BYZANTINE EMPIRE – Maurice Tiberius (AD 582–602) – AV Solidus
Constantinople mint, 3rd Officina (Γ), struck AD 582–602
Obverse: Draped and cuirassed bust of Maurice Tiberius facing, wearing a plumed helmet with pendilia. In his right hand he holds the globus cruciger, symbol of universal Christian authority entrusted to the emperor. The stern, frontal portrait reflects the highly formalized imperial iconography of the late 6th century, blending martial authority with divine sanction.
Reverse: Angel standing facing, nimbate, holding a globus cruciger in the right hand and a long staff topped with a Christogram in the left. Officina mark Γ in left field; CONOB in exergue, signifying the mint of Constantinople and purity of gold. This enduring type visually reinforces the belief that the emperor’s rule is upheld by divine protection.
References: Sear Byzantine 478
Metal: Gold (AV)
Weight: 4.45 g
Diameter: 22 mm
Grade: NGC MS (Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5) – sharply struck and perfectly centered on a broad flan, unusually large for the type.
Collector’s Note:
This exceptional solidus combines pristine strike quality, a remarkably broad flan, and perfect centering — features that elevate it well above the typical specimen. The wide, full flan accommodates every detail of the design without crowding, allowing the viewer to appreciate the artistry of the bust and the symbolic gravity of the angel reverse. In an era when Byzantine gold was the bedrock of international trade and diplomacy, this coin would have been recognized as a mark of imperial authority from Constantinople to the courts of distant kings. For the collector, it offers not just gold, but history — a tangible emblem of the empire’s enduring power at the twilight of Late Antiquity.
BYZANTINE EMPIRE – Maurice Tiberius (AD 582–602) – AV Solidus
Constantinople mint, 3rd Officina (Γ), struck AD 582–602
Obverse: Draped and cuirassed bust of Maurice Tiberius facing, wearing a plumed helmet with pendilia. In his right hand he holds the globus cruciger, symbol of universal Christian authority entrusted to the emperor. The stern, frontal portrait reflects the highly formalized imperial iconography of the late 6th century, blending martial authority with divine sanction.
Reverse: Angel standing facing, nimbate, holding a globus cruciger in the right hand and a long staff topped with a Christogram in the left. Officina mark Γ in left field; CONOB in exergue, signifying the mint of Constantinople and purity of gold. This enduring type visually reinforces the belief that the emperor’s rule is upheld by divine protection.
References: Sear Byzantine 478
Metal: Gold (AV)
Weight: 4.45 g
Diameter: 22 mm
Grade: NGC MS (Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5) – sharply struck and perfectly centered on a broad flan, unusually large for the type.
Collector’s Note:
This exceptional solidus combines pristine strike quality, a remarkably broad flan, and perfect centering — features that elevate it well above the typical specimen. The wide, full flan accommodates every detail of the design without crowding, allowing the viewer to appreciate the artistry of the bust and the symbolic gravity of the angel reverse. In an era when Byzantine gold was the bedrock of international trade and diplomacy, this coin would have been recognized as a mark of imperial authority from Constantinople to the courts of distant kings. For the collector, it offers not just gold, but history — a tangible emblem of the empire’s enduring power at the twilight of Late Antiquity.
