JUSTINIAN II GOLD SEMISSIS – FIRST APPEARANCE OF CHRIST PORTRAIT ON COINS – MINT STATE NGC GRADED BYZANTINE EMPIRE COIN (Inv. 20979)

$3,250.00

20979 BYZANTINE EMPIRE. JUSTINIAN II, FIRST REIGN, AD 685–695.
Gold Semissis, 2.15 g, 16 mm. Issue of Constantinople.
Obv. IhS CRIS[TOS RЄX] REgNANTIЧM, facing bust of bearded Christ Pantokrator, holding Gospels and with his right hand raised in benediction. Rev. [D IЧSTINIAN]ЧS SЄRЧ ChRISTI, Justinian standing, facing, wearing loros and holding cross potent on base with globus.
Sear 1252; DOC 10.
NGC graded CHOICE XF, Strike 3/5, Surface 3/5, “clipped”, “brushed,” a seldom-seen denomination.

The introduction of the depiction of Jesus Christ on Byzantine coins takes place under Justinian II, whose rule is separated into two distinct periods, before and after his exile from Constantinople. During Justinian’s “First Reign” Christ appears for the first time on coinage, shown as a bearded man with the traits of a classical philosopher, accompanied by the legend “Rex Regnantium” (“King of Kings”). This image was used on all three gold denominations struck, the solidus, the semissis (as here), and tremissis.