The New York Sale 2026 Ancient & World

Historic and Very Rare Jerusalem Follis of Heraclius

2x

2x

1121 Judaea. Byzantine rule. Heraclius (AD 610-641). Æ Follis (15.66 g; 34mm), dated Indictional Year 4 (AD 630/1). Jerusalem. Crowned and draped facing bust, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter. Reverse: Large M (cross above), (A)NNO at left, II/II at right; IЄPOCOS (the S retrograde) in ex. DOC -; Bendall, Jerusalem, 1 = MIB pl. 14, X27; SB 852B. Olive green patina with earthen hues over minor roughness. Good Fine and very rare with only a handful of examples known. Identified by their mintmarks IEPOCOS (Jerusalem) and IK NIKA (‘Christ Conquers’), the remarkable Byzantine Jerusalem Folles, because of their date and imperial portrait, have traditionally been attributed as siege issues, struck in AD 614 when the Sasanian army under general, Shahrbaraz sacked Jerusalem and carried off the relic of the True Cross and the Patriarch Zacharias, along with a good portion of the population as captives. But a close analysis shows this attribution as highly unlikely. The concept of siege coinage was fairly non-existent in the Classical world; while even if the concept existed then, the siege of Jerusalem only lasted 20 days, thus the time factor would likely exclude any issuance of emergency coinage. The traditional dating of this Follis was also pinned on the view that the imperial portrait depicted is that of the type used in the first four years of Heraclius’ reign. However, the portrait is not that of Heraclius, but rather a generic Imperial depiction which was adapted from the Antioch mint portraits of Maurice Tiberias. In Seventh Century Syria-Palestine, the most prevalent Byzantine coin would have been from the Antioch mint, and so the mint’s generic portrait would be the logical one used in the Jerusalem issue. In recent years, scholars have argued that a more likely attribution for this Follis is a commemoration of the return of the True Cross, which ties in well with the other Jerusalem mintmark, IC NIKA – ‘Christ Conquers’ and with the usage of a generic Imperial portrait. The recovery of the relic by Heraclius and his decisive victory over the Sasanians at the Battle of Nineveh in December of AD 627 was a monumental event in the Christian world. Heraclius himself led the procession in Jerusalem which returned the True Cross to the Holy Sepulchre, an event which most likely occurred in the early spring of AD 630 or 631 -- dating which conforms to the fourth indictional year of Heraclius

$4,000

Lot 1122

Lot 1123

1122 Arab-Byzantine. Palestine. Æ Fals (20 mm), Tiberias (Tabariya), after AD 685. Three standing Imperial figures. Reverse: Large M, THBEPI at left, mintname in Arabic at right. Goodwin 29, Walker p.16, 49. Rare. Syrian olive-brown patina. Fine. 1123 Arab-Byzantine. Gerasa (Jerash). Æ Follis (10.01 g), late 7th Century AD. Imitating ‘Justin and Sophia’ types, year 13. Reverse: ANN (retrograde Ns) to left of large M, ‘spearpoint’ / X / III (joined at bottom) to right, OINA (retrograde N in ex. Very Fine. Album 98. Olive-green. Very Fine.

$300

$750

49