The Treasury - Ancient Numismatic Art
FIRST EVER COIN WITH A CHRISTIAN CROSS & ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLES! 10795. AXUM. EZANAS. Circa 330-360. AV (17mm, 2.05 g, 12h). Crowned and draped bust right, holding stick or scepter; grain ears flanking, legend divided by 2 Christian crosses around. / Draped bust right, wearing head cloth, holding branch; grain ears flanking, Christian cross and legend around. Hahn, Aksumite 21a; Munro-Hay type 47; BMC Axum 74 corr. (photos for 74 and 75 switched). VF. Very rare and one of the finest known! Ex. CNG.
Located directly south of Egypt in modern Ethiopia, Axum became the first Christian kingdom in Africa when King Ezanas converted around 356 AD and began using the Christian cross on his coinage. In fact these coins are the first time a Christian cross had ever appeared on a coin and are among the earliest appearances of the cross as a Christian symbol. The fish and the Chi Rho were used previously. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess the Ark of the Covenant, or Tabot, in Axum. The object is currently kept under guard in a treasury near the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion and is used occasionally in ritual processions. Replicas of the Axum tabot are kept in every Ethiopian church, each with its own dedication to a particular saint, the most popular of these include Mary, George and Michael.
$85,000.