★ An enigmatic weight of 4 nomismata ★

Circa 5th-7th centuries. Weight of 4 Nomismata (Orichalcum, 17x18 mm, 17.58 g, 12 h). ṄΔ inlaid in silver. Rev. Complex monogram inlaid in niello. Bendall -. CPAI -. MAH -. Pondera -. Apparently unpublished. Good very fine.

Unfortunately, the exact reading of the complex monogram on the reverse of this interesting weight is quite problematic. One elegant solution would be to read it as a dative 'parakoimómenó', which was an eunuch court office, but why a Parakoimomenos would sign a coin weight eludes this cataloguer, all the more as a genitive would be expected. Perhaps a name and an unknown office are hidden in the monogram after all.