Watch List notes:

NICEPHORUS II with BASIL II, 963-969. AV Histamenon Nomisma (4.33 gms), Constantinople Mint, 963-964. NGC VF, Strike: 4/5 Surface: 1/5. Ex-Mount.
S-1777. Obverse: Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator; Reverse: Crowned busts of Nicephorus and Basil facing, holding long patriarchal cross between them. This gold piece exhibits circulation wear and some metal movement on the edge that indicate it was once mounted in jewelry. Nonetheless, it remains a charming example of this SCARCE dynastic type. All three busts are well-presented and the legends are legible. An interesting piece that is free from excessive scratches or graffiti.

Featuring the busts of the Nicephorus II along with his stepson Basil II, this piece exemplifies the precarious nature of imperial succession in the Byzantine empire. A power vacuum arose following the premature death of emperor Romanus II in 963, as his two sons were still much too young to rule in their own right. The powerful general, Nicephorus, thus proclaimed himself emperor with the support of his troops. He swiftly married the widowed empress, Theopano, and adopted her sons. The relationship was mutually beneficial, as Nicephorus needed to tie himself to the imperial family in order to strengthen his shaky claim to the throne, and Theophano needed a powerful husband to ensure her sons' eventual accession. The boy featured on this coin, Basil II, would later go on to be one of Byzantium's greatest rulers.

Ex: Christie's New York (05/1984), Lot # 547.

Estimate: $500 - $750