Silver grosh, unlocalised mint in Serbia (?), first type (with Queen Anna)

Michael III Shishman Asen — silver — 1.11.1

Metal: Silver
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: 1.8 g
Rarity: R10 — fewer than 5 known — regarded as unique

Obverse

Jesus Christ, seated on a throne with a high rectangular garment, bearded, with a nimbus around His head, in which a cross is inscribed. Christ is dressed in a chiton and sindon. In His left hand He holds a Gospel on His knee, and with His right hand He blesses in front of His chest. In the field on both sides of the head are the initials ІС - ХС. In the bend of the right elbow is an offician mark - a single dot.

Reverse

Tsar Michael Shishman, on the left, and Empress Anna, standing, full-length, hold between them a banner with a long staff, on which a cross is depicted. On both sides of the figures is a circular inscription: АННА - МИХАИЛ. Above, parallel to the banner staff, is inscribed ЦЪ (tsar) - ЦР (empress). The Tsar wears a stemma with pendilia, sakkos and loros, decorated with pearls. With his right hand he holds the anexikakia, and with his left he takes the banner - a symbol of royal victory. Empress Anna is depicted with her head slightly inclined towards the Tsar, also with a stemma with pendilia. Her left hand is placed in front of her chest as a sign of humility, and with her right she holds the banner, the gesture unambiguously indicating handing over (presentation). She is dressed in a sakkos, and over her right arm is draped a loros.