Our partner for world banknotes research
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 42 | Auction date: 27 June 2026 |
| Lot number: 3625 Price realized: 2,100 CHF (Approx. 2,595 USD / 2,278 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Radomir Aaron (grandson of Bulgarian tsar Ivan Vladislav), vestes and strategos, 2nd half 11th century. Seal (Lead, 29 mm, 19.08 g, 12 h). Traces of Θ ΔHMH-TPIOC in the fields Saint Demetrios, standing facing, nimbate, holding spear in his right hand, and resting left hand on a shield. Rev. +KЄ R,Θ, / [T]Ⲱ CⲰ Δ૪, / [P]AΔⲰMHP, / [R]ЄCT, S CTP./[T]HΓ, TON / AAPⲰN in six lines. Unpublished in the standard references; a parallel example in Ancient Rarity Coins E-Auction 3 (2026), 1054. A highly interesting new seal type for this Bulgarian prince. Minor flatness in fields and struck slightly off center, otherwise, good very fine. Radomir was the grandson of Aron, son of the last Bulgarian tsar Ivan Vladislav, who entered the service of the Byzantine emperor along with his brothers. These Bulgarian princes were granted high court dignities and important military commands, mainly along the eastern border. The Bulgarian royal family was also connected to the Komnenoi. Radomir's aunt, Catherine, was married to the future emperor Isaac I Komnenos (1057-1059), and the emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118) was married to Irene Doukaina, a great-granddaughter of Ivan Vladislav. Radomir, who adopted his father's name as a family name, is known from several seal types that document his career, from magistros and vestarches to proedros, ultimately reaching his highest known rank as protoproedros. Our seal type, attesting him as vestes and strategos appears to be unpublished. The court rank of vestes is the most modest of his known seals, which places our seal at the start of his career. This lot cannot be shipped to a US address. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 42 | Auction date: 27 June 2026 |
| Lot number: 3629 Price realized: 400 CHF (Approx. 494 USD / 434 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Nikephoros Bourtzes, patrikios and strategos, 2nd half 11th century. Seal (Lead, 27 mm, 18.13 g, 12 h). Θ / ΔH/MH-T/PI/OC Saint Demetrios, standing facing, nimbate, holding spear in his right hand, and resting left hand on a shield. Rev. KЄ R,Θ, / NIKHΦOP, / ΠPI S CTPA/TIΓⲰ TⲰ / R૪PTζI in five lines, decorations below. Cheynet, Société p. 368-370, no. 25. Leu Web Auction 33 (2025), 3044. Well struck and beautifully preserved. Good very fine. There are a number of seals surviving of Nikephoros Bourtzes, as J.-C. Cheynet shows in his prosopographical study of the Bourtzes family. This seal dates to the early stages of his career. Another seal, currently in Dumbarton Oaks, lists the office of katepano alongside the dignity of vestes. In the early 12th century Nikephoros rose to vestarches, magistros and eventually to proedros. This high rank of proedros does not occur on his known seals, but in the record of a land transaction with the Dochiariou monastery on Mount Athos (see PBW Nikephoros 168). This lot cannot be shipped to a US address. Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 42 | Auction date: 27 June 2026 |
| Lot number: 3626 Price realized: 280 CHF (Approx. 346 USD / 304 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Theognostos Bourtzes, patrikios and anthypatos, 2nd half 11th century. Seal (Lead, 22 mm, 9.31 g, 12 h). O / A/ΓI/O, - N/I/K[O]/Λ, Nimbate bust of Saint Nicholas facing, raising his right hand in benediction and holding a book of Gospels in his left. Rev. +KЄ R,Θ, / TⲰ CⲰ Δ૪, / ΘЄOΓNOCTⲰ / ΠPI S ANΘV/ΠATⲰ TⲰ / R૪PTζH in seven lines. Cheynet, Société p. 362-363, no. 19. Good very fine. Ex N&N London E-Auction 69, 7 February 2026, 1059. This lot cannot be shipped to a US address. Starting price: 25 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 42 | Auction date: 27 June 2026 |
| Lot number: 3628 Price realized: 360 CHF (Approx. 445 USD / 390 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Johannes, metropolitan of Chonai, 2nd half 11th century. Seal (Lead, 27 mm, 16.91 g, 12 h). IⲰ CSΠOIC MЄ XⲰNⲰN ΠOIMЄNA / M - Θ ("Mother of God - Protect me, John, shepherd of Chonai") Nimbate Mother of God "Episkepsis", raising both hands in prayer, medallion of Christ in front . Rev. APXAΓΓЄΛЄ CKЄΠC MЄ CHC ΠOIMN, ΘVT, - M-X ("Michael - Archangel, protect me, the priest of your flock") Nimbate facing bust of St. Michael, holding trefoil scepter in his right hand and globe in his left. Wassiliou-Seibt, Corpus 141=1000 (quoting several examples from public auctions). An impressive and well-centered episcopal seal. Minor breakage on the upper channel mouth, otherwise, good very fine. Ex Coin Cabinet Ancients Auction 31, 5 February 2026, 483. Chonai (modern Honaz, in western Turkey) was a pilgrimage site marked by a healing spring dedicated to Michael. According to legend, a pagan attempt to destroy the sanctuary by diverting a river was prevented by the archangel Michael, who altered the course of the waters and miraculously protected the holy site. This event became known as the'Miracle of Chonai'. This lot cannot be shipped to a US address. Starting price: 50 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 40 | Auction date: 14 March 2026 |
| Lot number: 2576 Price realized: 240 CHF (Approx. 304 USD / 266 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Uncertain, 11th century. Seal (Lead, 22 mm, 10.74 g, 12 h). +KЄ R,Θ, TⲰ C, Δ૪Λ... THCT - [Θ] / Γ/Є-Ⲱ/P/Γ, Saint George, standing facing, nimbate, holding spear in his right hand, and resting left hand on a shield. Rev. Δ...ⲰN - ...AⲰΓ - Θ / Θ/Є/O/Δ/P-... Saint Theodore, nimbate, standing facing, holding a spear in his right hand, and resting his left hand on sword. Unpublished in the standard references. Very fine. Ex Bay Numismatics E-Auction 6, 3 October 2024, 697. This lot cannot be shipped to a US address. Starting price: 50 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 40 | Auction date: 14 March 2026 |
| Lot number: 2581 Price realized: 90 CHF (Approx. 114 USD / 100 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Euthymios (?), imperial spatharokandidatos and epi tou manglabiou, 11th century. Seal (Lead, 24 mm, 8.19 g, 12 h). +K...ΛO (traces of an invocational legend) - Θ / Θ/Є-O/Δ/OP, Nimbate facing bust of Saint Theodore, holding a spear over his right shoulder, and resting a shield on his left arm. Rev. [ЄV]ΘVMI[Ⲱ] (?) / CΠAΘ'KANΔ. / ЄΠI T, MA[Γ]/ΓΛAR.../... in five lines. Unpublished in the standard references. Surface roughness, otherwise, very fine. This lot cannot be shipped to a US address. Starting price: 25 CHF |  |
