Theodosius II, 402-450. Solidus (Gold, 21 mm, 4.35 g, 6 h), Constantinopolis, 430-440. D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG Helmeted and cuirassed bust of Theodosius II facing, his head turned slightly to right, wearing pearl diadem and holding spear in his right hand and with a shield, decorated with a horseman spearing a fallen foe, over his left shoulder. Rev. VOT XXX MVLT XXXX A / CONOB Constantinopolis seated left on throne, resting her left foot on prow, holding globus cruciger in her right hand and scepter in her left; shield at her side; in field to right, star. Depeyrot 81/1. MIRB 25b. RIC 257. Sharply struck and lustrous, a beautiful and fresh piece. Slightly clipped and with the cross removed on the reverse, otherwise, virtually as struck.


Interestingly, the cross above the globe on the reverse of this solidus was deliberately effaced. The slight tool marks indicate that the alteration was made on the coin itself. Since it affects only the Christian symbol, while the globe was left intact, the modification was almost certainly religiously motivated. It may represent a pagan erasure of the Christian emblem, or else an early Islamic adaptation of the coin, comparable to the treatment of Byzantine crosses on early Umayyad solidi, which were transformed into bars or dots in order to remove overt Christian symbolism.