CNG 129 Virtual Catalog

May 13-14, 2025

CNG Feature Auction 129

May 13–14, 2025

To Be Conducted Live Online at the CNG Lancaster Office

Featuring:

Celtic, Greek, and Roman Coins from the Meander Collection

Ancient, World, and British Coins from the G. Savonarola Collection

Beautiful Didrachm of the Brettii from the Moretti, Jameson, Woodward, and Prowe Collections

Published Euainetos Dekadrachm of Syracuse from the Lockett and Pozzi Collections

Rare and Pedigreed Gold Mnaïeia of Arsinoe II

An Extremely Rare Cistophorus of Marcus Tullius Cicero

Further Selections from the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection of Alexandrian Coinage

Stunning “Judaea Capta” Sestertius from the Bromberg Collection

A Selection of Solidi of Byzantine Empress Irene

Further Selections of World, US, and British Coins from the Alexander Christopher and Drewry Family Collections

Rare Lí Yuánhóng Dollar with General Wearing Cap

Gold Écu of Henri IV from Saint-Lô

French Third Republic 100 Francs Essai Piedfort in Gold

High Grade Oak Tree Schilling

A Selection of US Vintage Ingots

George VI Gold Proof Set

US OFFICE

PO Box 479

Lancaster, PA 17608-0479

Phone (717) 390.9194 Fax (717) 390.9978

EU OFFICE

Noordeinde 64a 2514GK, The Hague, NL Phone +31.851.301.541

UK OFFICE

De Morgan House, 57-58 Russell Square London WC1B 4HS, UK Phone +44.20.7495.1888 Fax

EMAIL & WEBSITE

Email cng@cngcoins.com Website www.cngcoins.com

Grading Conditions

English Deutsch Français Italiano

Proof Polierte Platte

Mint State/Uncirculated Stempelglanz

Extremely Fine (EF) Vorzüglich

Very Fine (VF)

Sehr Schön

Flan Bruni

Fondo Specchio

Fleur de Coin Fior di Conio

Superbe

Splendido

Très Beau Bellissimo

Fine Schön Beau Molto Bello

Good/Fair Gut

Common Abbreviations

AD Anno Domini

Bien

Bello

BE Bithynio-Pontic Era IY Indictional Year

Æ Bronze BI Billon MBS Mail Bid Sale

AE Actian Era CE Common Era mm Mintmark

AH Anno Hegirae

Cf. Confer (compare) PB Lead

AR Silver c/m Countermark p. Page

AV Gold CY Civic Year (Era) pl. Plate

BBS Buy or Bid Sale EL Electrum RPE Roman Provincial Era

BC Before Christ FPL Fixed Price List RY Regnal Year

BCE Before the Common Era g Gram SE Seleukid Era

See Bibliography on our website, www.cngcoins.com, for a complete list of reference abbreviations.

Bank Accounts

Beneficiary: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC

US$ Account:

PNC Bank, N.A.

249 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh PA 15222

Account Number: 5005069595

ABA Number: 031000053

BIC or SWIFT: PNCCUS33

€ Account:

HSBC Bank plc

60 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4N 4TR

Account Number: 84309198

Sort code: 40 12 76

IBAN: GB82HBUK40127684309198

BIC or SWIFT: HBUKGB4B

£ Account:

HSBC Bank plc

60 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4N 4TR

Account Number: 71170910

Sort code: 40 11 60

IBAN: GB45HBUK40116071170910

BIC or SWIFT: HBUKGB4B

Classical Numismatic Group, LLC is a United States limited company. Auction license number AY002406. United Kingdom Registration No. FC035702, Branch No. BR020787.

All lots in this auction were in the possession of CNG in CNG’s Lancaster, Pennsylvania office no later than 17 March 2025. This information is provided for the protection of buyers in the event that US import restrictions are introduced subsequent to that date on any of the types of coins that are included in this auction.

Notice Regarding “Slabs”

Coins that have been encapsulated (“slabbed”) by a grading and/or authentication service may not be returned for any reason, including authenticity, if they have been removed from the encapsulation (“slab”).

Acknowledgement

CNG would like to thank Jan Moens (jan.moens@bvdmc.com) for creating and providing the Numismatica Medievalis font used in this sale.

AUCTION TERMS

This is a public and Internet auction conducted by Classical Numismatic Group, LLC (CNG). Bidding in the auction constitutes acceptance of the following terms:

1. The property listed in this catalogue is offered for sale by CNG for itself and as agent for various owners and other consignors. We reserve the right to reject any bid, to determine the opening price, to set bidding increments, to vary the order of the auction, to reopen bidding in the case of a dispute, to withdraw any lot, to bid on behalf of CNG, to bid on behalf of the consignor, to permit the auctioneer to bid on his own behalf, and to permit the consignor, where reserves have been agreed, to bid on his own lots. CNG may loan or advance money to consignors or prospective bidders, and may have an interest other than commission charges in any lot. CNG may bid on its own account as an “insider” with information not available to the public.

2. A buyer’s fee will be charged to all successful bidders as follows on the hammer price:

A. 25% for written, fax, email, and telephone bids.

B. 22.5% for floor bids placed in person at the auction and electronic bids placed directly on www.cngcoins.com. All written bids, email bids, nonlive telephone bids, live internet bid registrations, and live telephone bid registrations must be received before 5PM Eastern time on the day before the auction begins. CNG reserves the right to change the format of www. cngcoins.com at any time.

3. All coins are guaranteed genuine. Attribution, date, condition, and other descriptions are the opinion of the cataloguer, and no warranty is expressed or implied. Please note that an auction sale is not an approval sale. Grading is subjective and the opinion of the cataloger. The photographs and videos (when available) of each coin provide additional information for the bidder and supplement the written description found in the catalog. It is the responsibility of the bidder to view photographs and videos and draw their own conclusion as to the quality of the coin they are bidding on. CNG expressly makes no guarantee that our grade and coin descriptions will match those provided by others. No refund will be provided due to grade or “adjectival” comments by a third-party grading service if a coin is submitted for grading after the sale. Any claim of lack of authenticity must be made in writing by the original purchaser immediately after discovery that an item is not authentic, and upon making such a claim the original purchaser must immediately return the lot to CNG in the same condition as at the time of the auction. Any coin returned as “not authentic” which CNG feels is genuine will be submitted to the International Association of Professional Numismatists Authentication Bureau (IBSCC) for final decision of authenticity. No refund shall be made on such coins until the IBSCC makes their determination. This includes coins that have been submitted to a third-party grading service after the auction. Coins that have been previously encapsulated (“slabbed”) by a grading and/or authentication service may not be returned for any reason, including authenticity, if they have been removed from the encapsulation (“slab”). If payment is made by credit card, rights of return are governed by these Auction Terms which supersede any rights of return promulgated by the card issuer. Estimates are intended as a guide only and not as a statement of opinion of value.

