Lot Essay
The gold Arab-Byzantine coinage of North Africa falls into two series, those with the busts of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine and those without. It is now considered that these two groups are not consecutive issues but are contemporary issues from two mints, those with the busts being struck in Qayrawan and those without, in Carthage. Within each group there are two series, the earlier with the legend expanding to "Deus tuus deus et alius non est" and the later with "Non est deus nisi ipse solus cui socius non est" which is the legend on the obverse of this coin.
The cataloguer can find no other example of a solidus of this size and with a globe rather than a T on three steps.
The cataloguer can find no other example of a solidus of this size and with a globe rather than a T on three steps.
![Dinar or Solidus imitating Carthage solidus of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, North Africa, before c.AH 90, NONABEHNOH [-] W [-] HSIPSESOLCSET, draped facing busts of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine wearing trefoil topped crowns, rev. [-] DNCISIBEBNCIPIA [--], globe on staff on three steps (Walker --), about extremely fine, extremely rare](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2000/SKS/2000_SKS_01239_0846_000(013519).jpg?w=1)