Nicephorus Melissenus, AR two-thirds Miliaresion. AD 1080-1081. Possibly Nicaea mint. 17 mm, 0.86 g.

MR-QV to left and right of facing bust of Mary, nimbate, hands raised.
+QKE RQ-NIKHFO-Rw DECPO-TH Tw ME-LICHNw legend in five lines. 

Sear 1891; DOC 1; BMC Byzants p. 539 and pl. LXIII, 11.

Extremely rare.

With permission of Numis. Naumann, auction 145, lot 941, Oct. 2024.