Sale: Nomos 9, Lot: 318. Estimate CHF2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 20 October 2014.  Sold For CHF2600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine, 610-641. Solidus (Gold, 20mm, 4.50 g 6), Uncertain mint in the East, perhaps Alexandria, Jerusalem or Cyprus, c. 619-620. dd NN hERACLIUS ET hERA CONST PP AV Crowned, draped and cuirassed facing busts of Heraclius, on the left larger and bearded, and Heraclius Constantine, on the right much smaller and beardless; between them above, cross. Rev. VICTORIA AVႺႯ H / CONOB Cross potent on base and three steps. DOC 8 var. MIB -. SB -. See Triton V, 2002, 2274 for another solidus of Heraclius struck from an obverse die nearly identical to the one here. An extremely rare variety. Perfectly struck and centered, an unusually fine piece. Virtually as struck.

From a Swiss collection.

Exactly where this coin was struck is quite uncertain: it is stylistically similar to pieces attributed to Jerusalem but the lack of any form of distinctive mint mark throws doubt on that identification. It is clearly an early issue, given the very small size of Heraclius Constantine’s bust, and it must have been struck during the highly unsettled first part of Heraclius’ reign. One possible suggestion would be that it was struck in a mint traveling with the army, with dies cut by the same engraver who made those for the Jerusalem mint.