Second and Finest Known

Triton XVII, Lot: 893. Estimate $10000. Sold for $6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Michael VIII Palaeologus. As Emperor of Nicaea, 1258-1261. AV Hyperpyron (26mm, 4.20 g, 6h). Magnesia mint. Struck 1259-1261. Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing; barred IC XC above; crescent to left, cross to right / Michael standing facing, wearing loros, holding labarum in right hand and anexikakia in left, being crowned by Theotokos standing facing slightly left; X/ (HI)/ ΔЄ/Π/T to left, O/ ΠA/ΛЄ/OΛ/Γ; (MHP) ΘV above. DOC 1 = PCPC 1 = O. Iliescu, “Le dernier hyperpère de l’empire byzantin de Nicée,” in Byzantinoslavica 26 (1965), pp. 94–9 (same dies); LBC –; SB 2238. VF, small graffito ‘X’ on obv., ‘У’ on rev.. Extremely rare – the second and finest known, the other in the Archaeological Museum in Bucharest.