| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 555 | Auction date: 7 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 703 Price realized: 225 USD (Approx. 210 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Isaac Comnenus. Usurper in Cyprus, 1185-1191. EL Trachy (24.5mm, 1.71 g, 6h). Main mint (Nicosia?) (?). Struck circa 1187-circa 1191. [I] C/ O/ [M]M/ A - H[A], facing bust of Christ Emmanuel, holding scroll / [...], Isaac standing facing, holding cruciform scepter and akakia; [manus Dei to upper right]. Cf. DOC 3 (BI Trachy; for similar type); cf. SB 1992 (same). Toned with some luster, tiny edge splits and delaminations at edge, graffito, hairline scratches. VF. Purchased at the NYINC, January 2003. A very curious and perplexing coin. This coin most closely resembles a billon issue of Isaac Comnenus of Cyprus (DOC 3) but is here found in a low gold purity electrum. Issac did indeed strike electrum issues at the main mint, but none are recorded of this type. Additionally, Isaac's coinage tends to feature larger flans and heavier weights. Some BI Trachea are known closer to this coin's diameter but with larger dies. This coin features a small flan and was additionally struck from an accompanying small die. The flan does appear ancient with small delamination flaws around the edge. Additionally, the coin is struck at the usual 6h die axis and features the doubling expected on a Byzantine issue. Turning to the coin's iconography may help elucidate this unusual issue. One stylistic characteristic of note on Isaac Comnenus of Cyprus' issues concerns the pendilia of the stemma (crown). On many of the dies of this ruler's issues, one finds a loop midway on both pendilia hanging from the stemma. This feature appears on many dies of the DOC 3 BI Trachy and is also found on this issue. Additionally, the folds of the chlamys are appropriate to other Isaac dies. Finally, another convincing feature is found in the amount of the obverse legend visible that closely correlates to the DOC 3 issue. However, there are some major question marks concerning this coin, notably: the uncharacteristically small die and flan, the possibility of this being an off-strike (though this is perhaps unlikely due to it being struck from a small die that was seemingly intended for a flan such as is found here), the lack of a visible manus Dei on the reverse (which could be attributed to usual weakness but is nonetheless worth noting), and the lack of any additional specimen of this type. However, with these concerns specified, this remains a very interesting issue that may well represent a new find for the rare coinage of the usurper Isaac Comnenus of Cyprus. Estimate: 300 USD |  |
