Third Known Ceremonial Miliaresion

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 1089. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $4000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Constans II. 641-668. AR Miliaresion (3.81 g, 6h). ‘Ceremonial’ issue. Constantinople mint. Struck circa 652-654. d N CONSτAN τINЧS PP AV, crowned facing bust with long beard and mustache, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger in right hand / Cross potent on three steps; palm fronds flanking. DOC -; MIB 139; SB 986A. VF, toned, a little porous. Extremely rare, the third known.

This is the third known example of this rare ‘ceremonial’ miliaresion. MIB and SB both cite the first example, which appeared as lot 1255 in Sternberg VII (24 November 1977), and now resides in Birmingham. The second sold in CNG electronic auction 168 (11 July 2007, lot 290). There are also similarly rare half miliaresia that have recently come to light (cf. S. Bendall, "A New Silver Ceremonial Coin of Constans II," NCirc CXIII.5 [October 2005], p. 306). The great rarity of both denominations and the unusual reverse type, with palms flanking the cross, seem to indicate that this is a limited ceremonial issue.