★ A beautiful aspron trachy of Manuel I ★

Manuel I Comnenus, 1143-1180. Aspron Trachy (Electrum, 31 mm, 4.25 g, 6 h), Constantinopolis, circa 1167-1180. Christ seated facing on square-backed throne, wearing pallium and colobium, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left; in fields, IC - XC. Rev. MAN૪HΛ ΔЄCΠΟTH / M - ΘV Manuel standing facing on the left, wearing crown, divitision and jewelled loros, holding labarum in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left; Virgin Mary standing facing on the right, nimbate, wearing pallium and maphorium, crowning the emperor with her right hand. DOC 6a. SB 1961. A beautiful example with a particularly attractive reverse. Graffiti and light marks, otherwise, extremely fine.

From a European collection, formed before 2005.