| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3121 | Auction date: 13 January 2025 |
| Lot number: 33096 Price realized: 26,000 USD (Approx. 25,366 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael III 'the Drunkard' (AD 842-867), with Theodora. AV solidus (19mm, 4.44 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople, AD 850-856. IhSЧS X-RISTOS *, facing half-length bust of Christ with long hair and full beard, wearing pallium and colobium, cross behind head, right hand raised in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left arm / + MIXAHL-S ΘЄ-O-d-ORA, crowned facing busts of Michael III (on left), beardless and wearing chlamys pinned at left shoulder, and Theodora (on right), wearing loros, two pinnacles on crown; cross and pellet between. Sear 1687. DOC 2. Nicely centered on a bright, full-weight, satiny flan. A highly attractive example, and the highest certified of this rare issue. www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/byzantine-michael-iii-the-drunkard-ad-842-867-with-theodora-av-solidus-19mm-444-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-4-5/a/3121-33096.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3121-01132025 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-15000 USD Certification number: NGC 8213832005 |  |
Match 1:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3121 | Auction date: 13 January 2025 |
| Lot number: 33097 Price realized: 16,000 USD (Approx. 15,610 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael III 'the Drunkard' (AD 842-867). AV solidus (20mm, 4.39 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 4/5 - 3/5, slight bend. Constantinople, AD 856-866. IhSЧS X-RIStOS*, half-length bust of Christ facing, with long hair and full beard, wearing pallium and colobium, cross behind head, right hand raised in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left arm / +-mI-XAHL bASILЄ', bust of Michael III facing, wearing crown and diagonal pattern loros, vexillum decorated with cross in right hand, akakia in left. Sear 1688. DOC III 3. Rare. Subtle bend to the flan, otherwise crisp devices atop brilliant fields of marigold. Though now saddled with the unfortunate epithet "the Drunkard," Michael III showed real ability and it was under his reign that the great recovery in Byzantine fortunes later called "the Macedonian Renaissance" began. The son of Theophilus, he was only two years old when his father died and the purple passed to him. A succession of regents, mainly his mother Theodora, ran affairs of state until he reached his majority in AD 856, when his reign truly began. Guided by his uncle, the Caesar Bardas, his regime made astonishing progress on the domestic, diplomatic and military fronts. The Arabs were defeated and pushed back, the Slavs Christianized and incorporated within the Empire, the last embers of Iconoclasm stamped out, and a university established in Constantinople to advance higher learning. Byzantine art and iconography, too, began a strong revival, as indicated by this magnificent gold solidus. Later Byzantine historians blackened Michael's name as a drunken wastrel in order to glorify the dynasty of the man who murdered him and usurped the throne, Basil I the Macedonian, but he deserved better treatment. www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/byzantine-michael-iii-the-drunkard-ad-842-867-av-solidus-20mm-439-gm-6h-ngc-choice-au-4-5-3-5-slight-be/a/3121-33097.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3121-01132025 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 8000-12000 USD Certification number: NGC 8214046002 |  |
Match 2:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3121 | Auction date: 13 January 2025 |
| Lot number: 33095 Price realized: 28,000 USD (Approx. 27,317 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Michael III 'the Drunkard' (AD 842-867), with Theodora and Thecla. AV solidus (20mm, 4.42 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople, ca. AD 842-850. +ΘЄOdO-RA dЄSPVhA, facing bust of Theodora, wearing crown with two double pinnacles, pendilia and loros, cruciform scepter in left hand, globus surmounted by patriarchal cross in right / MIXAHLS Θ-ЄCLA, facing half-length length of Michael III (on left), wearing crown and chlamys, globus cruciger in right hand, and his sister Thecla (on right), wearing crown with two rounded pinnacles and surmounted by cross, pendilia, and loros, patriarchal cross in right hand, akakia in left. Sear 1686. DOC 1e. Nicely articulated devices centrally struck onto vibrant fields. Theodora, who ruled as regent for Michael III during his long minority, was one of the more successful female Byzantine rulers. She was wed to the newly crowned Theophilus in AD 830 following a "bride show" in which eligible maidens from all over the Empire were paraded before the young emperor. She remained a fervent iconodule despite the strict iconoclasm of her husband, and bore him seven children over 12 years. In AD 842, Theophilus died at only 29 years of age; his only surviving son was the three-year old Michael III, who had already been declared emperor and succeeded without opposition, with Theodora acting as regent. She was ably assisted by her brothers, Bardas and Petronas, as well as by Theoktistos, the logothete (admiral) of the Byzantine navy. The borders were maintained, Arab and Slavic raids repulsed, and the century-old iconoclastic