★ A highly interesting weight (?) of 1 Nomisma of Romanus IV Diogenes ★

Romanus IV Diogenes, with Eudocia, 1068-1071. Weight of 1 Nomisma (?) (Bronze, 19 mm, 4.37 g, 9 h), Constantinopolis. +ΘKЄ ROHΘ Bust of the Virgin Mary facing, nimbate and wearing pallium and maphorium, holding with her both hands medallion of infant Christ, nimbate; in fields, MHP (in ligature) - ΘV. Rev. +IⲰMA S EVΔKA PM Facing half-length busts of Romanus IV, on the left, and Eudocia, on the right, both crowned and holding together globe surmounted by a long cross. DOC -, cf. 3 (for tetarteron nomisma). SB -, cf. 1862 (for tetarteron nomisma). Apparently unpublished and unique, a highly interesting piece. Minor flan faults and with light corrosion, otherwise, extremely fine.

From a European collection, formed before 2005.

Exactly what this interesting piece was made for is unclear. It may very well be a test strike, an offstrike from newly crafted nomisma dies (hence the freshness), but the accurate weight indicates that it perhaps served as a weight of 1 nomisma.