4. Invoices are due and payable immediately upon receipt. Interest and late fees of 2.0% per month, or at the highest rate permitted by law, whichever is less, from the date of the auction, shall be payable on invoices not settled within 30 days of the auction date. Payment may be made by check or bank wire. Credit cards (Visa or MasterCard) will be accepted; credit card payments will not be accepted more than 14 days after the sale date. Payment by credit card for printed sale auctions will be charged a 2.5% handling fee. Payment by check must be made in either US dollars ($) drawn on a US bank or British sterling (£) drawn on a British bank. All successful bidders outside North America and the United Kingdom will be charged an additional $20 fee for bank charges that are the result of international wire transfer fees; this fee will be deducted for credit card or check payment as described above. CNG may reduce or compromise any charge or fee at its discretion.

5. Bidders not known to us must provide us with satisfactory credit references or pay a deposit as determined at CNG’s discretion before bidding. Minors are not permitted to bid without written consent of a parent guaranteeing payment. CNG may require payment in full from any bidder prior to delivery of lots. Title does not pass until lots are paid in full. Upon receipt of lots, the buyer assumes full responsibility for loss or damage. Delivery to the buyer’s address of record shall constitute receipt by the

buyer regardless of the identity of the person accepting delivery.

6. Estimates are in U.S. dollars ($US) and bids must be in even dollar ($) amounts. CNG will execute mail bids on behalf of mail bidders. Subject to reserves and opening prices, mail bids will be executed at one bidding increment (approximately 10%) over the next highest bid. In the case of identical bids, the earliest bid wins. A mail bid has priority over an identical floor bid. Bid by lot number. No lots will be broken. Bidders are responsible for errors in bidding. Check your bid sheet carefully.

7. All lots are subject to reserve unless otherwise indicated.

8. Bidders personally guarantee payment for their successful bids, including bidders executing commission bids from other parties and bidders representing corporations or other entities. Buyers accepting commission bids from other parties do so at their own risk and remain responsible for payment under these Auction Terms.

9. At the conclusion of bidding for each lot, the sale contract is concluded and the successful bidder becomes liable for immediate payment under these Auction Terms. In the event a successful bidder fails to make full payment within 30 days of the auction date, CNG reserves the right either: (a) to require payment as provided under these Auction Terms; or (b) to deem the sale incomplete and to re-auction the material, in which case the successful bidder agrees to pay for the reasonable cost of such a sale and also to pay any shortfall between the re-auction price and the successful bidder’s purchase price. CNG reserves all rights that it is entitled to under the Pennsylvania Uniform Commercial Code, including the right to offset any sums due from a successful bidder against any future consignment or purchase or monies or goods in possession of CNG.

10. Sales tax, postage, handling and insurance are the responsibility of the buyer and are added to all invoices where appropriate. For buyers in the United Kingdom, CNG may import lots into the United Kingdom prior to shipment and charge buyers the import Value Added Tax. On any tax not paid by the purchaser which should have been paid, even if not invoiced by CNG, the purchaser agrees to pay the same on demand together with any interest or penalty that may be assessed. It is the responsibility of the buyer to comply with foreign customs and other regulations.

11. Prices realized are published after the sale and are mailed with CNG’s next publication. Prices realized are also posted after the sale on CNG’s web site: www.cngcoins.com

12. Bidders hereby waive any claim for incidental, consequential or exemplary damages arising from this auction. The sole remedy that any participant in the auction shall have for any claim or controversy arising out of the auction shall be a refund, without interest, of all or part of the purchase price paid by the participant.

13. All rights granted by CNG or otherwise available to bidders and purchasers, under these Auction Terms or otherwise, are personal and may not be assigned or transferred to any other person or entity, whether by operation of law or otherwise. No third party may rely on any benefit or right conferred by these Auction Terms. Bidders acting as agents must disclose the agency in writing to CNG prior to the auction; otherwise rights are limited to the agent and are not transferable to the undisclosed principal.

14. Any dispute regarding this auction shall be governed by the laws of Pennsylvania and shall be adjudicated only by the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas or the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; all bidders submit themselves to the personal jurisdiction of these courts for this purpose, consent to service of process by registered or certified mail, and waive any contrary provisions of Articles 14 or 15 of the French Civil Code and any similar provisions in any jurisdiction. All bidders consent to the confidentiality of consignors’ identities and waive any right to require disclosure of the name of the consignor or owner of any auction lot, whether such right is based on New York GOL §5-701(a) or any other provision in any jurisdiction. In any dispute regarding this auction, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable costs and attorney fees.

Mike Gasvoda Managing Director

Paul Hill Director, London

Lance Hickman Managing Numismatist Consignment Staff

Caroline Holmes Numismatist Consignments

Victor England Consulting Director

Max Tursi Director, EU

Bill Dalzell Managing Numismatist Cataloging Staff

Julian Okun-Dubitsky Numismatist Consignments

Eric McFadden Consulting Director

Steve Lloyd Numismatist Islamic Specialist

Dave Michaels Manager Shows & Consignments

Katie Vint Numismatist Consignments

Steve Pruzinsky Chief Financial Officer

Travis Markel Manager IT & Production

Kan Liu (Vera) Manager Consignments

Aleeza Brown Numismatist Consignments

Cataloging

Sharon Pruzinsky Accounting

Dawn Ahlgren Shipping

Christian Ventura Photographer

Kate Rill Customer Relations Manager

Lynn Gasvoda Administrative Assistant

Additional Support

Julia Motter Shipping

Carrie Muller Shipping

Ventura Shipping

Jeffrey B. Rill Numismatist Cataloging

Bradley R. Nelson Senior Numismatist Cataloging

D. Scott VanHorn Senior Numismatist Cataloging

Tom Mullally Numismatist Cataloging

Daniel Burch Numismatist

David James III Photographer

Dylan Ossman Office Manager, London

John W. Yurchak Printing Control

Tim Wilkes Islamic Consultant

A.J. Gatlin

Consultant

Jeffrey B. Rill Auctioneer

Brian Callahan Auctioneer

Jennifer

With the CNG Bidding Portal, you can:

