brons verguld, Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, Lepton, circa late 550s-560s

 

Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, circa late 550s-560s. Lepton (Gilt Bronze, 15 mm, 1.06 g, 7 h). ለአሐዘ✠በ-ዘዐደለ ('lʼhzbzydl' = 'To please the peoples' in Ge'ez) Draped half-length bust of Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding long and straight ear of barley. Rev. ዘወ-ዘነ-ዘነ-ገሠ ('zwznzngs' = 'Of Wazen, of the King' in Ge'ez) Cross crosslet with central circle inlaid in gold and another cross crosslet in angles. Hahn, Aksumite, 70. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 76. Munro-Hay, AC, type 119. An excellent example will full gilding and attractive earthen highlights on a dark patina. Good very fine.

From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection.

This and the following three coins, struck under Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, belong to a remarkable issue of bronze coins displaying a great variety in control marks and the design of the barley ears and the reverses. The obverse legend, 'To please the peoples', naturally refers to the cross on the reverse, which represents the aspiration to spread the true faith to all corners of the globe, further underlined by the gilding of the central circle of the cross on the reverse. This was the last issue of Axumite bronze coins to be regularly gilded.

Leu, okt. 2023, lot 330, 1300 CHF (Euro 1368)

Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, circa late 550s-560s. Lepton (Bronze, 17 mm, 1.71 g, 11 h). ለአሐዘበዘዐ-ደለ ('lʼhzbzydl' = 'To please the peoples' in Ge'ez) Draped half-length bust of Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding ear of barley ending in a cross; to upper right, triangle consisting of three pellets. Rev. ዘወ-ዘነ-ዘነ-ገሠ ('zwznzngs' = 'Of Wazen, of the King' in Ge'ez) Cross crosslet with central circle and X in angles. Hahn, Aksumite, 70. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 76. Munro-Hay, AC, type 120i. Beautiful earthen highlights. Good very fine.

From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection.

Leu, okt. 2023, lot 331, 1000 CHF (Euro 1052)

Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, circa late 550s-560s. Lepton (Bronze, 17 mm, 1.23 g, 4 h). ለአሐዘበዘዐ-ደለ ('lʼhzbzydl' = 'To please the peoples' in Ge'ez) Draped half-length bust of Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding curved ear of barley. Rev. ዘወ-ዘነ-ዘነ-ገሠ ('zwznzngs' = 'Of Wazen, of the King' in Ge'ez) Cross crosslet with central circle and X in angles. Hahn, Aksumite, 70. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 76. Munro-Hay, AC, type 118. Beautiful dark patina. Minor deposits and with light weakness on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine.

From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection.

Leu, okt. 2023, lot 332, 750 CHF (Euro 789)

Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad, circa late 550s-560s. Lepton (Gilt Bronze, 17 mm, 1.54 g, 10 h). ለአሐዘበዘዐ-ደለ ('lʼhzbzydl' = 'To please the peoples' in Ge'ez) Draped half-length bust of Ella Gabaz/Wazen Agad to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding long ear of barley; to upper right, cross. Rev. ዘወ-ዘነ-ዘነ-ገሠ ('zwznzngs' = 'Of Wazen, of the King' in Ge'ez) Cross crosslet with central circle inlaid in gold and X in angles. Hahn, Aksumite, 70. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 76. Munro-Hay, AC, type 118 ff. (differing obverse legend arrangements). A fine example with a beautiful dark brown patina. Flan cracks and with light doubling on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.

From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection.

Leu, okt. 2023, lot 333, 950 CHF (Euro 999)