| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61386 | Auction date: 21 April 2024 |
| Lot number: 24215 Price realized: 2,400 USD (Approx. 2,253 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael VII Ducas (AD 1071-1078), with Maria. EL tetarteron nomisma (20mm, 4.05 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5, edge marks, scuffs. Constantinople. +ΘKE-POHΘ, bust of the Virgin Mary facing, veiled and holding a medallion of the nimbate infant Christ in both hands; in fields, barred MHP (ligate)-ΘV / +MIX-AHΛ-M-APIA, half-length busts of Michael, on left, wearing crown and loros and Maria, similarly dressed, holding between them long cross with terminal pellets. Sear 1870. Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 115 (16 September 2020), lot 774. During the reign of Michael VII, the empire faced two major crises: instability caused by the disastrous defeat against the Turks at Manzikert and the rampant inflation and debasement of the currency. Both were issues that Michael had inherited, but the twenty-year old emperor was incapable of rectifying them. Michael IV (AD 1034-1041) was the first to debase the Byzantine gold coinage. From the days of the Roman Empire, the gold solidus (that later became the histamenon) was known for its remarkable standard of purity - almost all solidi were around 95% fine. Debasement was slow at first, with the purity still at around 75% by the time of Michael's father Constantine X (AD 1059-1067). But in AD 1071, the empire was dealt two disastrous defeats at the two opposite ends of its territory: Bari, the last Byzantine outpost in Italy, fell to the Normans, while the Seljuq victory at Manzikert paved the way for the Turkish conquest of much of Asia Minor. At the start of Michael's reign in AD 1071, the gold coinage was about 2/3 pure. Only seven years later when Michael was deposed, the purity of the histamena and tetartera was about 1/3; the gold had lost half its value in less than a decade. Michael earned the nickname "Parapinakes" (Greek: minus a quarter) as a result of such unfettered debasement. This rather pale example was probably struck in the middle or near the end of Michael's reign, one of the darkest times in the empire's history. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-michael-vii-ducas-ad-1071-1078-with-maria-el-tetarteron-nomisma-20mm-405-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-3-5-e/a/61386-24215.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61386-04212024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 1:
| VAuctions > Pars Coins Sale 42 | Auction date: 30 October 2023 |
| Lot number: 193 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: BYZANTINE EMPIRE; Michael VII Ducas. (AD 1071-1078). AV/EL histamenon nomisma scyphate (4.36 gm; 28mm). NGC-Choice XF. Constantinople. Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels in left; IC-XC across fields, double border / Bust of Michael VII facing, bearded, wearing crown with pendilia and loros, labarum in right hand, globus cruciger in left; double border. Sear 1868. NGC-Choice XF (strike 3/5: Surface 3/5). Certificate # 6369302-014. Estimate: 1000 USD Starting price: 600 USD |  |
Match 2:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61386 | Auction date: 21 April 2024 |
| Lot number: 24213 Price realized: 420 USD (Approx. 394 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael VII Ducas (AD 1071-1078). AV/EL histamenon nomisma scyphate (28mm, 4.27 gm, 6h). NGC XF 5/5 - 1/5, damage, edge bend. Constantinople. Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger with five pellets in each arm, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left; IC-XC (barred) across fields, double border / +MIX-AHΛ-RACIA O Δ, bust of Michael VII facing, bearded, wearing crown surmounted by cross with pendilia and loros, labarum in right hand, globus cruciger in left; double border. Sear 1868. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-michael-vii-ducas-ad-1071-1078-av-el-histamenon-nomisma-scyphate-28mm-427-gm-6h-ngc-xf-5-5-1-5-d/a/61386-24213.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61386-04212024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 3:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61357 | Auction date: 14 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 22081 Price realized: 600 USD (Approx. 548 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael VII Ducas (AD 1071-1078). AV/EL histamenon nomisma scyphate (29mm, 4.37 gm, 5h). NGC Choice AU 4/5 - 4/5. Constantinople. Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger with five pellets in each arm, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left; IC-XC (barred) across fields, double border / +MIX-AHΛ-RACIA O Δ, bust of Michael VII facing, bearded, wearing crown surmounted by cross with pendilia and loros, labarum in right hand, globus cruciger in left; double border. Sear 1868. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-michael-vii-ducas-ad-1071-1078-av-el-histamenon-nomisma-scyphate-29mm-437-gm-5h-ngc-choice-au-4-5-/a/61357-22081.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61357-01142024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 4:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61386 | Auction date: 21 April 2024 |
| Lot number: 24210 Price realized: 420 USD (Approx. 394 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael VII Ducas (AD 1071-1078). AV/EL histamenon nomisma scyphate (29mm, 4.34 gm, 6h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople. Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger with five pellets in each arm, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left; IC-XC (barred) across fields, double border / +MIX-AHΛ-RACIA O Δ, bust of Michael VII facing, bearded, wearing crown surmounted by cross with pendilia and loros, labarum in right hand, globus cruciger in left; double border. Sear 1868. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-michael-vii-ducas-ad-1071-1078-av-el-histamenon-nomisma-scyphate-29mm-434-gm-6h-ngc-choice-xf-5-5-/a/61386-24210.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61386-04212024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 5:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61357 | Auction date: 14 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 22088 Price realized: 460 USD (Approx. 420 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael VII Ducas (AD 1071-1078). AV/EL histamenon nomisma scyphate (28mm, 4.37 gm, 6h). NGC Choice XF 4/5 - 4/5. Constantinople. Christ seated facing on straight-backed throne, wearing nimbus cruciger with single pellet in each arm, pallium and colobium, right hand raised in benediction, book of Gospels in left; IC-XC barred across fields, double border / +MIX-AHΛ-RACIA O Δ, bust of Michael VII facing, bearded, wearing loros and crown with pendilia, labarum in right hand, globus cruciger with cross composed of four pellets in left; double border. Sear 1869. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-michael-vii-ducas-ad-1071-1078-av-el-histamenon-nomisma-scyphate-28mm-437-gm-6h-ngc-choice-xf-4-5-/a/61357-22088.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61357-01142024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
