Nomos 22

Phocas, 602-610. Solidus (Gold, 22 mm, 4.40 g, 6 h), Constantinople, E = 5th officina, 607-610. d N FOCAS PERP AVI Crowned, draped and cuirassed bust of Phocas facing, holding a globus cruciger in his right hand. Rev. VICTORIA AVGЧ E / CONOB Angel standing facing, holding globus cruciger in his left hand and long, rho-topped cross in his right. DOC 10e. MIB 9. SB 620. Clearly struck, and quite scarce with the die break on the obverse. Die break on obverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From a collection in Switzerland.

This coin was sold to its owner as being a very unusual imitation of Phocas, having been struck by an uncertain mint, presumably in the East, and closely copying an original issue. This attribution was based on a number of what were termed aberrant details in the lettering and the style in general. Unfortunately, a very careful and detailed examination of this coin by a number of connoisseurs of the period has shown that, in fact, only the most drastically aberrant details on solidi of Phocas are of any importance in attributing them to a mint other than Constantinople. In fact, all the seemingly unusual details on this coin - the S of FOCAS, the rounded border, the Angel's large right hand, the lettering, etc. - as brought out by its owner, are commonly found on numerous solidi of Phocas that, unquestionably, were officially struck in Constantinople! Sometimes if you study a coin too closely you begin to see things that are not there...