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Nomos 19

17 November 2019
Zunfthaus zur Saffran, Zurich
overview
Estimate: 125 CHF
Hammer Price:  170 CHF
Lot 459

AXUM. Wazena (WZN), circa 610-630. (Bronze, 18 mm, 1.62 g, 1 h). l'Hzb zydl in Ge'ez ('May this please the peoples') Draped bust of Wazena to right, holding grain ear scepter. Rev. zwzn zngs in Ge'ez ('of Wazena, of the king') Cross crosslet with voided center. BMC 414 ff. MH/JJ 118. Sharply struck. Attractive brown surfaces overlaid with green. About extremely fine.

From a Swiss collection, ex Bolaffi 33, 29 November 2018, 622 (part.

What is extraordinary about this coin is the cross on its reverse: it has a voided center over a crosslet and with small Latin crosses at each end. This is unusual in itself, but fascinatingly, in a note that appeared in the lamented NCirc in 1994, B. Juel-Jensen and S. Munro-Hay suggested that this Axumite reverse type was actually copied on some later coins of King Offa of Mercia (757-796); in fact, a coin of the present type was actually found by a metal detectorist near Hastings!.

Online bidding closes: 17 Nov 2019, 10:00:00 CET Current Date & Time: 28 Mar 2024, 21:57:31 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:170 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 17 November 2019 at 10:00 CET. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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