Fleur De Coin. From a private Swiss collection.
Nicephorus I, with Stauracius, AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 803-811. ҺICIFOROS ЬASILЄI, crowned facing bust of Nicephorus, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent in right hand and akakia in left / STAVRACIS ∂ЄSPOI X, crowned facing bust of Stauracius, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent in right hand and akakia in left. DOC 2c.2; Sear 1604. 4.46g, 19mm, 5h. Good Very Fine. From the collection of D.I., Germany, purchased before 1992.
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