• Log on and bid at any time at auctions.cngcoins.com

• View the lots, follow the bidding, and see hammer prices as they are sold

• Hear and see the auctioneer live

• Enjoy all the advantages of an auction room bidder to win your favorite lots

To bid live in this Feature auction:

• Visit our new Bidding Portal before the auction at auctions.cngcoins.com

• Register online with your email address and a password

• Once approved, you may place pre-bids up until the moment the lot opens in the auction room

• On the auction day, login to join the auction and participate live

Please Note

• If you have not already registered for our bidding platform, you must create a new registration at auctions.cngcoins.com/register. Your old cngcoins.com handle and password will not allow you to log on or bid.

• You must register to bid before 5PM EST on Monday, May 12, 2025

• All lots won through the CNG Bidding Portal will be subject to a 22.5% buyer’s fee

Lot Viewing

Lancaster, PA

Auction lots may be viewed at our Lancaster Office from April 11 – May 12, 2025, by appointment only Lancaster Office Hours: 10 AM - 5 PM (Monday - Friday).

Online Viewing

Enlargements of all single lots and selected multiple lots may be viewed on the internet at

We are sorry, but photographs of individual coins in multiple lots cannot be provided.

Auction Location

This sale will be conducted live online from our Lancaster, PA Office

Lot Pickup

Lots will be mailed from our Lancaster, PA office subsequent to the sale

ORDER OF SALE

Session One – Tuesday Morning – May 13 – 9:00 AM

Session Two – Tuesday Afternoon – May 13 – 2:00 PM

Session

Session 1 — Tuesday, May 13, 2025 — 9 AM

CELTIC COINAGE

1. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. Late 3rd-2nd centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 13.78 g, 8h). Mint in the lower Danube region. Laureate head of Zeus right / Nude youth, holding palm, on horseback right; below, ¬ above bucranium; £ below raised foreleg. OTA 10/2; Lanz 356; KMW –; CCCBM I –. Toned, minor marks and scratches, slight doubling on reverse. Near EF. ($750)

Ex Flesche Collection

2. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. Late 3rd-2nd centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 13.84 g, 9h). Mint in the lower Danube region. Laureate head of Zeus right / Nude youth, holding palm, on horseback right; ¬ below horse, d below raised foreleg. OTA 14 var. (controls); Lanz 357 var. (same); KMW –; Flesche 651 (this coin); CCCBM I 4 var. (same). Toned. Good VF. ($500) Ex Christian Flesche Collection. Ex Lanz 125 (28 November 2005), lot 18.

3. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. Late 3rd-2nd centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 14.02 g, 1h). Mint in the Banat region. Laureate head of Zeus right / Nude youth, holding palm, on horseback right; below, thunderbolt above z; to right, dolphin right. OTA 14/5 var. (caduceus to right); Lanz 358 var. (monogram to right); KMW 1015; CCCBM I S 1 var. (caduceus to right). Toned with iridescence, minor marks, hints of porosity, edge flaw. Near EF. Well centered on a broad flan. ($750)

4. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. 2nd-1st centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 13.36 g, 2h). Zweigreiter type. Mint in the Banat region. Laureate head of Zeus right / Figure on horse riding right; wreath to upper left, branch below. OTA 44A var. (rev. type left); Lanz –; KMW 1029-30; CCCBM I S24. Lightly toned, minor marks and scratches, faint doubling. Near EF. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Triton XXV (11 January 2022), lot 548; Classical Numismatic Group 85 (15 September 2010), lot 134.

5. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. 2nd-1st centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (21mm, 12.44 g, 2h). Helmschweifreiter type. Struck in southeast Serbia. Laureate head of Zeus right / Horseman riding left; pelletin-annulet above and to right. OTA 165/3; Lanz 452 var. (without annulets); KMW 1104; CCCBM I Supp. 109-10 var. (one annulet). Toned, porosity. Good VF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Jozsef Balla-Lehmann Collection (Rauch 113, 17 January 2022), lot 14.

Illustrated in Lanz

6. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. 2nd-1st centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (20mm, 8.74 g). Mit Buckelavers type. Mint in Northern Hungary or Southern Slovakia. Blank bulge / Horse prancing left; five pellets above, pellet to left, pillar surmounted by pellet below. OTA 359/12; Lanz 682 (this coin); KMW 1293-4; CCCBM I 81. Lightly toned, scratches, traces of find patina. VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection.

Pedigreed to 1948

7. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. 2nd-1st centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 12.38 g, 12h). Kroisbach–mit Reiterstumpf type. Mint in the Burgenland-West Slovakian region. Diademed, beardless head right, with “boxer’s nose” and pronounced jaw line / Rider on horseback left, showing only his torso, hair in three bands combining into one curl behind; spiral torc below. OTA 469; Lanz 743-5; KMW 1390-7; CCCBM I 152-4. Deep cabinet toning, minor roughness and cleaning marks. EF. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Dr. Walter Stoecklin (†1975) Collection (Nomos 14, 17 May 2017), lot 13; Canessa & Nicola FPL (November 1948), no. 1.

8. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Alexander III of Macedon. Late 4th-3rd centuries BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.23 g, 6h). Imitating an Amphipolis mint issue struck circa 325-319 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and cradling stylis; in left field, trident head left. For prototype: cf. Price 175. Lightly toned with hints of luster. EF. ($2000)

9. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Philip III of Macedon. Late 3rd-2nd centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 16.47 g, 11h). Mint in the lower Danube region. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, F above f; z below throne. OTA 579/2; Lanz 898; KMW 1465-7; CCCBM I 185-6. Toned, light porosity. Good VF. ($500)

Extremely Rare and Unpublished

10. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Patraos of Paeonia. Late 4th-early 3rd centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (23.5mm, 12.86 g, 9h). Mint in the middle Danube region. Celticized head of Apollo left, with short hair / Horseman left, riding down enemy below. Cf. Paeonian Hoard 514 (for type); cf. Lanz 1004–5 (same); otherwise, unpublished. Lightly toned with deposits, minor porosity. VF. Apparently unique left-facing variety with the horseman lacking a spear and enemy without a shield. ($500)

11. EASTERN EUROPE, Imitations of Audoleon of Paeonia. 2nd-1st centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 13.26 g, 6h). Triskeles type. Mint in the central Carpathian region. Laureate head of Zeus right / Rider on horseback right, raising right hand; pseudo-legend above, triskeles below. OTA 434; Lanz 724; KMW 1350-7; CCCBM I 120-1. Toned, minor edge marks. Good VF. ($1500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Dr. Walter Stoecklin (†1975) Collection (Nomos 14, 17 May 2017), lot 12.

century

7.21 g, 12h). ‘Vogelkopf’ type. Head of bird left; pellet above and below beak; all within wreath-like torc / Five pellets within torc. Kellner Type II D; KMW 447; Flesche 303-4. Toned, minor die breaks. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection.

