One of two known... AV Solidus/ Syracuse Mint struck 607/8AD Theodosius III CH-MS and Mezezius 668/9AD AV Solidus Syracuse GEM-MS/ Wish I had a spare 100K
Pampillon had a beat to hell Mezezius up last month for 8,000 EUR opening bid, but it got no bid (or maybe it was fake?) and was withdrawn Mezezios (Usurper in Sicily, 668-669). Solidus. Syracuse, 668-early 669. J h MЄZЄ T I VS P PAVЧ. Obv: Bust facing, with long beard and long moustache, wearing plumed helmet and cuirass, holding globus cruciger. Rev: VICTORIA AVGЧ Є. Cross potent on three steps; in exergue, CONOB. Extremely Rare. Condition: Very fine. Weight: 5.54 g. Diameter: 19 mm. DOC Constantine IV, Balkan mint, (71); BMC Constantine IV, Carthage, 54; MIB Constantine IV, Constantinople, 9; Spahr-; Sear 1146. Mezezios (Usurper, 668-669). An Armenian noble, likely of the House of Gnuni, Mezezios accompanied Constans II on his Western exodus to Italy. After Constans was assassinated July 15, 668 in Syracuse, Mezezios was acclaimed emperor by the army in Sicily. His tenure was brief. According to the 8th Century historian and saint Theophanes the Confessor, Constantine IV brought a fleet to Sicily, where he captured and executed the usurper. Some scholars, though, believe that troops from Italy, sent by the exarch of Ravenna who had remained loyal to the Heraclian House, and Africa stamped down the rebellion and sent the head of Mezezios to Constantinople. Ex Sotheby's, September 1988, lot 1024; Vecchi-Bonham 3, 1980, 191. https://www.biddr.com/auctions/papillonnumismatic/browse?a=1461&l=1565658 Just thought it was interesting that two were offered so close together
Platinum event... were the only platinum coins issued by 19th century Czaristic Russia, or were older platinum coins ever made?
I think the Russian 3/6/12 Roubles 1828/45 Nicholas I where the first platinum coinage for general circulation. The Heritage "Platinum" Signature Auctions are for their high end material. Usually, on the following day their more modest material is auctioned off.
Yeah, I couldn't tell if that was gunk on the surface of the coin or the inside of the coin. The weight if definitely off if that isn't a typo. I also don't have any old catalogs to check if this really is the same coin from Sotheby's, September 1988 and Vecchi-Bonham 3, 1980. And if so, how it was described in those auctions. Would it be strange for a coin that wasn't in use for a long period of time to have a fourree?
The pedigree for that coin was fake (and perhaps the coin itself as well). This is the real coin from that sale, last sold in 2009 at Stacks:
Thanks for posting. Granted, they ended up pulling it, but kind of disturbing they didn't verify provenance before posting. It would have been the highest priced item in that auction.
