26 Centuries of Gold
963-969 Pale Death of the Saracens
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Coin Details
| Origin/Country: |
ANCIENT - BYZANTINE (5th CENT AD - 15th CENT AD) BYZANTINE EMPIRE Nicephorus II, AD 963-969 |
| Item Description: |
AV Hist. Nomisma Empire Nicephorus II hold cross. obv Christ. rv Virgin & |
| Full Grade: |
NGC XF Strike: 5/5 Surface: 4/5 |
| Owner: |
deposito |
Owner Comments:
Nicephorus II Phocas was celibate, but it wasn't because he slept on the floor. He easily could have met chicks, if he wanted to. How couldn't he, with a nickname like "The Pale Death of the Saracens" ? Before he was Emperor he successfully led a sea invasion of Crete to take the island back from pirate Arabs. He only reigned six years before his nephew John and some other punk kids killed Nicephorus while he was sleeping on the floor in the palace.
According to the auctioneer: "Constantinople, AD 963-969. + IhS XIS RЄX' RЄΣNANTIhM, bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger with two pellets in each arm, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left arm / + ΘЄOTOC' Ь' HΘ' hICHF' dЄSP', half-length facing busts of the nimbate Virgin Mary (on left), wearing stola and maphorium, and Nicephorus II (on right), wearing crown with pendilia, and loros, jointly holding patriarchal cross with pellet on shaft between them; barred M-Θ flanking Virgin. Sear 1778."