Justinian I "The Great" (527-565) AV Tremissis (1.45g, 17mm, 6h). Constantinople, circa 527-565.
Obverse: DN IVSTINIANVS PP AVG. Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM / CONOB in exergue. Victory advancing right, head left, holding wreath in right hand & globus cruciger in left. Star to right.
References: SB 145; DOC I 19; MIB I 19.
Provenance: Ex-CNG e-Auction 455, Lot 394 (Lancaster, PA 30 Oct 2019), from the Jack A. Frazer collection; Harlan Berk Buy or Bid Sale 27, Lot 8 (13 Sep 1983); includes original inserts from CNG & HJB.
Numis. Notes: Typical slightly wavy flan. Tiny obv. graffito: large "B" between head/legend & crosses (11h, 1h).
Hist. Notes: Representative of shift from Pagan toward Christian symbols on Byzantine coinage (much like Imperial coinage of Constantine). Note, particularly, the figure on the reverse depicted holding a wreath (indicative of Roman deity Victory), but also a globus cruciger (perhaps suggestive of an angel, as on coins of Justin II & later, but clearly referencing Christianity).
The reverse figure is persuasively identified as Victory in the literature, but since the joint reign of Justin I and Justinian (c. 519; see SB [1987] p.14 & 44), an (always male) angel had largely replaced Victory on the AV Solidus. The figure of Victory seems to have been preserved on the Tremissis (sometimes visibly female). One wonders, though, whether and to what extent that shift may have influenced both the design of the Victory-type Tremissi by the mints and their reception by the public.
