Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, circa late 550s-560s. Lepton (Gilt Bronze, 15 mm, 1.06 g, 7 h). ለአሐዘ✠በ-ዘዐደለ ('lʼhzbzydl' = 'To please the peoples' in Ge'ez) Draped half-length bust of Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding long and straight ear of barley. Rev. ዘወ-ዘነ-ዘነ-ገሠ ('zwznzngs' = 'Of Wazen, of the King' in Ge'ez) Cross crosslet with central circle inlaid in gold and another cross crosslet in angles. Hahn, Aksumite, 70. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 76. Munro-Hay, AC, type 119. An excellent example will full gilding and attractive earthen highlights on a dark patina. Good very fine.


This and the following three coins, struck under Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, belong to a remarkable issue of bronze coins displaying a great variety in control marks and the design of the barley ears and the reverses. The obverse legend, 'To please the peoples', naturally refers to the cross on the reverse, which represents the aspiration to spread the true faith to all corners of the globe, further underlined by the gilding of the central circle of the cross on the reverse. This was the last issue of Axumite bronze coins to be regularly gilded.