151, Lot: 286. Estimate $100. Sold for $106. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EMPIRE of NICAEA. Theodore I Comnenus-Lascaris. 1208-1222. BI Trachy (30mm, 3.86 g). Nicaea mint. Struck 1205-1212? Virgin Mary enthroned facing, holding medallion of Christ / Theodore and St. Theodore standing facing, holding a patriarchal cross between them. DOC IV 5a; SB 2061. VF, dark brown patina. Rare this nice.

Although Theodore was formally crowned emperor of the successor state of Nicaea in March 1208, he was nominally regarded as the true emperor of Byzantium after the formal deposition of his father-in-law Alexius III in November 1204, and he probably started striking coinage in that capacity with the following months.