ROMAN AND BYZANTINE COINS
Irene, 797-802. Solidus (Gold, 18mm, 3.84 g 6), Syracuse, c. 797/8. IREN AΓOVST Bust of Irene facing, wearing chlamys and crown with pendilia and a cross on a semicircle between two pinnacles, holding an akakia in her left hand; behind her shoulders, two curved lines of a throne-back. Rev. AΓOVST Bust of Irene facing, wearing loros and crown with pendilia and a cross on a semicircle between two pinnacles, holding a cross potent on base in her right hand. Anastasi 452. DOC 3. SB 1601. Spahr 340. Extremely rare. A wonderful, perfectly struck and perfectly centered example. Virtually as struck.
From a European collector.