BYZANTINE GOLD HYPERPYRON OF JOHN III DUCAS VATATZES IN GOLD PENDANT

Ca. AD 1221 - 1254. A gold hyperpyron of John III Ducas Vatatzes, the obverse depicting the bearded and nimbate Christ seated on a backless throne, raising his right hand in blessing, with IC-XC in the field. The reverse depicts the emperor standing to the left, crowned by the nimbate Virgin Mary at the right. John wears a stemma, divitision, collar-piece and panelled loros, holding a labarum in his right hand and an akakia in his left; the Virgin wears a tunic and maphorion. The coin is set in a hallmarked 18K gold pendant within a circular swivel mount, pivoting between knop terminals inside an open outer frame with a broad tapered suspension bail. Size: 37mm x 31mm; Weight: 8.4g Provenance: UK private collection; London market; ex Oxford collection, 1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.

Estimate:£1,000

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