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Banner Artemide LXI
Lot # 767
Byzantine-Papal. Constantine IV Pogonatus (668-685) and Pope St. Benedict. AR 1/8 Siliqua or 30 Nummi, Rome mint. Obv. No legend. Beardless bust facing, wearing crown and chlamys, and holding globus cruciger. Rev. Large Monogram (Sear 37); star to upper left. Sear 1233; MIB 74; D.O. 80b. AR. 0.20 g. 8.00 mm. RRR. Extremely rare and fascinating issue. VF. This intriguing small silver coin presents a fascinating blend of Byzantine and papal imagery, marking a significant historical revelation regarding the temporal sovereignty of the papacy. Combining the portrait of a Byzantine emperor on the obverse with the monogram of the serving bishop of Rome (pope) on the reverse, this coin suggests that the popes may have wielded temporal authority far earlier than previously believed by historians. Although a handful of such coins were documented by Sabatier in 1862, it wasn't until Michael O'Hara's publication in the Swiss Numismatic Review in 1985 that they garnered widespread recognition. A subsequent group of coins featured in an NAC-Leu Sale in May 1993, further solidifying their significance. As O'Hara aptly noted, these coins are poised to catalyze a reassessment of medieval history, as they challenge conventional narratives and prompt a reevaluation of the papacy's political role during the Dark Ages.