Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 1408. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 10 January 2005.  Sold For $1500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CONSTANTINE VI, with IRENE. 780-797 AD. Æ Follis (3.73 gm; 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 792-797 AD. Facing bust of Irene, wearing crown and loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform sceptre / Facing bust of Constantine VI, beardless, wearing crown and chlamys, holding globus cruciger; two pellets to left, cross and pellet to right; all above horzontal bar, below which is large M, flanked by X and N, A below. DOC III 7; SB 1598 corr. (akakia not cruciform sceptre). EF, black patina. Nice portrait of Irene. ($500)

From the Malcolm W. Heckman Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 60 (22 May 2002), lot 2012.

The powerful personality of Irene had always overshadowed that of her son Constantine, and only an army mutiny had prevented her from taking power in 790 AD. After a short period in exile, she returned to Constantinople, and began working at eliminating her enemies. As the coinage shows, she quickly relegated her son to second place. By 797 AD she had discredited Constantine to the point that she could have him deposed, blinded and murdered with little outcry. In 802 AD Irene was also deposed after attempting to arrange a marriage between herself and Charlemagne.