Early 1st century

AV

6.88 g, 1h). ‘Vogelkopf’ type. Head of bird left; pellet above and below beak; all within wreath-like torc / Four pellets within torc. Kellner Type II –; KMW 444-5; Flesche –. Rose toned with minor deposits. Near EF. ($1000)

12. CENTRAL EUROPE, Vindelici. Early 1st

BC. AV Stater (17mm,

13. CENTRAL EUROPE, Vindelici.

BC.

Stater (17mm,

14. CENTRAL EUROPE, Uncertain tribe. 3rd-1st centuries BC. AV Quarter Stater (12mm, 1.87 g, 12h). Mint in the central Europe, possibly Hungarian plain. Head right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with coiled serpent / Eagle standing facing on perch, head left, holding open diadem(?) in its beak. Triton XIX, lot 2115 (hammer $6500), otherwise unpublished. Lightly toned, minor marks and scratches, edge flaw. VF. Extremely rare, the second known. ($1500)

15. GAUL, Northwest. Aulerci Eburovices. Late 3rd-early 2nd century BC. AV Hemistater (18mm, 3.27 g, 11h). Celticized head of Apollo left; below, boar standing inverted right on jaw of Apollo / Celticized biga right, with devolved charioteer above, pellet-in-rosette to right; below, boar standing right. Scheers, Eburovices, Series Id, Class II, 34; Depeyrot, NC V, 136; D&T 2401. In NGC encapsulation 6290541-024, graded XF, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5. ($500)

16. GAUL, Northwest. Aulerci Eburovices. Late 3rd-early 2nd century BC. AV Hemistater (19mm, 3.27 g, 1h). Celticized head of Apollo left; below, boar standing inverted right on jaw of Apollo / Celticized biga right, with devolved charioteer above, three-pronged ornament to right; below, boar standing right. Scheers, Eburovices, Series Id, Class II, 35; Depeyrot, NC V, 136; D&T 2404. In NGC encapsulation 6290552-015, graded Ch XF, Strike: 3/5, Surface: 4/5. ($750)

17. GAUL, Northeast. Ambiani. Circa 100-50 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 6.26 g). Gallic Wars issue. Plain bulge / Large disjointed horse right; above, pellets and crescent; below, crescent above pellet; solid exergue line above pellets-in-crescents. Scheers series 24, class V; Depeyrot NC VI, 161 var. (exergue design); D&T 238 var. (same). Toned, minor flan flaws. Good VF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection.

GREEK COINAGE

18. ETRURIA, Populonia. 3rd century BC. AR 20 Asses (22mm, 8.26 g). Diademed facing head of Metus; c/≈ (mark of value) below / Blank. EC Group XII, Series 47.120–55 (O13/R17); HN Italy 146. Attractive old collection tone, trace deposits, some minor tooling under tone in hair, some marks under tone on edge. Good VF. ($1000)

Ex Gerald F. Borrmann (Northern California Gentleman) Collection; Classical Numismatic Review XXXIX.1 (Spring 2014), no. 975485; Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio 182 (10 January 2014), lot 5.

19. CAMPANIA, Neapolis. Circa 300 BC. AR Nomos (20mm, 7.41 g, 2h). Head of nymph right, hair in band; kantharos behind neck, cÅr5 below / Man-headed bull standing right, head facing; above, Nike flying right, crowing bull; ˚ below. Sambon 467b; HN Italy 579. Attractively toned, with slight blue iridescence, minor deposits, some light marks and scratches, slight die wear on reverse, edge marks. Good VF. ($750)

Ex Münzen und Medaillen AG FPL 287 (April 1968), no. 3.

Neapolis, modern-day Naples, located in Southwestern Italy in the region of Campania on the Bay of Naples, an arm of the Tyrrhenian Sea, was founded from Cumae (Cuma) by the Greeks in 650 BC, along the port area, including the little island of Megaris (the Castel dell’Ovo). Further colonists came from Chalcis in Euboea, from Pithecusae (Ischia) beside the Gulf of Cumae, and from Athens. An extension of the city was laid out in a rectangular grid pattern toward the northeast, which was given the name Neapolis. After the city of Neapolis was created, the oldest part of the city became known as Palaiopolis or Palaipolis (Old City). That city was conquered by the Roman general Quintus Publilius Philo about 327/6 BC, after which Neapolis became an ally of the Romans, issuing bronze coins, with legends in Greek, extending help in their hostilities against Pyrrhos of Epeiros (280-275 BC) and against Hannibal in the Second Punic War (218-201 BC).

20. CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 315-302 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 7.88 g, 5h). Warrior, holding shield and two spears, preparing to cast a third, on horseback right; sÅ below / Phalanthos, holding kantharos and trident, riding dolphin left; W above arm, pellet and s below arm; below, dolphin left. Fischer-Bossert Group 73, 878 (V345/R681); Vlasto 615; HN Italy 937. In NGC encapsulation 6625608-020, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. ($500)

The city of Tarentum was founded in the late 8th century BC by Spartan colonists on the north coast of the gulf of the same name, on a rocky islet at the entrance to the only secure harbor. It was Sparta’s only colony and maintained close relations with its mother city. The official founder of the city was believed to be the Spartan leader Phalanthos. Ancient tradition, however, tells how Taras, the son of Poseidon and a local nymph, Satyra, was miraculously saved from a shipwreck by his father, who sent a dolphin on whose back he was carried to shore, at which spot he founded a city.

