Sale: CNG 66, Lot: 1795. Estimate $750.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 19 May 2004.  Sold For $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

MICHAEL VIII, Palaeologus. 1261-1282 AD. AR Aspron Trachy (1.87 gm). Constantinople mint? Struck 1261? Nimbate military saint (St. Demetrius?) standing facing, holding spear and shield; star in left field / MIX DEs PO TH' O PA LEO LOG, Michael standing facing, holding drawn sword across his body; manus Dei above. DOC V -; Bendall -; SB -. Good VF, flan hole and spots of horn silver. Unpublished Palaeologan silver. ($750)

This curious and previously unknown coin has features that are potentially connected to all three of the main mints that struck for Michael. This form of the manus Dei appears only on his silver trachae struck at Magnesia before the re-conquest of Constantinople in 1261. The militant emperor with drawn sword is found on Constantinopolitan trachae after 1261, while the standing military saint with star in the field is a type only known from Thessalonica. With no real evidence to support one hypothesis over another, we will suggest that this is an early type of aspron trachy struck at Constantinople, using a symbol of heavenly approbation transferred from Magnesia, and with an obverse type that was later copied at Thessalonica.