1084997 | ROMAN IMPERIAL. Theoderic or Zeno. (Emperor, 493-526 AD). Struck 474-491 AD. AV Solidus. NGC MS✭ (Mint State ✭) Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5. Uncertain Italian mint, 5th officina. 20mm. 4.46gm. D N ZENO PERP AVG. Diademed, helmeted and cuirassed facing bust of Zeno, head slightly right, holding spear over right shoulder and on left arm shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTOR-I-A AVGGG Є (Θ)// CONOR. Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross in right hand; star in right field. RIC X 929.

Possible pseudo-Imperial coinage struck in the name of Zeno (Eastern Roman Emperor, Second Reign 476-491 AD). CNG noted the following: "Based on the CONOR in the exergue, Lacam assigned this issue to the reign of the Ostrogothic king Theoderic, an attribution which catalogers of these coins have generally adopted. M.A. Metlich, in his recent study of the Ostrogothic coinage (COI), however, states that no solidi in the name of Zeno can be attributed to Theoderic, implying that such issues must be official coinages of the emperor. In fact, P. Grierson noted a Zeno with Leo tremissis with the CONOR mintmark in Dumbarton Oaks (DOCLR 628), which he assigned to Constantinople. While CONOR is suggestive of an unofficial or imitative issue, examples with this mintmark are recorded with one of seven different officina letters – A, B, Γ, Δ, Є, Z, and Θ. So many officina letters are unknown in contemporary Germanic issues that imitate imperial coinage, and rather suggest a well-structured official mint whose identification is not yet certain.". Given the star designation by NGC for exceptional eye appeal.

Ex Triton VI (14 January 2003), lot 1186; Tkalec (19 February 2001), lot 434; Dr. Anton C. R. Dreesman Collection (Part I, Spink [142], 13 April 2000), lot 372; Numismatic Fine Arts XVIII, Part II (1 April 1987), lot 635.


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