Blessed with fertile land, Tarentum became famous for olives and sheep. It possessed a fine harbor, great fisheries and profitable exports of wool, purple dye, and pottery. It adopted a democratic form of government circa 475 BC, and thereafter became the leading Greek city in southern Italy. Its success led to continual difficulties with its neighbor cities, though, and on four occasions Tarentum required expeditions from Greece to help overcome its aggressors. The last of these expeditions was led by the famed Epeirote, Pyrrhos. Following his withdrawal from the city, Tarentum was occupied by the Romans.

It was not until late in the 6th century that Tarentum felt the need to produce coinage. It did so by copying the broad, thin fabric with incuse reverse type already in use by Metapontum, Sybaris, Poseidonia, Kaulonia, and Kroton. Tarentum quickly grew in power and wealth. As with many cities that began coinage at the time, the types depicted relate to the city’s foundation, both in its historical and mythological forms. Taras’ prosperity is exemplified by its vast coinage, which was continuous from circa 510 BC until the end of the Second Punic War.

21. CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 280 BC. AR Nomos (21.5mm, 7.78 g, 12h). Nude youth, holding rein and crowning horse he rides right; sÅ to left, ÅrE>QW@ in two lines below / Phalanthos, nude, holding tripod, riding dolphin left; 4Ås below. Vlasto 666–7; HN Italy 957. Lightly toned, underlying luster, a little die wear on obverse, light graffito in field on reverse. Near EF. Well centered. ($750)

22. CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 280 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 7.74 g, 10h). Nude youth, holding rein and crowning horse he rides right; sÅ to left, ÅrE>QW@ in two lines below / Phalanthos, nude, holding tripod, riding dolphin left; 4Å[s] below. Vlasto 666–7; HN Italy 957. In NGC encapsulation 6625607-057, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. ($500)

23. CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 280 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 7.53 g, 12h). Nude youth, holding rein and crowning horse he rides right; sÅ to left, f5¬5/Årcos in two lines below / Phalanthos, holding grapes, riding dolphin left; Å˝Å below. Vlasto 673-6; HN Italy 960. In NGC encapsulation 6625607-024, graded Ch AU, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5. ($500)

24. CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 280 BC. AR Nomos (20.5mm, 7.83 g, 1h). Nude youth, holding shield, on horse rearing left; s[5] to right, f5¬o˚¬˙s below / Phalanthos, holding wreath, riding dolphin left; ¬U below. Vlasto 688-90; HN Italy 965. In NGC encapsulation 6625605-024, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($500)

25. CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 240-228 BC. AR Nomos (21.5mm, 6.51 g, 2h). Reduced standard. Nude youth, holding rein and crowning horse he rides right; Ą to left, Ó to right; below, f5¬o/˚¬˙s in two lines above dolphin right / Phalanthos, holding rhyton and trident, riding dolphin left; two amphoras to right. Vlasto 950–3; HN Italy 1057. Underlying luster. Choice EF. ($1000)

26. CALABRIA, Tarentum. Punic occupation. Circa 212-209 BC. AR Reduced Nomos – Half-Shekel (18mm, 3.80 g, 7h). Warrior, wearing full armor, holding filleted palm frond, on horse walking right; sW˚¬@-@¬s below / Phalanthos, holding kantharos and trident, riding dolphin left; to right, eagle standing left, wings spread. Vlasto 984–6; HN Italy 1082. Slight weakness to strike on obverse, minor die breaks on reverse. EF. ($750)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 515 (4 May 2022), lot 14; Freeman & Sear inventory G10229 (April 2009).

27. LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 470-440 BC. AR Triobol (12mm, 1.39 g, 6h). Ear of barley with six grains / Incuse head of ox. Noe 275 (same obv. die); HN Italy 1487; SNG Evelpidis 218 (same obv. die); SNG Lloyd 319 (same obv. die); McClean 910 (same obv. die). Toned. Good VF. ($500)

Ex Gasvoda Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 111, 29 May 2019), lot 23; B. in B. Collection (Nomos 8, 22 October 2013), lot 12; Numismatica Ars Classica B (25 February 1992), lot 1055.

Metapontion, originally named Sybaris, was an Achaian colony of very early foundation, though the precise details of its origin are shrouded in uncertainty. Following the destruction of its first foundation by the Samnites, it was refounded as Metapontion, early in the 7th century BC by settlers under the leadership of Leukippos, who was thereafter revered as the city founder. The great prosperity of the city — attested by the extent of its archaic silver coinage commencing in the mid 6th century BC — was based on agriculture. Situated on the Gulf of Tarentum, Metapontion occupied a plain of extraordinary fertility watered by the rivers Bradanos and Kasuentos. Its standard coin type is an ear of barley, a tribute to the source of Metapontine wealth.

Fine Style and Very Rare

28. LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 400-340 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 7.75 g, 10h). Head of Demeter left; [^oÂo@] o5Å / Barley ear with leaf to left; a above leaf. Vlasto 420 (same dies); HN Italy 1517; SNG Ashmolean 698 (same dies); BMC 59 (same dies); Jameson 269 (same dies); de Luynes 473 (same dies). Lightly toned, a little off center, small area of weak strike. VF. Fine style. Very rare, only four examples noted in Noe, and only one in CoinArchives. ($750)

29. LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 330-290 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 7.86 g, 5h). Wreathed head of Demeter left / Barley ear of seven/six grains, leaf to left; tongs above leaf, [ÅQ]Å below. Johnston Class C, 4.10 (same dies); HN Italy 1583; SNG Copenhagen 1222 (same dies); Gulbenkian 75 (same dies). Attractive old collection tone, with golden hues around the devices. Near EF. ($750)

30. LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 330-290 BC. AR Nomos (20mm, 7.90 g, 12h). Wreathed head of Demeter right / Barley ear, leaf to right; ¬U to lower left; above leaf, Nike standing left. Johnston Class C, 9.1 (same dies); HN Italy 1591; SNG ANS 498 (same dies); SNG Ashmolean 764 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 1225 (same dies); SNG Lockett 423 (same dies). Toned, a few metal flaws, light die rust. Good VF. ($750)

31. LUCANIA, Metapontion. Punic occupation. Circa 215-207 BC. AR Half Shekel – Drachm (19mm, 3.70 g, 5h). Helmeted head of Athena right / Barley ear with leaf to right; above leaf, owl standing right, head facing, with wings spread. Robinson, Second, p. 50, 3; HN Italy 1634. Lightly toned, underlying luster, minor double strike and small spot of weak strike on reverse. Near EF. ($500)

Ex Wild Rose Collection, purchased from John Jencek (inv. G797), June 2002; Classical Numismatic Group 50 (23 June 1999), lot 433.

