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Bisti - Heraclius II Double-headed Eagle
| Issuer | Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti |
|---|---|
| Year | 1787-1789 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a double-headed eagle rendered in low relief, the heraldic device associated with the royal house of Kartli-Kakheti under Heraclius II. The bird is depicted with wings spread and both heads facing outward, occupying the central field of the irregularly struck flan. The date 1787 in Latin numerals appears in the field, referencing the Gregorian year of issue. The overall execution is consistent with the crude hammered technique typical of the Tbilisi Mint during this period, with the design softened by wear and surface corrosion. |
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| Reverse lettering | 1787 |
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| Additional information |
Kartli-Kakheti had functioned as a Russian protectorate since the Treaty of Georgievsk in 1783, yet the kingdom continued striking its own copper coinage under Heraclius II until Russian administrative absorption rendered local minting redundant. This bisti belongs to that narrow window — a kingdom nominally sovereign, politically dependent, and within a decade of outright annexation under Paul I's 1801 proclamation.
The double-headed eagle on this type reflects direct Russian imperial iconographic influence, an unusually candid acknowledgment in metal of where real power had already shifted.