★ Metropolitan of Hadrianopolis. Very Rare! ★

PB Byzantine seal of Nicholas metropolitan of Adrianoupolis (Thrace) (second half of 10th century AD)
Obv: Bust of St Nicholas holding the Gospel and offering a blessing. Inscription at left and right: ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νικόλ(αος). Border of dots.
Rev: Inscription of five lines beginning with a cross: +Νικολ(άο) μιτροπολ(ίτι) Ἀδρηανωπό(λεος). Border of dots.
Translation: St Nicholas. Nicholas metropolitan of Adrianoupolis.
For the only known parallel, see Laurent, Corpus V/1, p. 544, no. 717.
Hadrianopolis became an important religious center in the 10th century. For the very few seals proving that Adrianoupolis was the seat of a metropolitan, see. Laurent, Corpus V/1, 543–46, nos. 717–19.
Weight: 7.67 g.
Diameter: 24.62 mm.