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January Signature Sale 3089 21-22 Jan 2021
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Ancients
Justinian II, first reign (AD 685-695). AV solidus (19mm, 4.37 gm, 6h). NGC MS 4/5 - 5/5. Constantinople, 8th officina, AD 692-695. IhS CRISΤDS RЄX-RЄϚNANΤIЧM, half-length bust of Christ facing, with long hair and full beard, wearing pallium and colobium, cross behind head, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left arm / D IЧSTINI-ANЧ-S SERЧ CHRISΤI, full-length figure of Justinian II standing facing, wearing crown and loros, cross potent with base on two steps in right hand, akakia in left; H in lower right field, CONO-P below. Sear 1248. Excellent portrait of Christ, struck on a bright, lustrous flan.
The portrait of Christ on the obverse of this solidus is the first numismatic representation of Jesus, and immediately followed the ruling of the Trullan Synod of AD 692 that Christ could be depicted in human form. Justinian II was ostentatiously devout and placing the divine image on his coinage was a reflection of this. The image is remarkably naturalistic and lifelike, and was likely based on the mosaic image of Christ in the apse of the Great Palace of Constantinople, which was itself influenced by Hellenistic depictions of Zeus. Some scholars have argued that Justinian's choice to produce this new type came in response to the Umayyad caliph 'Abd al-Malik's minting of Byzantine-style solidi bearing the Islamic statement of faith (the shahada) in AD 692, which he used in payment of tribute to the Emperor prior to the eruption of the Battle of Sebastopolis the same year.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-justinian-ii-first-reign-ad-685-695-av-solidus-19mm-437-gm-6h-ngc-ms-4-5-5-5/a/3089-32243.s?type=CoinArchives3089
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 1000-2000 USD
Justinian II, first reign (AD 685-695). AV solidus (19mm, 4.37 gm, 6h). NGC MS 4/5 - 5/5. Constantinople, 8th officina, AD 692-695. IhS CRISΤDS RЄX-RЄϚNANΤIЧM, half-length bust of Christ facing, with long hair and full beard, wearing pallium and colobium, cross behind head, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left arm / D IЧSTINI-ANЧ-S SERЧ CHRISΤI, full-length figure of Justinian II standing facing, wearing crown and loros, cross potent with base on two steps in right hand, akakia in left; H in lower right field, CONO-P below. Sear 1248. Excellent portrait of Christ, struck on a bright, lustrous flan.
The portrait of Christ on the obverse of this solidus is the first numismatic representation of Jesus, and immediately followed the ruling of the Trullan Synod of AD 692 that Christ could be depicted in human form. Justinian II was ostentatiously devout and placing the divine image on his coinage was a reflection of this. The image is remarkably naturalistic and lifelike, and was likely based on the mosaic image of Christ in the apse of the Great Palace of Constantinople, which was itself influenced by Hellenistic depictions of Zeus. Some scholars have argued that Justinian's choice to produce this new type came in response to the Umayyad caliph 'Abd al-Malik's minting of Byzantine-style solidi bearing the Islamic statement of faith (the shahada) in AD 692, which he used in payment of tribute to the Emperor prior to the eruption of the Battle of Sebastopolis the same year.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-justinian-ii-first-reign-ad-685-695-av-solidus-19mm-437-gm-6h-ngc-ms-4-5-5-5/a/3089-32243.s?type=CoinArchives3089
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 1000-2000 USD