Gold perper (hyperpyron)
- Metal
- Gold
- Diameter
- 30 mm
- Weight
- 4.33 g
- Rarity
- R10 — fewer than 5 known — regarded as unique
Obverse
Jesus Christ, standing full-length, with long hair and beard, with a nimbus around His head, in which a cross is inscribed. On each arm of the cross are placed five dots. Christ is dressed in a chiton and sindon. He stands upon an oval subpendion. In His left hand He holds the Gospel, and with His right He blesses before His chest. In the field on both sides of the head are the initials ІС - ХС, and below them a vertical inscription: Ѱ/Ь - СЛ/АВ/Ъ.
Reverse
The Tsar, on the left, and St. Demetrius, full-length, hold a sword with the tip downwards. With his right hand the saint crowns the ruler. Ioan Asen wears a stemma with pendilia and a short beard. He is dressed in a maniakion and divitision. His right hand is placed before his chest. The saint has a nimbus, is clean-shaven, dressed in a short military tunic, chainmail, sagion, and mantle, standing upon an oval subpendion. Vertical inscription in the two fields: ІѠ/АС/Ъ/НЬ/ЧЬ - С(Т)/Ъ/Д/М/Т.
Reconstructions
Line drawings reconstructing the coin's design from the surviving specimens.
Also struck by Ivan Asen II
Coin photographs and reconstruction drawings from A. Radushev & G. Zhekov, Catalogue of Bulgarian Medieval Coins IX–XV c. (Agató, 1999).