Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 1898. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $3000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GEORGIA, Kingdom. Giorgi II. 1072-1089. AR Dram (1.16 g, 5h). Struck 1081-1089. MHP QU, nimbate facing bust of the Virgin Mary, orans / Georgian – "+God preserve Giorgi, King of the Abkhazians and K'artl'i, Caesar", in margin and continuing in central field. Kapanadze 48; Dobrovolsky 7; Lang p. 20. VF, a bit weak on reverse. Rare, and much superior to the chipped specimen in Gorny & Mosch 143 (12 October 2005), lot 5614, which sold for €1650. ($2000)

Giorgi II's reign was a constant scene of chaos and warfare, as the beleaguered Georgian king fought off disaffected rebellious nobles and constant Seljuq incursions, the "didi turkoba". Giorgi was forced to grant wide autonomy to the nobles, and in 1082 agreed to become a tributary principality of the Seljuqs. The country was further devastated by a great earthquake in 1083. Giorgi abdicated in favor of his son in 1089, and retired to a monastery. David IV, the Builder, restored much of Georgian unity and autonomy, and his father Giorgi died in 1112.