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Nomos 2

18 May 2010
Widder Hotel, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 15000 CHF
Hammer Price:  22100 CHF
Lot 227

Justinian II. First reign, 685-695. Solidus (Gold, 4.43 g 6), Constantinople, 692-695. IhS CRISTDS REX REGNANTIuM Draped bust of Christ facing, with long hair and full beard, raising right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left; behind head, cross. Rev. D IuSTINIANuS SERu ChRISTI Δ / CONOP Justinian II, crowned, bearded and wearing loros, standing facing, holding cross potent on base and two steps in his right hand and akakia in his left. DOC 7d. MIB 8a. SB 1248. A wonderful piece, beautifully struck, very sharp and with a superb portrait of Christ. Reverse slightly off center, otherwise, virtually as struck.


This coin bears the first numismatic portrait of Christ, and it remains one of the finest ever made. It shows Christ Pantocrator and was copied from a representation found in the Imperial Palace that was itself based on the head of the Zeus of Phidias from Olympia. The decision to place Christ on the coinage was a momentous one: until this point the Moslem Arab conquerors of the Byzantine East and Africa had been content to use Byzantine solidi as their sole gold coinage. The appearance of a bust of Christ, however, was unacceptable to them and led to the introduction of a new, national coinage, first with a ‘standing Caliph’, based on the figure of Justinian II, in 693/4 and then the non-figural epigraphic dinars that began in 696/7 (A.H. 77).

Online bidding closes: 18 May 2010, 09:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 28 Mar 2024, 18:13:16 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:22100 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 18 Mai 2010 at 9:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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