Justinian II. First reign, 685-695. AV Solidus (19mm, 4.45 g, 7h). Constantinople mint, 9th officina. Struck 692-695.

Triton XXV
Lot: 1044. Estimated: $ 3 000

Byzantine, Gold

Sold For $ 10 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

Justinian II. First reign, 685-695. AV Solidus (19mm, 4.45 g, 7h). Constantinople mint, 9th officina. Struck 692-695. IҺS CRISτOS RЄX RЄςNANτIЧM, facing bust of Christ Pantokrator / D IЧSτINI ANЧ S SЄRЧ CҺRISτI, Justinian standing facing, holding cross potent on steps in right hand and akakia in left; Θ//CONOP. DOC 7g.1; MIB 8a; SB 1248. In NGC encapsulation 488331-145, graded Ch MS, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 5/5. Superb portrait of Christ as a bearded “philosopher”.

This portrait of Christ is the earliest numismatic representation of Jesus, and marks a new development in Christian iconography. At the Trullan Synod, called by Justinian in AD 692 in an attempt to reconcile the growing religious rift between Constantinople and Rome, the issue of how Christ was to be portrayed was debated. The council's subsequent ruling (Canon 82) decreed that henceforth Christ should be seen in human form, rather than the symbolic representations which had prevailed during Christianity's earlier period. It is not known whether Justinian's introduction of the portrait on his coins was the result of this decree, but the Synod generally followed the thinking of the court in Constantinople. The split between the Pope and the Emperor only widened, as did the dispute between those who favored the use of such religious imagery (εικονοδουλοι, "image worshippers") and those who opposed its use (εικονοκλαστοι, "image smashers"), a dispute that also played a role in the expanding ideological confrontation between Christianity and Islam, with al-Malik introducing aniconic coin types at about the same time as Justinian was placing Christ on the Byzantine solidus.

The final winners of all Triton XXV lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 11-12 January 2022. Triton XXV – Session Three – Roman Republican & Imperatorial Coinage through Byzantine Coinage will be held Wednesday morning, 12 January 2022 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 22.50% for all others.

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