Constantine IV Pogonatus. 668-685. AV Tremissis (16mm, 1.40 g, 6h). Carthage mint. Dated IY 10 (681/2). VF.

Triton XXVII
Lot: 951. Estimated: $ 1 500

Byzantine, Coin-in-Hand Video, Gold

Sold For $ 4 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

Constantine IV Pogonatus. 668-685. AV Tremissis (16mm, 1.40 g, 6h). Carthage mint. Dated IY 10 (681/2). [...] τN τ ς VC[...], helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder in right hand and shield decorated with horseman motif on left shoulder; • to right / (retrograde Ч)CTR IA AVC P, cross potent; I (date) to left; globule to right; (retrograde CONOB). DOC –; cf. MIB 28 (for similar type; solidus); cf. SB 1191 (same). Some roughness, scrapes. VF. Unique and unpublished.

This coin represents a new denomination for Constantine IV at Carthage. This tremissis features a strong resemblance to MIB 28 which, though a solidus, is near identical to this piece in iconography save for the cross potent being set on three steps. This new tremissis follows the series of solidi with the pellet to the right of the obverse bust (also seen on other Carthaginian issues from this time). Additionally, the reverse has the I to left, which Hahn dates to IY 10, and the globule to right as well as similar legends. Finally, while difficult to make out on this piece, the loop on the right side of the cross potent may also be present as is found on the solidi.

The date of IY 10 (681/2) is quite interesting. At that time, Byzantine Carthage, and the whole of the Exarchate of North Africa, was under heavy pressure from the invading Arab forces. The Berber kingdoms of North Africa, often unfriendly towards the Byzantines, were likewise not all enthused about forced conversion to Islam and acceptance of Arab overlordship. One such ruler was the Christian-Berber king of Altava, Kusaila ibn Malzam. Forced into an alliance of necessity, Kusaila allied with Byzantine forces and set an ambush for the invading Arab warlord Uqba ibn Nafi of the Rashidun Caliphate. South of the Roman city of Vescera at Tehouda, the coalition decisively defeated the Arab army and killed Uqba in the battle. The defeated Arab forces retreated to Egypt and regrouped. This issue was stuck around the time of the famous Battle of Vescera and could have been used to pay the troops engaged in the counteroffensive.

Ultimately, the victory at Vescera would not be enough to turn back the inevitable. Finally, in 698 a large Umayyad force defeated the Byzantines at Carthage and seized the city. This final battle marked the termination of Byzantine coinage at Carthage. Shortly before the fall of Carthage, a small Byzantine mint was opened on Sardinia which continued minting Byzantine gold in the western Mediterranean for some time.

This tremissis affords a possibly once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a unique piece from the late Byzantine gold coinage at Carthage just a few years before its fall.

The final winners of all Triton XXVII lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 9-10 January 2024.

Triton XXVII – Session Three – Lot 648–983 will be held Wednesday morning, 10 January 2024 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

We recognize that our users may have various Internet Browsers and Operating Systems. We like our visitors to have the best possible experience when using our bidding platform. However, we do recognize that it is impossible to develop applications that work identically, efficiently and effectively on all web browsers. The CNG bidding platform supports the latest stable major version and stable previous version of Chrome and Firefox.