| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 2793 Price realized: 62 CHF (Approx. 70 USD / 65 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Anonymous, circa 10th century. Medallion (Lead, 25 mm, 5.67 g), 'Eulogia' of St. Symeon Stylites the Younger. +ЄVΛOΓIA TOV AΓIOV [CVMЄONOC TOV ΘAV]MATOVPΓOV ('Blessing of Saint Symeon the Miracle Worker') Nimbate half-length bust of St. Symeon the Younger, wearing monastic hood and holding book of Gospels, seated on column; on the left side of the column, Symeon's disciple Konon standing right; on the right side of the column, Symeon's mother Martha standing left, both nimbate and raising their hands in a gesture of supplication; in the inner left field, staircase. Rev. Large cross. Cf. Gary Vikan: Art, Medicine, and Magic in Early Byzantium, in: DO Papers 38 (1984), p. 65-86, fig. 7. Some surface roughness, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. Starting price: 25 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5223 Price realized: 440 CHF (Approx. 500 USD / 465 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Alupios, imperial mandator of the droungarios, 10th century. Seal (Lead, 25 mm, 6.82 g, 12 h). +KЄ ROHΘ TⲰ CⲰ ΔOVΛ, - M - Θ Nimbate Theotokos 'Nikopoios' facing, holding medallion of Christ on her chest with both hands in prayer . Rev. AΛVΠ, R' MANΔ' T૪ ΔPOΓAP, - O / A/Γ - A/K/A/K, Nimbate and draped bust of Saint Akakios facing, wearing jeweled chlamys and holding martyr's cross. Unpublished in the standard references. A remarkable seal of excellent preservation. About extremely fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. Saint Akakios was a Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred for his faith in 303/4 in Byzantion (Constantinopolis). He was venerated as a military saint, but he very rarely appears on seals. Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Nomos AG > obolos 30 | Auction date: 17 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 774 Price realized: 140 CHF (Approx. 162 USD / 147 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: BYZANTINE SEALS. Nikolaos., late 11th - early 12th century. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 25 mm, 8.59 g, 12 h), 11TH CENT. MP - ΘV Bust of the Virgin facing, nimbate, wearing pallium and maphorium, holding in both hands medallion of infant Christ. Rev. +ΘΚΕ ΒΟΗΘΕΙ ΤΩ CΩ ΔOYΛ, /O N/I-K/O/Λ Nimbate facing bust of Saint Nikolaos, raising hand in benediction and holding the book of the Gospels. A beautiful seal, product of an imperial workshop? Good very fine. From a European collection. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5244 Price realized: 88 CHF (Approx. 100 USD / 93 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Konstantinos Skleros, proedros, 2nd half of 11th century. Seal (Lead, 27 mm, 17.16 g, 12 h). M/I-X St. Michael standing facing, wearing loros and holding trefoil scepter in his right hand and globe in his left. Rev. ΓPAΦAC / CΦPAΓIZω / ΠPωЄΔP૪ / KωN T૪ C/KΛHPO ('I seal the letters of Konstantinos Skleros, proedros') in five lines. W. Seibt: Zwischen Identifizierungsrausch und -verweigerung: Zur Problematik synchroner homonymer Siegel, in: in C. Ludwig (ed.): Siegel und Siegler. Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Brussel, New York, Oxford, Wien, pp. 141-145, no. 10. Wassiliou-Seibt, Corpus 475. Very fine. From the collection of lic. iur. Jürg Netzer, Switzerland, ex Leu Web Auction 8, 29-30 June 2019, 1760. Werner Seibt showed that several members of the famous Skleros family were named Konstantinos in the 11th century, and at least some of them must be contemporaneous. It is likely that all seals with a standing St. Michael on the obverse belong to the same person: two types have conventional legends which mention the high court dignity of proedros (Seibt 11 and 12), and three other pieces have differing metric legend compositions (Seibt 8-10, of which our seal is an example of no. 10). Seibt 13, a seal with a half-length bust of St. Michael on the obverse, apparently belongs to the same official, but it comes from an earlier stage of his career, when he was kouropalates. It also mentions the military office of doux. The seal published by Seibt only had a fragmentary legend, but lot 1761 below, a recently surfaced example (ex Obolos 11 (2018), 776, there erroneously dated to the late 10th century), in fact confirms his reading. Starting price: 50 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5261 Price realized: 40 CHF (Approx. 