Very Rare & Attractive Eastern Mint Solidus
Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine. 610-641. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.46 g, 7h). Uncertain eastern military mint(?), 1st officina(?). Struck circa 613-circa 616. dd NN ҺЄRACLIЧS Єτ ҺЄRA CONST PP AVI, crowned facing busts of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, both wearing chlamys; cross above / VICTORIA AVςЧ, cross potent set on three steps; A//CONOB. DOC 188a.1-2 var. (Alexandria; obv. legend); MIB 77
1 var. (Cyprus?; or eastern military mint; same); Bendall,
Jerusalem, fig. 21 var. (uncertain eastern military mint?; same); SB 852 var. (Jerusalem; same). Toned and lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 3761048-004, graded MS★, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 5/5. Very rare.
Regarding this rare type, Bendall (p. 317) noted that: “There also exist other extremely rare solidi of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine struck at this time, all in the east in the experience of the writer, which are illustrated here (figs. 18-21), which can surely only indicate that in the troubled times between 613 and 616/8 there may have been a number of ephemeral mints connected with Heraclius’ campaigns in the east.”
Indeed, the historical context during which this coin was struck was tumultuous. After Phocas deposed Maurice Tiberius, the Sasanians invaded the eastern borders of the Byzantine Empire. Byzantine-Sasanian relations had been at their zenith since Maurice supported Khosrau II’s successful bid for the Sasanian throne. But once Maurice, Khosrau’s ally and father-in-law, was executed by Phocas, the Sasanian king used the unfavorable change in government to launch a retaliatory invasion. The war would drag on for over two decades and span the reigns of Phocas and Heraclius from 602-628. During the conflict, Jerusalem itself fell to the Sasanian forces in 614, and Egypt was occupied for the last ten years from 618-628. The loss and recapture of major cities and mints during this conflict somewhat muddies the waters for better understanding this eastern series. For now, the evidence suggests that this series does belong to an eastern military mint that exhibits varying degrees of style and sophistication. This particular example is very well struck and attractive and features the obverse legend ending in AVI rather than PP as is found on most examples of this type with the A at the end of the reverse legend.
