VICTORIA AVGGG (2nd reign, 476 / 491, 5th issue)
ZEO – 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.
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 13/01/2009 by Heritage Auctions, Auction 3004, lot 22976, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=571094, link to their website: https://www.ha.com/.
Variant without jewels on the diadem and the letters N retrograde on the obverse. I noted ''var obv var'' to indicate that the jewels on the diadem are absent (''var'') and that the obverse legend has a variant (''obv var''). I assigned the corresponding RIC number to the similar legend without error. The same variant with the retrograde letters N exists for the same officina in the 3rd issue (note that the issue of this coin is difficult to classify). See AYC # 5 j obv var, RIC 930.
The coins of the fifth issue are recognizable by style. The face is wider with a long and wide nose. Zeno looking more slightly to the right.
On the reverse, I noted ''Angel'' in the description, we can also say that it is about the Victory, but the image of the victory at that time had indeed become that of an angel symbolizing the Christian victory.