in benediction and holds the book of Gospels in his left. Rx: D N IuS - TINIA - NuS MuLTUS AN Facing bust of Justinian II with short beard and crown with cross atop. He holds a cross potent on three steps in right hand and a globus cruciger, inscribed PAX, in left hand. Sear 1413. DO 1. Berk 200. Some areas of flat striking, otherwise Mint State $2,000
Enlargement
Unpublished Officina
581. Tiberius III. 698-705 AD. Solidus, 4.38g (7h). Constantinople. Obv: D TIbERI - uS PE AV Bust facing, with short beard, wearing crown and cuirassed and holding spear diagonally across his body and shield. Rx: VICTORIA – Avζu HC Cross potent on three steps, CONOB beneath. MIB 3, but HC (officina 8) unpublished. Mint State $1,200
Leo III Hexagram, New Officina
584. Leo III. 717-741 AD. Hexagram, 2.67g (6h). Constantinople, 717-720 AD. Obv: DNO LEO - N - P A MUL Bust facing, with short beard, wearing plumed helmet and cuirassed, holding spear and shield. Rx: VICTORIA - AVSY S Cross potent on three steps, CONOB beneath. MIB 23, new officina S=6. Cf. DO 20 and Sear 1511. Extremely beautiful and rare. EF $1,000 Ex Gemini VIII, 14 April 2011, lot 518.
582. Solidus, 4.34g (7h). Constantinople. Obv: D TIbER - IuS PE AV Bust facing, with short beard, wearing crown and cuirassed and holding spear diagonally across his body and shield. Rx: VICTORIA – Avζu Z Cross potent on three steps, CONOB beneath. Berk 193. MIB 1. Sear 1360. Mint State $1,000
Apparently a flip strike, to judge from the visible fragments of the legends of the original strike, namely VICT on the obverse to the left of DNO LEO of the second strike, and DNO LE on the reverse to the left of VICT of the second strike. Our coin was struck by officina S=6, a new variety: previously this hexagram had only been recorded from officinae Δ=4 and E=5.
Pax Type
583. Justinian II. 2nd Reign, 705-711 AD. Solidus, 4.32g (7h). Constantinople. Obv: D N Ihs Ch[S R]EX REGNANTIuM Facing bust of Christ with short curly hair and cross behind his head. He raises his right hand
585. Constantine V. 741-775 AD. Solidus, 4.41g (6h). Constantinople, c. 741-751 AD. Obv: Bust of Constantine V facing, with short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, and holding cross potent and akakia. Rx: Facing bust of Leo III (the emperor’s deceased father), with short beard, wearing crown and chlamys, and holding cross potent and akakia. Berk 225. Sear 1550. DO 1. Good EF $2,200
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