JUSTINIAN II FIRST REIGN GOLD SOLIDUS – FIRST APPEARANCE OF CHRIST ON COINAGE – NGC CHOICE AU BYZANTINE COIN (Inv. 21569)

$12,500.00

*** THE FIRST PORTRAIT OF CHRIST ON COINAGE ***
21569. BYZANTINE EMPIRE. JUSTINIAN II, FIRST REIGN, AD 685–695.
Gold Solidus, 4.46 g, 20 mm. Issue of Constantinople, officina Є.
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 Є (retrograde), Justinian standing, facing, wearing loros and holding cross potent on a two–stepped base and akakia, CONOP in exergue.
Sear 1248.
NGC CHOICE AU, Strike 4/5, Surface 4/5, with an elegant and very expressive portrait of Jesus Christ.

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.”