Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 1123. Closing Date: Jan              Estimate $1500
12, 2004. ROMANUS II. 959-963 AD. AV Solidus               Sold For $2400
4.42 gm). Constantinople mint. Struck 959 AD.
ROMANUS II. 959-963 AD. AV Solidus (4.42 gm). Constantinople mint. Struck
959 AD. Continuing the last type of Constantine VII. +IhS XP REX
REGNANTINM, nimbate (two pellets in arms of cross) facing bust of Christ,
holding Gospels / Crowned facing busts of Constantine, with short beard
and loros, and Romanus, beardless and wearing chlamys, holding patriarchal
cross between them; legend has been re-cut and is illegible. F. Füeg, "Vom
Umgang mit Zufall und Wahrscheinlichkeit in der Numismatischen Forschung",
in SNR 76 (1997), pl. IV, B4; DOC III - (but cf. DOC 15 of Constantine
VII); SB -. EF, small scratch across reverse. 
Extremely rare and historically important. ($1500)

From the Christopher Connell Collection.

Füeg places this issue in the early days of the sole reign of Romanus II, who succeeded his father after a tumultuous 
reign of 46 years. The dies are re-used solidus dies of 
Constantine VII, but with the reverse legend obliterated by 
over-cutting. 
The only other solidi known for Romanus II are two rare 
types, both of which survived as unique specimens when
DO catalogue was compiled. Grierson believes that his solidi 
seem to have been struck with dies set differently from 
normal, with the imperial portraits taking the obverse 
position. This coin seem to take the same orientation. They 
are in any case the last solidi struck before the introduction of the tetarteron by Nicephorus II.

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