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Nomos 17

26 October 2018
Zunfthaus zur Saffran, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 400 CHF
Hammer Price:  850 CHF
Lot 312

Period of Anastasius I - Justinian I, circa 498-565. Pentanummium (Billon, 12 mm, 1.87 g, 3 h), Constantinople?. Diademed and draped bust of emperor to right; in field to right, cross; around, border of large pellets. Rev. Large cursive E with cross to right; all within border of large pellets. DOC -. MIB -. Sb-, apparently unpublished. Extremely rare. Attractively toned and struck in high relief. Slightly rough surfaces, otherwise, extremely fine.



An extraordinary and inexplicable coin! In fact, precisely what this coin actually is is rather a mystery. The coin seems to be billon rather than bronze, which makes it exceptional in every way: after all, the denomination marked on it indicates that it is a 5 nummia piece – but that has nothing to do with silver. The obverse type of a small bust, and especially the large pellets that form its border, has affinities with a variety of Byzantine mints in the 6th century, but is exactly paralleled nowhere! The one certainty we have is that it is clearly genuine and must have been made in early Byzantine times.

Online bidding closes: 26 Oct 2018, 10:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 25 Apr 2024, 11:28:49 CEST Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:850 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 26 Oktober 2018 at 10:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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