Overstruck on Metapontion

32. LUCANIA, Poseidonia. Circa 470-445 BC. AR Nomos (18mm, 7.52 8h). Poseidon, nude but for chlamys draped over both arms, holding trident aloft, advancing right; no border / Bull standing right within incuse circle. HN Italy 1114; SNG ANS 646. Lightly toned, with some iridescence, a little off center, overstruck on a nomos of Metapontion “dumpy” grain ear / incuse grain ear typve (cf. HN Italy 1484–6). VF. ($750)

From the Hesiod Collection.

Poseidonia, later called Paestum, was a coastal city on the front instep of the Italian “boot.” Founded circa 600 BC by colonists expelled from nearby Sybaris, it took its name from a shrine to Poseidon they erected on the Tyrrhenian coast. The site today features three beautifully preserved Doric temples.

33. LUCANIA, Poseidonia. Circa 445-420 BC. AR Nomos (17.5mm, 7.98 g, 3h). Poseidon, nude but for chlamys draped over both arms, holding trident aloft, advancing right; all within dotted circular border between concentric linear borders / Bull standing left within incuse circle. HN Italy 1116; SNG ANS 655. Attractive light toning, minor porosity. VF. ($1500)

Reportedly ex Münzen und Medaillen AG inventory (15 October 1977).

34. No Lot.

35. LUCANIA, Sybaris. Circa 550-510 BC. AR Nomos (26.5mm, 8.06 g, 12h). Bull standing left, head right; ¨µ in exergue / Incuse bull standing right, head left. S&S Class B, pl. XLVIII, 4–8; Gorini 2; HN Italy 1729. Find patina. Good VF. Excellent metal for issue. ($2000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex William H. Birkinshaw Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 117, 19 May 2021), lot 19; Classical Numismatic Group 67 (22 September 2004), lot 150.

Sybaris, located on the bottom of the Italian boot, was founded circa 720 BC and quickly amassed great wealth due to its fertile fields and active port. Descriptions of the city’s sumptuous festivals and luxurious dwellings abound in ancient literature, and “Sybarite” became a synonym for any lover of luxury and pleasure. The silver coinage of Sybaris follows the remarkable relief / incuse pattern employed by other cities of Greek southern Italy in the sixth and early fifth centuries BC, which required careful flan preparation and precise alignment of dies. The bull of Sybaris, with its reverted head, exerted a powerful influence on modern artists, including Picasso.

Pedigreed to 1943

36. LUCANIA, Thourioi. Circa 400-350 BC. AR Dinomos – Distater (23.5mm, 15.45 g, 8h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated on its bowl with Skylla holding a rudder, griffin on neck guard; 5∏ behind neck; [to left, Nike, holding wreath, flying upward] / Bull butting right; above, race torch horizontally right; in exergue, two fish right. Noe, Thurian G4 (same dies); HN Italy 1815; BMC 35 (same dies). Deep old iridescent tone, slightly compact flan, struck with somewhat worn obverse die. Good VF. ($1000)

Ex C. H. Green Collection (Glendining, 18 June 1943), lot 15.

In 446 BC, with the aid of Athens, the refugee population of the destroyed city of Sybaris returned to the location of their previous home, and founded a new city, giving it the name Thourioi. The new city quickly regained the prosperity enjoyed by its former incarnation, as evidenced by the extensive series of coins it issued over the following two centuries. Although its perennial rival had been Kroton, the new city grew close to its former enemy, and Tarentum as well. Good relations with the latter were probably responsible for the weakening of Thourioi’s historical connection to Athens, and she turned to Sparta during the Peloponnesian War. Although supported by Tarentum, the city suffered at the hands of the Lucanians and Brettians during the 4th century. In need of a more robust ally, the Thourians turned to Rome in 285 BC. Unlike many cities in southern Italy, Thourioi’s support of Rome was steadfast during both the time of Pyrrhos and Hannibal’s invasion, even though the Thourians suffered heavily at the hands of the latter. The coinage of Thourioi was diverse in both its denominations and metals. The primary types were the head of Athena, probably due to the city’s initial close relationship with Athens, and a standing or butting bull, which had been the civic type on the coins of Sybaris.

Thourioi. Circa 350-300 BC. AR Dinomos – Distater (25.5mm, 15.46 g, 11h). Head of Athena right, wearing helmet decorated with Skylla holding a trident / Bull butting right; in exergue, two fish swimming right. Noe Group H, 4–6 (same rev. die); HN Italy 1807; SNG ANS 972 (same dies); BMC 33 (same rev. die). Faintly toned, a touch off center, slight weakness to strike in spots. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Hesiod Collection.

Velia. Circa 334-300 BC. AR Nomos (21.5mm, 7.51 g, 2h). Kleudoros group. Helmeted head of Athena left, helmet decorated with sphinx; 4 behind neck guard / Lion standing left, devouring prey; Å above, 4 below. Williams Period VI, 348 (O180/R252); HN Italy 1296. Deep old iridescent tone, some die wear, minor marks. VF. ($500)

37. LUCANIA,

38. LUCANIA,

39. No Lot.

Stunning Kaulonia Nomos – Ex Salton Collection

40. BRUTTIUM, Kaulonia. Circa 525-500 BC. AR Nomos (31mm, 7.91 g, 12h). Apollo advancing right, holding branch aloft in right hand, left arm extended, upon which a small daimon, holding branch in each hand, runs right; ˚å¨Ò to left; to right, stag standing right, head reverted; dot-and-cable border / Incuse of obverse, but daimon in outline and no ethnic; radiate border. Noe, Caulonia, Group A, 14; Gorini 3; HN Italy 2035; SNG ANS 147 (same obv. die); McClean 1591 (same dies). Wonderful deep old cabinet tone. EF. ($10,000)

Ex Mark & Lottie Salton Collection (Stack’s Bowers Galleries, 14 January 2022), lot 4072.

