| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 261 | Silver | Auction date: 30 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 720 Price realized: 750 EUR (Approx. 810 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Theophilus AD 829-842. Syracuse Semissis AV 12 mm, 1,82 g ΘЄO-FILOS, draped bust of Theophilus facing, with short beard, wearing crown surmounted by cross, globus cruciger in right hand / ΘЄO-FILOS, bust of Theophilus facing, with short beard, wearing loros and crown surmounted by cross, globus cruciger in right hand. Nearly Mint State DOC 3, 26a ("traditional shape"); Sear 1673; Füeg, Nomismata; Anastasi, Sicilia 534 ("visi allungati"). Theophilus, the final and most extreme iconoclast ruler of the Byzantine Empire, is remembered for his strong opposition to religious imagery. He infamously forced his iconoclastic views upon monks, branding them with his poetry if they resisted his ban on icons in worship. However, his wife, Theodora, secretly supported the veneration of icons. For her own safety, she kept this hidden throughout their marriage, and even sent their children to stay with their iconophile grandmothers, where they were secretly taught to honor sacred images. Theophilus remained unaware of his wife's true beliefs. After his death, Theodora became regent for their young son, Michael III. In the following year, she convened a council that reversed the iconoclastic policies, restoring the veneration of icons throughout the empire. Iconoclasm would never again be officially supported, and it largely faded from Eastern Christianity. This restoration is commemorated on the first Sunday of Lent as the Feast of Orthodoxy. Theodora effectively governed for 14 years until Michael came of age, and many historians believe that her steady leadership helped turn the tide in the conflict with the Arabs in favor of Byzantium. The Orthodox Church later canonized her for her efforts to reinstate the veneration of icons. Theophilus' iconoclastic policies were deeply unpopular in the West, where the rejection of religious imagery had never been supported. As a result, he was disliked by the people in Byzantine territories in Italy, including Syracuse, where this coin was minted. Starting price: 600 EUR |  |
Match 1:
| Naville Numismatics Ltd. > Auction 95 | Auction date: 27 April 2025 |
| Lot number: 859 Price realized: 400 GBP (Approx. 532 USD / 468 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Phocas, 602-610. Solidus Constantinople circa 607-610, AV 21.10 mm., 4.46 g. δ N FOCAS PERP AVC Draped and cuirassed bust facing, wearing crown surmounted by cross and holding globus cruciger in his r. hand. Rev. VICTORIA AVGЧ I / CONOB Angel standing facing, holding globus cruciger in his left hand and long staff surmounted by staurogram in his r. DOC 10j. MIB 9. Sear 620. Minor area of weakness and light graffito, otherwise Good Very Fine. Starting price: 150 GBP |  |
Match 2:
| NumisCorner > Auction 5 | Auction date: 5 December 2024 |
| Lot number: 508 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine, Solidus, 613-641, Constantinople, Gold Crowned and draped bust of Heraclius facing, with short beard, on the left; crowned and draped bust of Heraclius Constantine facing, beardless, on the right, both wearing chlamys; above, cross., Cross potent on base and three steps., From a Swiss collection, acquired before 2021. Graffito or scratch (control?) in the right field of the reverse., δδ NN hЄRACLIЧS ЄT hЄRA CONST P P AV, VICTORIA AVGЧ H // CONOB DENOMINATION:Solidus YEAR:613-641 COIN CONDITION:EF(40-45) MINT NAME:Constantinople COMPOSITION:Gold DIAMETER:20 EMPIRE, KINGDOM, OR CIVILIZATION:Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) WEIGHT (G):4.52 Heraclius, avec Heraclius Constantin, Solidus, 613-641, Constantinople, Or, TTB Buste couronné et drapé d'Héraclius de face, avec une barbe courte, à gauche ; à droite, buste couronné et drapé d'Héraclius Constantin de face, imberbe, tous deux portant des chlamys ; au-dessus, une croix., Croix potencée sur un socle à trois niveau., Provenant d'une collection suisse, acquise avant 2021. Graffito ou rayure (de contrôle ?) dans le champ droit du revers., δδ NN hЄRACLIЧS ЄT hЄRA CONST P P AV, VICTORIA AVGЧ H // CONOB VALEUR FACIALE:Solidus ANNÉE:613-641 QUALITÉ DE LA MONNAIE:TTB ATELIER:Constantinople MÉTAL:Or DIAMÈTRE:20 EMPIRE, ROYAUME OU CIVILISATION:Empire byzantin (Empire romain d'Orient) POIDS (GR):4.52 Starting price: 500 EUR |  |
Match 3:
| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Herakles Auction 2 | Auction date: 3 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 145 Price realized: 2,600 EUR (Approx. 2,704 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Byzantine Theodora AD 1055-1056. Constantinople Histamenon Nomisma AV 25 mm, 4,39 g IҺS XIS RЄX RЄGNANTIҺM, Christ standing facing on souppedion, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, holding Gospels in both hands / + θЄOΔƜPA AVΓOVCTA, Theodora, to left, wearing crown, saccos and loros, and the Virgin, on right, nimbate and clad in pallium and maphorium, with M and Θ across shoulders, both standing facing, holding between them labarum with pellet on shaft. Extremely Fine Sear 1837. Empress Theodora reigned as the sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire from AD 1055 to 1056. She was the youngest daughter of Emperor Constantine VIII and the sister of Empress Zoë, placing her within the prestigious Macedonian dynasty, which had ruled Byzantium since the late 9th century. Theodora first held power briefly in AD 1042 when she co-ruled with her sister Zoë after the overthrow of Michael V. However, Zoë soon married Constantine IX Monomachos, sidelining Theodora from politics. After Constantine IX's death in AD 1055, Theodora, despite being elderly and without heirs, was recalled to the throne due to the lack of a clear