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Justinian I. 527-565. Æ Follis (31.5mm, 13.54 g, 6h). Ravenna mint. Dated RY 34 (560/1). Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder; cross to right / Large M, cross above; Λ/N/N/O - X/XX/IIII (date) across field; RΛVEN/NΛ. DOC 342.1; MIBE 233; Ranieri 371 (same rev. die); SB 323. Dark green patina, some cleaning and light smoothing scratches. VF. Very rare. No others with this date configuration in CoinArchives. An excellent example for Ravenna.
From the Iconodule Collection. Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 24 (3 December 2022), lot 670.
Following the removal of the imperial court to Ravenna by Honorius in 402, the city, which although already important, continued to grow and furthermore became a major symbol of imperial power and a critical bastion in the west. Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the seizure of Ravenna by Odovacar from Orestes and Romulus Augustus in early 476, Ravenna continued to grow in importance to the Ostrogothic kingdom and was the seat of the Senate and imperial court. Its mint additionally continued to operate for the Ostrogoths, minting Ostrogothic coinage rather than the Roman coins it had formerly produced. For the Eastern Romans/Byzantines, Ravenna became a crown jewel symbolically for any future recapture of the ancient heartland of the Roman Empire.
The capable general of Justinian’s Gothic War of 535-554, Belisarius, therefore was insistent on thoroughly defeating the Goths by recapturing Ravenna itself. Despite Justinian instructing Belisarius to sue for lenient terms for the Goths in ending the long and destructive war, Belisarius disobeyed and instead successfully took Ravenna itself, decisively ending the Gothic War in Byzantium’s favor. In the process, the mint of Ravenna was retaken and began minting Byzantine Folles such as this rare example as well as other denominations.
The Byzantines’ victory in the west, however, was not to last, as the Lombards later took advantage of the weakened state of the Goths in Italy to push further into the peninsula in the years that followed.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 129 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 13-14 May 2025. This lot is in Session Two, which will begin 13 May at 2 PM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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