45 USD / 42 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Basileios Apokapes, protoproedros and doux of Edessa, last quarter 11th century. Seal (Lead, 24 mm, 13.75 g, 12 h). [RACI]-Λ/H/O, Bust of Saint Basil facing, nimbate, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left. Rev. [KЄ RO]HΘЄI... / CIΛЄIⲰ / AΠPOЄΔ[PⲰ] / S ΔOVKA Є.../CHC TⲰ AΠ/OVKAΠI in five lines. DO IV 73.1 (with legend variants). Marks and scratches and some doubling, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection, acquired before 2021. Basileios, member of the aristocratic Armeno-Georgian family Apokapes (Abu K'ab), had a glorious military career in the second half of the 11th century, eventually rising to the elevated rank of sebastos. Written sources first mention him successfully defending the city of Manzikert during a Seljuk siege in 1054-1055. In the following years, he was dispatched to defend the Danube border together with the future emperor, Nikephoros Botaneiates. During an invasion of Oghuz Turks, both men were captured, but after an epidemic struck the invading force, they were released. Basileios later served on the eastern front, where he became part of the entourage of the generalissimus, Philaretos Brachamios, after the catastrophic battle of Manzikert in 1071. In 1078, he became governor (doux) of Edessa, a command he held until his death in 1083. Starting price: 25 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61357 | Auction date: 14 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 22066 Price realized: 420 USD (Approx. 384 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Anonymous. Ca. 10th century AD. Lead "eulogia" medallion (52mm, 30.16 gm). XF. "Eulogia" of St. Symeon Stylites the Younger. +EVΛOΓIA TOV AΓIOV CEIMONOC TOV ΘAVMATOVPΓOV (Blessing of Saint Symeon the Miracle Worker), nimbate, half-length bust of St. Symeon the Younger on a column, wearing monastic hood, holding book of Gospels; flanked by two nimbate flying angels facing center, with Konon (Symeon's disciple, on left), nimbate, standing right, and St. Martha (Symeon's mother, on right), nimbate, standing left, both with their hands raised in gesture of supplication, K/O/N/O/N in left field, Θ / M-A/P-ΘA (Saint Martha) in right field / Large, elaborately decorated cross; leaf in each angle. Cf. Gary Vikan: Art, Medicine, and Magic in Early Byzantium, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 38 (1984), p. 65-86, fig. 7. Byzantine eulogia tokens, also known as eulogiae or blessings, were a distinctive aspect of Byzantine religious and cultural life, primarily during the Middle Ages. These tokens were small, often coin-like objects made from various materials such as lead, bronze, or even precious metals. They were given to pilgrims visiting holy sites, monasteries, or churches as a form of blessing and as a memento of their pilgrimage. The imagery on these tokens was richly symbolic, often featuring religious icons, saints, Christ, the Virgin Mary, or other holy figures and scenes. They served not only as tangible symbols of the pilgrim's journey and devotion but also as amulets believed to offer protection and blessings. Saint Simeon the Younger, also known as Simeon Stylites the Younger, was an ascetic saint who followed in the footsteps of the famous St. Symeon the Stylite. Living in the 6th century AD, he too chose the life of a stylite, spending a significant portion of his life on top of a pillar as a demonstration of his devotion and asceticism. His pillar was located on the slopes of the Wonderful Mountain near Antioch. Saint Simeon the Younger was known for his piety, his endurance, and his ability to inspire and attract pilgrims who sought his counsel and blessings. When Martha's parents betrothed her to a young man from Edessa named John, she considered leaving home. However, John the Baptist is said to have appeared to her and advised her to do as her parents had arranged and marry the man to whom they had betrothed her. She complied and the bore Simeon Stylites. After her death, she was canonized and Saint Martha is said to have appeared to various people in order to heal and inspire hope. She is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church on July 4 and in the Catholic Church on July 5. Konon, the disciple of Saint Simeon the Younger, is noted for his close association and dedication to his teacher. As a disciple, Konon would have been integral in assisting Saint Simeon the Younger with his needs while he was atop the pillar and would have played a key role in disseminating his teachings and wisdom to the pilgrims and followers. The relationship between a disciple and a spiritual teacher like Saint Simeon the Younger is a vital part of Christian monastic and ascetic traditions, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and spiritual guidance. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-anonymous-ca-10th-century-ad-lead-eulogia-medallion-52mm-3016-gm-xf/a/61357-22066.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61357-01142024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
