MAURICE TIBERIUS GOLD TREMISSIS – EXTREMELY RARE SEAR-UNLISTED REVERSE LEGEND VARIANT – MINT STATE NGC GRADED BYZANTINE COIN (Inv. 19814)

SOLD

19814. BYZANTINE EMPIRE. MAURICE TIBERIUS, AD 582–602.
Gold Tremissis, 1.50 g, 16 mm. Issue of Constantinople.
Obv. D N TIbERI PP AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Maurice Tiberius right. Rev. ЧICTORIA M AVRI AVS, cross, CONOB in exergue.
Sear 488 var.; DOC 14 var; CNG Triton XIV, 1/4/2011, lots 1137–1139 (1139 from same dies, 1137–1138 using the same reverse die).
NGC graded MINT STATE, Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5, “sl. wrinkle.”

This is an unlisted Sear variety where the reverse legend’s VICTORIA is spelled out in full (all of Sear’s variants for this tremissis, 488, 488A and 488B record diverse abbreviations of VICTORIA but never the complete word). Extremely rare, this type is seemingly known from only 4 specimens: this piece and 3 others sold in Triton XIV and cited above. Since all are struck from the same reverse die, it is likely that is may well be a genuine engraver’s error, the artist deviating from the standard abbreviated forms.