Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 1335. Estimate $1500.  Closing Date: Monday, 10 January 2005.  Sold For $1600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

TIBERIUS II CONSTANTINE. 578-582 AD. AV Solidus (4.43 gm, 6h). Constantinople mint. Consular issue of 579 AD. CONSTANT AGG UIU FELIX, crowned facing bust, wearing consular robes, holding mappa and eagle sceptre with cross / VICTOR TIbERI AVG, cross potent on four steps; CONOB. Cf. DOC I 3/2; cf. MIB II 3/2; cf. SB 421/420. Good VF, polished, probably ex-jewelry. A great rarity in the Byzantine series in addition to being an unpublished hybrid. ($1500)

From the Malcolm W. Heckman Collection. Ex Elsen 35 (2 July 1994), lot 346.

Tiberius marked his accession in 579 by accepting the office of consul, and wearing the consular robes on a special issue of solidi, the first numismatic appearance of this court uniform in 100 years. This unique legend is expanded to Constantine Augustissimus Vivat Felix - or approximately "(Tiberius) Constantine, Most High Augustus, Live Long and Prosper". As noted for DOC 3, the obverse legend has been re-cut, and originally ended AVG. A second specimen of this hybrid variety, from the same dies, appeared in Leu 36 (7-8 May 1985), lot 373. Our piece may originally have been in jewelry, and in fact most of the consular solidi of Tiberius and his successor Maurice were probably used as ornaments in ornate belts and girdles given to high court officials, one of the most famous examples being the Kyrenia girdle found on Cyprus and dating to the reign of Maurice.