Heritage World Coin Auctions
CCE Signature Sale 3064 20-21 Apr 2018
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POST-ROMAN ITALY. Lombards (Pseudo-Imperial Period). Time of Perctarit, Second Reign (AD 672-688). AV tremissis (12mm, 2h). ANACS AU55. No mint (likely Lucca). IVIIV-VOIII (degenerate with pairs of I's likely to represent N's), pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, cuirass divided into 6 segments / IVIIOIIVIIVIIOII (degenerate and blundered legend transformed into a symmetric design) around cross potent. MEC I, 314 var (obverse legend). BMC Vandals 12 var (same). Bernareggi, Moneta 16 var (same). A superiorly-executed example with traces of die polish lines on the obverse (extremely rare for these typically crude issues), a classical, capped-die looking reverse, and mottled residue on the reverse. A very rare piece!
Likely copying the contemporary issues of the Byzantine emperors Heraclius (AD 610-641) and Constans II (AD 641-668), these pseudo-imperial gold tremisses were a common feature of early medieval Europe--presenting an opportunity, at once practical and "diplomatic," for the Germanic peoples who had come to inhabit the former Roman realm and who themselves had no coin striking traditions of their own. What is more, contemporary documents suggest that the emperor of Constantinople likely tried to enforce his sole prerogative to mint gold coins, though other evidence also hints that this proscription was not so heavily enforced with respect to the fractions of the solidus. Unlike the issues produced further north, however, the Lombardic pieces present relatively compact flans with high relief strikes, here showing a degenerate legend-turned-artistic flourish. Struck sometime after Perctarit's return to Tuscany from his Frankish exile in AD 671, the present offering also has to its credit the fact that it was produced by one of the few early Catholic Germanic rulers outside of Francia. (Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, most of the so-called "barbarian" kings who set up their rule adopted the Arian brand of Christianity, commonly considered a heresy at the time, much to the dismay of the Catholic clergy.)
HID02901242017
Estimate: 1000-1500 USD
POST-ROMAN ITALY. Lombards (Pseudo-Imperial Period). Time of Perctarit, Second Reign (AD 672-688). AV tremissis (12mm, 2h). ANACS AU55. No mint (likely Lucca). IVIIV-VOIII (degenerate with pairs of I's likely to represent N's), pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, cuirass divided into 6 segments / IVIIOIIVIIVIIOII (degenerate and blundered legend transformed into a symmetric design) around cross potent. MEC I, 314 var (obverse legend). BMC Vandals 12 var (same). Bernareggi, Moneta 16 var (same). A superiorly-executed example with traces of die polish lines on the obverse (extremely rare for these typically crude issues), a classical, capped-die looking reverse, and mottled residue on the reverse. A very rare piece!
Likely copying the contemporary issues of the Byzantine emperors Heraclius (AD 610-641) and Constans II (AD 641-668), these pseudo-imperial gold tremisses were a common feature of early medieval Europe--presenting an opportunity, at once practical and "diplomatic," for the Germanic peoples who had come to inhabit the former Roman realm and who themselves had no coin striking traditions of their own. What is more, contemporary documents suggest that the emperor of Constantinople likely tried to enforce his sole prerogative to mint gold coins, though other evidence also hints that this proscription was not so heavily enforced with respect to the fractions of the solidus. Unlike the issues produced further north, however, the Lombardic pieces present relatively compact flans with high relief strikes, here showing a degenerate legend-turned-artistic flourish. Struck sometime after Perctarit's return to Tuscany from his Frankish exile in AD 671, the present offering also has to its credit the fact that it was produced by one of the few early Catholic Germanic rulers outside of Francia. (Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, most of the so-called "barbarian" kings who set up their rule adopted the Arian brand of Christianity, commonly considered a heresy at the time, much to the dismay of the Catholic clergy.)
HID02901242017
Estimate: 1000-1500 USD