SALVS REIPVBLICAE (18 january / 17 november 474)

Bust of Leo I facing, cuirassed, wearing a helmet with crest and a pearl diadem. Holding a spear passing behind his head with the right hand and a decorated shield with a horseman slaying an enemy, with the left hand.

Leo II on the left and Zeno on his right, both seated on throne. Leo II resting his feet on a step. A latin cross placed between their two heads. A star placed between REI and PVBLICAE.

Photo of a coin sold the 15/01/2022 by Classical Numismatic Group, Triton V, lot 2235, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=95649, link to their website: https://www.cngcoins.com/.

Variant with step under the feet of Leo II. The small dots under Zeno's feet on the right indicate the probable presence of a step for this emperor. So we would have both emperors using a step. Another copy with a single step visible under the feet of Leo II, was sold by Numismatik Lanz München, 18/05/2004, Auction 120, lot 609, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=173619.

The letter B of CONOB is badly engraved and incomplete. The person in charge of engraving the lettering faced a lack of space. This shows that these legends and marks are incribed after the general drawing.

On the obverse I noted ''Bust of Leo I'' because it is obvious that it is not a portrait of Leo II who is a child.