Extremely Rare & Enigmatic Solidus

317, Lot: 468. Estimate $2000. Sold for $4250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Zeno and Leo Caesar. AD 476-477. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.45 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 2nd officina. D N ZENO ET L–EO NOV CAES, pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield / Victory standing left, holding jeweled cross; star in right field; B//CONOB. RIC X 906; Deypeyrot 107/1. EF, flatness on face. Extremely rare.

Ex Stack’s MIRB Sale (12 January 2009), lot 3043; Bank Leu 36 (7 May 1985), lot 369.

This coin belongs to the most enigmatic series in the entire fifth century AD coinage. Various attempts have been made to establish the true identities of Zeno and Leo. On the evidence of an altered die, J. P. C. Kent, in his article "Zeno and Leo, the Most Noble Caesars" (NC 1959, pp. 93-98, pl. VIII) has demonstrated that this issue is contemporary with, or immediately followed, the coinage of Basiliscus and Marcus. Accordingly, he suggests that the princes Zeno and Leo were younger brothers of Marcus, son of Basiliscus, and were raised to the rank of Caesar when Marcus was created Augustus and co-emperor by his father.