Very Rare Rome Mint Solidus from the Garrett Collection
Published in DOC

CNG 100, Lot: 312. Estimate $7500. Sold for $13000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Leo III the "Isaurian", with Constantine V. 717-741. Pale AV Solidus (21mm, 4.27 g, 6h). Rome mint. Possibly dated IY 15 (731/2). D NO LЄ P A MVL, crowned and draped bust of Leo facing, holding globus cruciger and akakia / D NO CONTANTIN, crowned and draped bust of Constantine facing, holding globus cruciger and akakia; I to left, Є above star to right. DOC (72) (this coin, illustrated on pl.VI); SB 1533. Good VF, toned. Very rare.

From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex John Work Garrett Collection (Part II, Leu/Numismatic Fine Arts, 16 October 1984), lot 537 (purchased from Wayte Raymond, 23 October 1923).

The Roman solidi and tremisses of Leo III feature a series of letters/numerals in the field, presumably dates either in regnal or indictional years. Bellinger and Grierson arranged the coinage according to the sequential order of these markings but warned that the arrangement leaves certain issues stylistically out of place (DOC p. 88 and 237). Concluding that there was no satisfactory explanation for the letters/numerals, the entire series was an assigned an overarching date of 721-741.