Odovacar, king, 476-493. Solidus (Gold, 20 mm, 4.42 g, 6 h), struck in the name of Zeno, Ravenna. D N ZENO PER P F AVG Helmeted, pearl-diademed and cuirassed bust of Zeno facing, his head turned slightly to right, holding spear over his shoulder in his right hand and with a shield, decorated with a horseman spearing fallen enemy, on his left shoulder. Rev. VICTORI-A AVGGG(monogram) / CONOB Victory standing front, head to left, holding long jeweled cross in her right hand; in field to right, star. RIC 3632. Extremely rare. Struck from slightly worn dies and with a few light scrapes, otherwise, good extremely fine.


This coin shares a reverse die with Roma E-Auction 21 (2015), 927 (misattributed as a solidus of Zeno from Constantinople), which in turn was struck from the same obverse die as NAC 93 (2016), 1100, a coin from the Lacam Collection that carries the Ravennate mintmark 'CONOBRV'. Thus, both our coin and the Roma example must also have been struck under Odovacar in his capital, Ravenna.