controversy ended diplomatically by a restoration of icons (as objects of veneration, not worship), without reprisal on those who had sought their destruction. Throughout, she demonstrated herself an effective and capable ruler. In typical Byzantine fashion, though, she soon fell victim to court intrigues by her brother Bardas, who conspired with the young Michael in AD 856 to remove Theodora from power. Once deposed, she was confined to a convent and could only watch helplessly as a lowborn but ambitious courtier named Basil wormed his way into her son's affections, did away with Bardas, ultimately murdered Michael, and ascended the throne himself in AD 867 as Basil I the Macedonian. www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/byzantine-michael-iii-the-drunkard-ad-842-867-with-theodora-and-thecla-av-solidus-20mm-442-gm-6h-ngc-au-5/a/3121-33095.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3121-01132025 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-15000 USD Certification number: NGC 8214064003 |  |
Match 3:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3122 | Auction date: 21 January 2025 |
| Lot number: 34280 Price realized: 2,400 USD (Approx. 2,308 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Constantine VI and Irene (AD 780-797). AV solidus (19mm, 4.45 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople. COnSTAntInOS CA'-b' Δ', crowned facing busts of Constantine VI (on left), wearing chlamys pinned at right shoulder, globus cruciger in right hand, and Irene (on right), wearing loros and crown with four pinnacles and cross, globus cruciger in right hand, transverse cruciform scepter in left; pellet between, cross above / S IRI-nI AVΓ' MItRI AV', Leo III, Constantine V, and Leo IV seated facing, each wearing chlamys and crown surmounted by cross. Sear 1591. Satiny surfaces with a sheen of luster and scattered light deposits. www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/byzantine-constantine-vi-and-irene-ad-780-797-av-solidus-19mm-445-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-4-5/a/3122-34280.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3122-01212025 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Certification number: NGC 8242923010 |  |
Match 4:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3122 | Auction date: 21 January 2025 |
| Lot number: 34277 Price realized: 4,200 USD (Approx. 4,038 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Justinian II Rhinotmetus, Second Reign (AD 705-711), with Tiberius. AV semissis (18mm, 2.16 gm, 6h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5, clipped. Constantinople, AD 705-711. d N IhS ChS RЄX-RЄGNANTIЧM, half-length bust of youthful Christ facing, with slight beard and tight, curly hair, wearing pallium and colobium, cross behind head, right hand raised in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left arm / d N IЧSTINIA-NЧS ЄT TIbЄRIЧS PP, facing half-length figures of Justinian II (on left), bearded, and Tiberius (on right), slightly smaller and beardless, both wearing divitision, chlamys, and crown surmounted by cross, jointly holding cross potent on globe between them. Sear 1417. Glittering luster on detailed portraits. www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/byzantine-justinian-ii-rhinotmetus-second-reign-ad-705-711-with-tiberius-av-semissis-18mm-216-gm-6h-ngc-ms/a/3122-34277.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3122-01212025 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Certification number: NGC 8213832004 |  |
Match 5:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61460 | Auction date: 28 January 2025 |
| Lot number: 21050 Price realized: 2,200 USD (Approx. 2,096 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Theophilus (AD 829-842). AV solidus (20mm, 4.47 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 2/5, edge marks, brushed. Constantinople, AD 829-830. * ΘЄOFI-LOS ЬASILЄ', crowned bust of Theophilus facing, wearing slight beard and loros, cruciform scepter in left hand, globus cruciger in right / CVRIЄ ЬOHΘHtO SOdOVLO * Є, patriarchal cross set upon three steps. Sear 1655. Second emperor of the Amorian dynasty, Theophilus was carefully educated by his father Michael II and acquired a taste for scholarship. An admirer of Arab culture, he sent a magnificent embassy to the Caliph of Baghdad, which was graciously received. Nonetheless, the Arabs launched raids into Byzantine territory throughout the reign, one of which destroyed the emperor's hometown of Amorium in AD 838. Theophilus sought to revive learning within the Empire and brought scholars to Constantinople who would later establish the university under his successor. A fervent iconoclast, he was the last emperor to persecute those who venerated sacred images. Nevertheless, he was a careful and judicious ruler whose administrative reforms strengthened the state. Upon his death in AD 842, power passed to his wife Theodora as regent for his infant son Michael III; she soon ended the persecution and effectively closed the divisive iconoclastic era. www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/theophilus-ad-829-842-av-solidus-20mm-447-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-2-5-edge-marks-brushed/p/61460-25001.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61460-01282025 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Certification number: NGC 8214046003 |  |
