Romanus III Argyrus, 1028-1034. Histamenon (Gold, 24mm, 4.39 g 6), Constantinople. +IhS XIS REX REGNANTIhM Christ Pantocrator seated facing on throne, holding book of Gospels in his left hand and raising his right in blessing. Rev. ΘCΕ bΟΗΘ RωΜΑnω On the left, Romanus standing facing, wearing crown and loros (with five pellets in the end), holding globus cruciger with his left hand; on the right, the Virgin, nimbate and wearing robes, crowning the emperor with her right hand and holding maphorion in her left. DOC 1c. SB 1819. An attractive, sharply struck piece. Extremely fine.

From the collection of the late Hans Gutknecht of Zürich.