TYPE Medieval Serbia, King Stefan Radoslav (1228-33), flat bronze trachy, Ras mint, Num8 type III, 2.93g DESCRIPTION . Obv: King receiving patriarchal cross from St. Constantine (holds scepter), Greek legend STEFAN[OS RIZ O D]- OA KONSTANTIN Rev: Christ enthroned, holding Book of Gospels REFERENCE: Jov. 3-4, J 3, Num8 III-6 GRADING: VF, pitting, brown patina, extremely rare and historically important ORDER INFO: S1375, $1125 The earliest type of Serbian coinage, struck after Byzantine patterns (style, type, language) and discontinuous with the main line of Serbian medieval issues, whose beginning it predates by several decades. King Radoslav inherited the Serbian throne from Stefan the First-Crowned, but was well known for his pro-Byzantine leanings, being a grandson of emperor Alexios III and son-in-law of Theodore I Doukas Angelus of Epirus. However, with the latter's demise at Klokotnica at the hands of the Bulgarians, Radoslav's fourtunes accordingly flagged shortly. The definitive work on his coinage (D. Gaj-Popovic: The money and mint of king Radoslav, Numizmaticar vol. 8 (1985) ) lists a total of 39 known specimens of his, 30 of which surfaced during archeological excavations of his capital and mint, Ras, in the 1970s. Most remain in museums; the present is believed to be the second genuine piece offered in open trade. Overall comparable or better than most of the 10 documented pieces of his type III coinage (the first 2 types represented by samples of sizes 22 and 7, respectively), the present specimen's ruler legend is admittedly very weak, but the clarity of other details, including St. Constantine's attire and full name, add some eye appeal and leave no doubt about the attribution.