Kaulonia was founded in the 7th century BC by Achaean Greeks. The location, on the underside of Italy’s “toe,” has long since disappeared beneath the waves, but underwater archaeologists have located more than 100 fluted columns, likely for a large shrine to Apollo, the deity depicted on the city’s beautiful coinage. On this exceptional piece, Apollo’s nude body is shown striding to right, with a small winged daimon on his left arm; to his right stands a stag, sacred to both Apollo and his sister Artemis. The design clearly owes much to the coinage of nearby Poseidonia, on whose coins Poseidon is seen in a similar pose. The unusual fabric of this piece follows a style peculiar to Greek southern Italy in the archaic period: A broad, thin flan, obverse depicted in relief, the reverse repeating the obverse motif, but incuse, and reversed. The reasons for the popularity of this fabric are poorly understood. A connection has been postulated to the dualistic religio-political movement of Pythagoras, whose followers found safe haven in Kaulonia after being driven from Kroton in circa 510 BC, but this remains entirely speculative. Whatever the reason, striking such coins required a high degree of technical skill, competence, and quality control in all phases of production, including engraving and aligning the dies, preparing the flan, and delivering a powerful and uniform hammer blow.

41. BRUTTIUM, Kaulonia. Circa 525-500 BC. AR Nomos (31mm, 8.42 g, 12h). Apollo advancing right, holding branch, small daimon running right on extended arm; to right, stag standing right, head reverted / Incuse of Apollo and stag, but stag’s antlers and daimon in linear outline. Noe, Caulonia, Group A, 20 (same obv. die); Gorini 2; HN Italy 2035; SNG ANS 148 (same obv. die). Deeply toned, flan flaw in field on obverse, a couple of light scratches on reverse. VF. ($4000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 118 (13 September 2021), lot 32; JMG Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 94, 18 September 2013), lot 54; CNG inventory 718525 (January 2000).

High Quality Metal For Issue

42. BRUTTIUM, Kaulonia. Circa 475-425 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 8.18 g, 1h). Apollo advancing right, holding branch, small daimon running right on extended arm; to right, stag standing right, head reverted / Stag standing right; laurel branch to right. Noe, Caulonia, Group F, 93 (same dies); HN Italy 2046; SNG München 1404 (same dies); Jameson 411 (same dies). Faint toning over lustrous surfaces, a couple of minor marks. Near EF. Excellent metal for issue. ($1500)

Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 28 (9 December 2023), lot 576.

As with virtually all of the South Italian cities that adopted the spread incuse flan fabric for their coinage in the later sixth century BC, Kaulonia began to make changes early in the following century, first employing a smaller, thicker planchet but retaining the relief / incuse motif. By circa 475 BC, this had been replaced with the now familiar fabric of two relief designs on opposing sides of a much smaller, thicker flan. The design motif is quite similar, with the obverse duplicating its predecessor in a smaller, more compact form. The stag, which appears in miniature form on the obverse and as a larger, dominant image on the reverse, is sacred to Apollo’s sister, Artemis. Though these new coins must have been much easier to produce in quantity, they appear to have been struck in far fewer numbers than the incuse type, indicating the city’s declining prosperity. By the end of the fifth century BC, all coinage ceased in Kaulonia and the city slipped into obscurity after being sacked by the Syracusan tyrant Dionysios I in 389 BC.

Kroton – Temesa Alliance Issue

43. BRUTTIUM, Kroton. Alliance issue with Temesa. Circa 480-430 BC. AR Nomos (19.5mm, 7.54 g, 12h). Dumpy incuse type. Tripod, legs surmounted by wreaths and terminating in lion’s feet; Jro to left, tE to right / Incuse tripod; [Jro to left], t[E] to right, radiate border. Montesanti Series IX, 4; Attianese 46; Gorini 4 and p. 179 (same dies as illustration); HN Italy 2107; SNG ANS (Part V) 1281 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 632 (same dies). Lightly toned, minor doubling on reverse. Good VF. Very rare, only two in CoinArchives. ($2000)

Ex Triton XXIV (19 January 2021), lot 356.

So-called “Alliance” issues of coinage by Kroton and other Southern Italian cities are, as yet, poorly understood. Temesa was another Bruttian city whose precise location remains undiscovered; the Greek geographer Strabo placed it on the Thyrrhenian Sea near the mouth of the river Savuto. At first regarded as a dependency of Sybaris, it passed under the control of Kroton after the defeat and destruction of Sybaris in 510 BC. Kroton’s alliance issues with Temesa come in two varieties, both on the incuse fabric. This type has the typical Krotonian tripod on both sides, with the ethnics for both cities (Jro and tE) on each side. Another variety has the tripod on the obverse and an incuse Corinthian helmet on the reverse. Both the tripod and helmet appear on rare coins naming only Temesa. Kroton also struck Alliance coinage of different designs for Sybaris and Pandosia.

44. BRUTTIUM, Kroton. Circa 480-430 BC. AR Nomos (20.5mm, 8.04 g, 6h). Dumpy incuse type. Tripod with legs terminating in lion’s feet; to right, heron standing left / Incuse tripod. HN Italy 2102; SNG ANS 258. Lightly toned. Good VF. Well centered. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Wise Centaur Collection (Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 497, 4 August 2021), lot 23; Barry Murphy inventory 16307 (ND).

Pedigreed to 1959

45. BRUTTIUM, Kroton. Circa 425-350 BC. AR Nomos (19.5mm, 7.49 g, 3h). Eagle with closed wings standing left, head right, on the head of a stag right / Tripod with high neck surmounted by wreaths, legs terminating in lion’s feet; ivy leaf to left. Attianese 104 (same obv. die as illustration); HN Italy 2146; SNG ANS 351–2 (same obv. die). Old collection tone, small cleaning scratches on obverse, die break on reverse. Good VF. High relief for issue. ($1000)

Ex Mesogeios Collection; Classical Numismatic Group 120 (11 May 2022), lot 35; G. Hirsch 20 (2 April 1959), lot 759.

46. BRUTTIUM, Kroton. Circa 400-325 BC. AR Nomos (22mm, 7.72 g, 12h). Head of Hera Lakinia facing slightly right, wearing ornamented stephane / Herakles Epitrapezios: young Herakles, nude, holding cup and club, reclining left on lion skin draped over rock; bow below. Attianese 135 corr. (no signature, same obv. die as illustration); HN Italy 2167; SNG ANS 371 = Locker Lampson 47 (same obv. die); SNG Ashmolean 1521 = ACGC 636 (same obv. die); SNG Lloyd 616 (same obv. die). Toned, usual die break and minor lamination on obverse. VF. ($500)

Ex Nomos Obolos 26 (18 December 2022), lot 22.

