VICTORIA AVGGG (2nd reign, 476 / 491, 3rd issue)
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.
An angel standing left, holding a long latin cross decorated with jewels. Behind her on the right, a star.
Marks
Photo of a coin sold the 03/09/2014 by Heritage Auctions, Auction 3035, lot 29275, link to the sale and their website: https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-zeno-eastern-roman-emperor-ad-474-491-av-solidus-21mm-447-gm-5h-/a/3035-29275.s?type=acsearch3035.
Variant with jewels on the diadem. Not very important detail but that I still note: the officina letter is oriented horizontally. That of AYC #6 h, RIC 910 is oriented vertically.
The marks CONOR are classified as AYC #6. Here are the different variants:
- #6: CONOR mark not corrected. Examples: AYC #6 f, indicating that it is the CONOR mark associated with the seventh known officina: Z (without officina or first officina: no letter, second officina: a .. etc.). #6 (1) with legend break on the reverse.
- ''mark corr'' in the reference indicates that the mark has been corrected. When the letter R of CONOR has a thin line which has been added to form a letter B.
Read this article about CONOR marks: https://www.all-your-coins.com/en/blog/antique/romaines/analyse-de-la-marque-conor. I also assigned the same RIC numbers as for AYC #5, the RIC not having noted these marks CONOR.
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.