A histamenon nomisma of what is now considered Michael IV minted in Thessalonica during the last year of his reign were he resided during the war with the Bulgarians, instead of Michael V minted in Constantinople.  The reverse of this coin is regarded as probably to most artistic and unique image of any Byzantine coin.  It depicts the Archangel Michael on the left and Michael IV on the right.  The engraving is far superior to other coins of the period and is highly sought after.  Currently, there are somewhere around 6 to 8 known specimens of this coin of which only 2 or 3 are in private hands.  The provenance of this coin is many decades with an auction appearance in Leu 1976, Auction 15 as lot #520.  Interesting is that another specimen will be auctioned on November 4, 1998 in New York by Sotheby's in a spectacular collection of Byzantine coins.  This piece is equal or superior to the coin in the upcoming sale (Harlen Berk's and possibly the Sabatier Plate XLIX 16 coin),  and definitely superior to the Hunt coin (now impounded in the Danish Museum), two of the three ANS coins (one I have not seen), and DOC 2.  As an aside, the gentleman that owned this coin before me also owned the Hunt coin (which he sold to them through intermediaries), keeping this one because of the quality of strike and engraving on the reverse.  All of the other known specimens have a weakness (or wear) in the loros of Michael IV, whereas, this piece is fully struck.  The only detraction of this piece is the slight weakness of Christ's head on the obverse and some flan spots beyond the borders of the design.

June 1998 Imitative Piece of the Month
 

A Burgundian solidus produced by Sigismund during the period of 516 - 524 in the name of Justin I.  The Gourdon hoard of 20 of these coins where found sometime around 1958 reportably from the same pair of dies.  MEC 340, same dies.