JUSTINIAN II FIRST REIGN GOLD SOLIDUS – FIRST COIN TO SHOW CHRIST’S PORTRAIT – CHOICE AU NGC GRADED BYZANTINE COIN (Inv. 20918)

$9,500.00

20918. BYZANTINE EMPIRE. JUSTINIAN II, FIRST REIGN, AD 685–695.
Gold Solidus, 4.40 g, 20 mm. Issue of Constantinople, officina Θ ?.
Obv. IhS CRISTOS RЄX [RE]gNANTIЧM, bust of bearded Christ Pantocrator, facing, holding Gospels and raising his right hand in benediction. Rev. D IЧSTIN[IANЧ]S SЄRЧ ChRISTI Θ, Justinian standing, facing, wearing loros and holding cross potent on a two–stepped base and akakia, CONOP in exergue.
Sear 1248.
Ex Swiss collection formed in the 1990s–2000s, with collector’s ticket in French.
NGC graded CHOICE AU, Strike 4/5, Surface 3/5, “brushed,” with an elegant and very expressive portrait of Jesus Christ.

The introduction of Jesus Christ on Byzantine coinage takes place with this issue minted 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 bearded and with the traits of a classical philosopher, accompanied by the legend “Rex Regnantium” (“King of Kings”). The great French numismatist Lacam has referred to this portrait type as the “Christ of the Ascension and Redemption.”