VICTORIA AVGGG (2nd reign, 476 / 491, 3rd issue)


Reference : AYC #5 j (1), RIC 910
Weight: 4.46 grs
Metal: Gold
Diameter: ?
Scarcity: Scarce
Type:

Obverse

Reverse

D N ZENO – PERP AVG

Bust of Zeno facing, cuirassed, wearing 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.

VICTOR - I - A AVGGG

An angel standing left, holding a long latin cross decorated with jewels. Behind her on the right, a star.

Marks

I
CONOB
Numéro :

Photo of a coin sold the 10/12/2011 by Jean Elsen & ses fils S.A., Auction 111, lot 394, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1165728, link to their website: https://www.elsen.eu/.

Variant with jewels on the diadem. This coin can be is questionable, 3rd or 5th issue? We can argue and estimate that the style is not that of the 3rd issue. See comments of AYC #5 i, RIC 910. It is still more distant from that of the 5th issue.

I note an obverse die link for two coins, one with the officina , illustrating the AYC #5 i, off var, RIC 910 and the other with the officina I. The coin with the officina I has a mark CONOB or CONOR whose last letter is incomplete, maybe because she was too close to the edge of the die. The first coin (officina ) was sold the 09/02/2019 by Gabinet Numizmatyczny D. Marciniak, Auction 7, lot 2127, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5663177. LThe second coin sharing the same obverse die was sold the 07/12/200 by The NewYork Sale, Auction 3, lot 793, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=76341. We find this same die on the coin illustrating this AYC #5 j (1), RIC 910. The same engraver also made another obverse die, that of the coin illustrating the AYC #5 i, RIC 910.

The coins of the third issue are recognizable by their style. The bust is similar to that of the first two issues and that of Basiliscus. Be careful though because many coins are between the style of Basiliscus and the one found later (RIC 929 and 930 with a wider face with long and wide nose, looking more slightly to the right).

On the reverse I noted ''Angel'' in the description. We can also say that this is Victoria but the image of the victory at that time had indeed become that of an angel symbolizing the Christian victory.