Catalog
1 Solidus In the name of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, Cross with flat ends, equal busts with broken legend
| Issuer | Avar Khaganate |
|---|---|
| Year | 629-796 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | VITOVA - TAIA |
| Reverse description | The reverse displays a cross on four steps (a cross on a graded base), rendered in a bold, stylized manner consistent with barbarous imitations of Byzantine solidi of Heraclius. The cross potent sits atop a pyramidal four-tiered stepped base, occupying the center of the field. A degenerate Latin legend, derived from the Byzantine VICTORIA AVGVSTI formula, surrounds the central device, with the mint mark CONOB appearing in the lower exergual area, retaining its Byzantine prototype's reference to the Constantinople mint. The lettering is irregular and partially garbled, consistent with Avar imitative production. |
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| Additional information |
The Avar Khaganate produced no native coinage of its own — these solidi are imitations, struck or cast to facilitate trade and tribute payments with Byzantium and neighboring powers. This type copies the solidus of Heraclius and his son, a pairing that dominated Byzantine gold from 613 onward, but Avar craftsmen working outside any imperial mint tradition introduced consistent deviations: flattened cross terminals, broken legends, and equalized bust sizes that betray unfamiliarity with the hierarchical distinctions the Constantinople mint was careful to preserve.
The Elemér typology places this among a small group of identifiable Avar imitative issues recovered primarily from Pannonian grave contexts.