★ Well struck and attractive ★

John III Ducas (Vatatzes), emperor of Nicaea, 1222-1254. Hyperpyron (Gold, 26 mm, 4.39 g, 5 h), Magnesia. Christ, nimbate, seated facing on throne, wearing tunic and pallium, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left; in field to left and right, IC - XC; in field to left, cross. Rev. IⲰ / ΔЄC - TⲰ(in ligature) / Θ / ΠΟ/Φ[...]/P[...]Γ[...] John III standing facing on the left, wearing divitision and loros, holding labarum in his right hand and anexikakia in his left, crowned by the Virgin Mary, nimbate, standing facing on the right. SB 2073. Well struck and attractive. Light doubling and with some graffiti, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From the collection of Dr. Max Blaschegg (1930-2021, with collector’s ticket), privately acquired at the Zürich coin fair on 20 October 1984.