Amazing Strike for Issue

Sale: Triton X, Lot: 866. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 8 January 2007.  Sold For $4500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Michael VIII Palaeologus. 1261-1282. AV Hyperpyron (4.00 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. The Theotokos, orans, within city walls with six towers; MHP, Q flanking her head, pellet to upper right outside wall / The archangel Michael presenting Michael VIII to Christ: Michael VIII kneeling half-right, arms extended; above him, nimbate bust of the archangel Michael; to right, Christ, nimbate, seated facing, placing his right hand on Michael VIII’s head in blessing, holding scroll in right hand; IC/XC in two lines in upper central field. DOC V Class IIa; SB 2242. Near EF. Amazing sharp strike for this typically crude issue.

The sigla combination on this piece, with a pellet to the upper right on the obverse and nothing on the reverse, is unrecorded.