John III Ducas (Vatatzes), emperor of Nicaea, 1222-1254. Aspron Trachy (Silver, 33 mm, 2.55 g, 12 h), Magnesia. The Virgin Mary standing facing, nimbate, wearing pallium and maphorium, raising her hands in prayer; before her, nimbate head of the infant Christ; to her left and right, MP - ΘV.
Rev. Iω ΔЄCΠOTIC John III standing facing on the left, and St. Constantine (?), nimbate and bearded, standing facing on the right and wearing loros; both holding between them long sword; below sword, two shields. CNG 111 (2019) 886 (
this coin misdiscribed as DOC 48 and SB 2102 [Figure on the right wearing short military tunic and breastplate]). DOC -. Lianta -. SB -. Tencho Popov: Unpublished coins of the Empire of Thessalonica, Nicaea and late Byzantium, in: Minalo 3/2019, p. 12 (
this coin). Apparently unique and of great interest. Breaks in flan
, otherwise, extremely fine.
From a collection of coins from the medieval Balkans, ex Classical Numismatic Group 111, 29 May 2019, 886 (with original ticket).
Unfortunately, the name of the saint standing on the right side of the reverse is illegible. It could be St. Theodore, who is depicted standing together with John III with sword and shield between them on another issue from Magnesia (DOC 48). However T. Popov suggest that the saint might in fact be St. Constantine, as on the lead seal in Leu 5 (2019), 584, as St. Theodore and St. Demetrius are usually shown in military attire.
