Gemini III, January 9th, 2007



                  Lot # 498 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$2000 / Price 
                  Realized: US$2200 
                  Interregnum, Revolt of the Heraclii. Bronze follis 



             



            Interregnum, Revolt of the Heraclii. (Summer 608-November 610 AD). 
            Bronze follis (9.04 gm). Syria, Alexandretta, Year XIIII=610 AD. dmN 
            ERACLIO CONSUL II, busts of Heraclius and his father the exarch 
            wearing crowns with pendilia and consular robes / Large M between 
            A/N/N/O and X/IIII, cross above, A beneath, AËEXANÄ in exergue. Berk 
            535. DO 17. Sear 723. Very rare, probably fewer than ten known. Good 
            very fine. 

            This type of Alexandretta follis with crowned busts is far rarer 
            than the literature would indicate. The coins cited by Hahn in MIB 
            as having this bust, in fact, display bare-headed busts when their 
            images are viewed in Tolstoi and BN. Grierson, at the time he 
            authored the Dumbarton Oaks catalogue, stated he knew of only three 
            such coins with crowned busts. We are aware of another example which 
            was handled by Harlan J. Berk Ltd. The present specimen, therefore, 
            makes for a total of five. Of course, there could be a few more, but 
            likely not many; almost certainly fewer than ten. 




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  ... Lot 498 sold for high bid of $2200 [ $2530, or approx 1955.69 EUR, 1290.3 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 


Re-used by permission of Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com) and
                         Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)