Nomos 19

Michael I Rhangabe, with Theophylactus, 811-813. Solidus (Gold, 20 mm, 4.44 g, 7 h), Constantinople. MIXA-HL bASILE’ Bearded bust of Michael I facing, wearing chlamys and crown with cross, holding a cross potent in his right hand and an akakia in his left; in field to left, pellet. Rev. ΘEOFVLA-CTOS DESP’E Beardless bust of Theophylactus facing, wearing loros and crown with cross, holding a globus cruciger in his right hand and a cross tipped scepter in his left. DOC 1b. Füeg 1.B. SB 1615. Very rare. Die break on the obverse and some roughness, otherwise, about extremely fine.

From the Trausnitz Collection, ex Leu Numismatics & Numismatica Ars Classica, 26 May 1993, 213.

When Nicephorus I was killed in battle by the Bulgarians he was succeeded by his very badly wounded son Stauracius. He, in turn, was deposed and tonsured in a coup by Michael I, his brother-in-law, and died from his wounds three months later. Michael's reign was not a long one: after also being severely defeated in battle by the Bulgarians he was forced to abdicate and ended up dying as an elderly monk in 840 (Theophylactus was also made a monk and died five years after his father). Their coinage is very rare, almost certainly due in part to the withdrawal of all their issues by their successor.