The Visitation of Mary

CNG 94, Lot: 1552. Estimate $500. Sold for $3500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Andronicus IV Palaeologus. Usurper, 1376-1379. AR Basilikon (13mm, 0.61 g, 10h). Constantinople mint?. The Visitation: Half-length bust St. Elizabeth behind city gate; to right, the Theotokos standing left, raising hands; M above / AΔPOИHK [...], Andronicus standing facing, holding patriarchal cross. Unpublished. VF, toned, irregular flan. Apparently unique.

During the Visitation, Mary visits her elderly relative Elizabeth, miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist. While there, Elizabeth and her yet-unborn son recognized the nature of the holy infant. The older woman proclaimed, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!” (Luke 1:42)

The present coin is almost unparalleled in its depiction of this event. The only other numismatic depictions of the Visitation that this cataloger could find are on two gold marriage medallions of the time of Tiberius II (see Gemini VII, lot 928). This specimen can be added to the small but growing corpus of silver basilika of Andronicus IV: SB 2545, Christ enthroned; SB 2546, Saint on horseback; and Triton XVI, lot 1302, St. Michael enthroned facing.