successor and the influence of the court factions that wanted to preserve the legitimacy of the Macedonian dynasty. As empress, Theodora was known for her firm and independent rule. She resisted pressure to marry or appoint a co-emperor, determined to maintain full control over the empire. Her administration focused on consolidating imperial authority and curbing the power of the aristocracy and the military elite. She promoted capable officials from the civil bureaucracy rather than relying on the traditional noble families, continuing the policies of centralization that had characterized the Macedonian dynasty. Despite her brief reign, Theodora managed to maintain internal stability and uphold the empire's administrative functions. However, her refusal to name an heir created political uncertainty. In AD 1056, Theodora fell seriously ill and, under pressure from her advisors, reluctantly named Michael VI Bringas, a senior court official, as her successor. She died shortly after, in late AD 1056, ending the Macedonian dynasty's direct rule. Theodora's coinage reflected traditional imperial iconography, often depicting her crowned and wearing imperial robes, holding the cross scepter and globus cruciger, symbols of divine authority and sovereignty. These coins reinforced her legitimacy as the rightful ruler in a male-dominated political environment. Her reign, though short, is remembered for preserving the authority of the Byzantine state during a critical transition period. After her death, the empire gradually entered a phase of decline, marked by internal conflict and external threats. Starting price: 1500 EUR |  |
Match 4:
| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 261 | Silver | Auction date: 30 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 728 Price realized: 2,000 EUR (Approx. 2,160 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Theodora AD 1055-1056. Constantinople Histamenon Nomisma AV 24 mm, 4,43 g IҺS XIS RЄX RЄGNANTIҺM, Christ standing facing on souppedion, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, holding Gospels in both hands / + θЄOΔƜPA AVΓOVCTA, Theodora, to left, wearing crown, saccos and loros, and the Virgin, on right, nimbate and clad in pallium and maphorium, with M and Θ across shoulders, both standing facing, holding between them labarum with pellet on shaft. Near Extremely Fine Sear 1837. Empress Theodora ruled as the sole Byzantine sovereign from AD 1055 to 1056. The youngest daughter of Emperor Constantine VIII and sister of Empress Zoë, she belonged to the prestigious Macedonian dynasty, which had governed Byzantium since the late 9th century. Theodora first held power briefly in AD 1042, co-ruling with Zoë following the overthrow of Michael V. However, her influence waned when Zoë married Constantine IX Monomachos, who assumed primary authority. After Constantine IX's death in AD 1055, Theodora-despite her advanced age and lack of heirs-was recalled to the throne due to the absence of a clear successor and the efforts of court factions seeking to uphold the Macedonian dynasty's legitimacy. As empress, Theodora was known for her firm and independent rule. She resisted pressure to marry or appoint a co-emperor, determined to retain full control over the empire. Her administration focused on consolidating imperial authority and curbing the influence of the aristocracy and military elite. She promoted competent officials from the civil bureaucracy rather than relying on traditional noble families, continuing the centralization policies of her dynasty. Despite her brief reign, Theodora maintained internal stability and ensured the continuity of imperial administration. However, her refusal to designate an heir created political uncertainty. In AD 1056, she fell seriously ill and, under pressure from her advisors, reluctantly named Michael VI Bringas, a senior court official, as her successor. She died shortly thereafter, in late AD 1056, bringing an end to the direct rule of the Macedonian dynasty. Theodora's coinage adhered to traditional imperial iconography, often depicting her crowned and clad in imperial robes, holding the cross scepter and globus cruciger-symbols of divine authority and sovereignty. These coins reinforced her legitimacy as the rightful ruler in a male-dominated political landscape. Though her reign was brief, Theodora played a crucial role in preserving the Byzantine state's authority during a period of transition. Following her death, the empire gradually entered a phase of decline, marked by internal strife and external threats. Starting price: 1000 EUR |  |
Match 5:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61495 | Auction date: 21 April 2025 |
| Lot number: 23049 Price realized: 850 USD (Approx. 747 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Basil II Bulgaroctonos with Constantine VIII (AD 976-1025). AV histamenon nomisma (20mm, 4.41 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 1/5, straightened, marks. Constantinople, AD 989-1001. + IhS XPS RЄX RЄGNANTIhM, bust of Christ facing with nimbus cruciger, crescents in the upper quadrants, pallium and colobium, right hand raised in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left / +bASIL C COhStAhtI b R, half-length facing busts of Basil II (on left), with short beard, wearing loros and crown with pendilia and surmounted by cross of pellets, and Constantine VIII (on right), beardless, wearing chlamys and crown surmounted by cross of pellets, jointly holding patriarchal cross between them. Sear 1797. www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/byzantine-basil-ii-bulgaroctonos-with-constantine-viii-ad-976-1025-av-histamenon-nomisma-20mm-441-gm-6h-ngc/a/61495-23049.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61495-04212025 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Certification number: NGC 8243387012 |  |
