Basil II Bulgaroktonos, with Constantine VIII, 976-1025. Histamenon nomisma (Gold, 23 mm, 4.37 g, 6 h), Constantinople, circa 977-989. + IhS XPS RЄX RЄςNANTIhm Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, wearing tunic, himation and a nimbus cruciger with a pellet in each arm, raising his right hand in benediction and holding Book of Gospels in his left. Rev. (crescent) + bASIL' C COnSTAnTI' b' R' On the left, crowned bust of Basil, wearing loros, and, on the right, crowned bust of Constantine, wearing a chlamys, holding between them a patriarchal cross with their right hands. Cf. DOC 2a and SB 1796 (but lacking the crescent on the reverse). For another piece with a reverse crescent, but unnoticed by its cataloguer, see: CNG 120, 2022, 1008. Füeg -. A very rare variant, unrecorded prior to its appearance in the Hunt Collection. Clear and well-struck. Obverse struck from a slighly worn die on a slightly ragged flan, otherwise, extremely fine.
