Watch List notes:

Justinian II, First Reign, 685-695 AD. Solidus; Justinian II, First Reign, 685-695 AD; Constantinople, c. 692-695 AD, Solidus, 4.37g. Sear-1248, Berk-186 var., DO-7b, MIB-8. Obv: Facing portrait of Christ with cross behind head; he has long hair and full beard, wears pallium and colobium, and raises r. hand in benediction; he holds book of Gospels in l. Rx: Justinian, wearing crown and loros, standing facing, holding cross potent. First portrait of Christ on a coin. Ex Gemini XI, 12 January 2014, lot 580. Ex Gemini IV, 8 January 2008, lot 537.This and the next lot are first portraits of Christ on a coin, and show him virtually in the form of Zeus. Extremely lustrous. MS