The type of Herakles Epitrapezios (lit. “Herakles at the table”) shows the hero reclining in the midst of his labors, enjoying a relaxing cup of wine. Phyllis Lehmann, in Statues on coins of Southern Italy and Sicily in the classical period (New York: H. Bittner & Co., 1946), makes a connection between the coin type and a series of later statues in the manner of Lysippos, linking both to a common source, probably an earlier statue at the temple of Hera Lakinia at Kroton, one of the most prominent sanctuaries in Italy.

Herakliskos Drakonopnigon

47. BRUTTIUM, Kroton. Circa 400-325 BC. AR Nomos (19.5mm, 7.44 g, 7h). Laureate head of Apollo right / The Herakliskos Drakonopnigon: the Infant Herakles, nude, crouching facing on rock, head left, strangling a serpent in each hand. Attianese 163 (same rev. die as illustration); HN Italy 2157. Toned, light scratches, small cut on reverse. VF. ($1500)

From the Hesiod Collection. Ex James Barry Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 115, 16 September 2020), lot 21; Pegasi XXXV (15 November 2016), lot 36; Roma IX (22 March 2015), lot 56; Gorny & Mosch 224 (13 October 2014), lot 39; Astarte XII (12 September 2003), lot 34.

The figure of Herakliskos Drakonopnigon was depicted in Greek art from the first half of the 5th century BC and represents an important event in the early life of the Greek hero. The birth of Herakles, son of Zeus and Alkmene, enraged Zeus’ wife Hera, who tried to kill the infant by sending two serpents to strangle the sleeping baby in his crib. The following morning, the nurse discovered Herakles playing with the serpents’ lifeless bodies: he had strangled one in each hand.

48. BRUTTIUM, Rhegion. Anaxilas. Tyrant, circa 494/3-462/1 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 17.13 g, 2h). Struck circa 475–474 BC. Charioteer driving slow biga of mules right; in exergue, leaf right / Hare springing right. Caltabiano Series III, 102 (D52/R60); HN Italy 2472. Toned, some find patina remaining, minor die wear and patch of granularity. VF. ($1000)

From the DFA Collection. Ex Numismatik Nauman 122 (6 November 2022), lot 16; Leu Numismatic AG Web Auction 18 (18 December 2021), lot 179.

Rhegion (mod. Reggio Calabria), a Chalkidian colony established in the eighth century BC, was among the earliest Greek settlements in southern Italy. Situated on a harbor at the mouth of the river Apsias at the tip of Italy along the Sicilian Strait opposite Zankle (Messana), the city was perfectly located to facilitate trade with the Greek cities in Sicily. Very little is known of its early history. The poet Ibykos was born there in the sixth century BC, and the city was ruled by an oligarchy until 494 BC, when Anaxilas became tyrant. During his rule, Rhegion seized Zankle from the Samians in 488 BC, renaming it Messana. Rhegion also sided with the Carthaginians in their war against Syracuse circa 480 BC. After the death of Anaxilas, control of Rhegion passed to his sons, until they were ousted from the city in 461 BC. In 433 BC, the city allied with Athens, providing the latter with a base in 427 BC, but it did not assist Athens during the disastrous Sicilian Expedition in 415 BC. Regardless, Rhegion pursued an anti-Syracusan policy thereafter, resulting in the sacking of the city by the Syracusan tyrant Dionysios I in 387 BC. In 358 BC, Rhegion was rebuilt under the name Phoibeia, and later supported Timoleon during his successful bid to wrest control of Syracuse from Dionysios II and Hiketas. Rhegion first came into the Roman sphere of influence in 280 BC, when the Rhegians asked for a Roman garrison to help resist Pyrrhos’ attempts to take the city. Rhegion became a civitas foederata of Rome in 270 BC, and was a steadfast ally of Rome during the Second Punic War. In 90/89 BC, the city finally became a Roman municipium

Exquisite Akragas Tetradrachm

49. SICILY, Akragas. Circa 465/0–445/0 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24.5mm, 17.24 g, 6h). Sea eagle standing left; Å˚RÅ1sotNÅ around / Crab within shallow incuse circle. Westermark, Coinage, Period II, Group III, 372 (O12/R50); HGC 2, 77; BMC 28 (same dies); Boston MFA 222 = Warren 189 (same dies). A few minor die breaks, small flan flaw on obverse. Superb EF. Well centered and struck on a broad flan. Excellent detail. ($15,000)

Akragas, Roman Agrigentum, was situated close to the southern coastline of Sicily midway between Gela and Selinos. Founded by colonists from Gela circa 580 BC, Akragas grew to become the second most important city on the island after Syracuse, deriving much of its wealth from the export of agricultural produce to Carthage, which lay about 200 miles to the west. Its coinage commenced in the closing years of the 6th century and principally consisted of silver didrachms down to about 440 BC, after which the tetradrachm became the principal denomination. The first series of tetradrachms, though, coincided with the last period of didrachms, with all featuring the same types that had persisted since the beginning of the city’s coinage: on the obverse, an eagle, sacred to Olympian Zeus, to whom the city dedicated an immense temple, and a reverse with an overhead view of a crab, harvested from the sea as a delicacy in the region. After 440 BC, as with many of the coinages of the great Sicilian cities, the designs became more complex and artistic, with one or two eagles shown devouring a hare on the obverse, and a galloping quadriga ultimately replacing the crab on the reverse. In the final decade of the 5th century, as the artistry of it coinage reached its zenith, Akragas suffered the same fate as many of the other Greek cities of Sicily when it was stormed and sacked by the invading Carthaginians (406 BC). Though its coinage continued thereafter, the scale and beauty of its 5th century series were never attained again.

50. SICILY, Gela. Circa 490/85-480/75 BC. AR Didrachm (21mm, 8.61 g, 12h). Warrior, nude but for helmet, riding right, preparing to cast javelin / Forepart of man-headed bull right within incuse circle. Jenkins, Gela, Group Ib, 34A (O11/ R15’); HGC 2, 363; BMC 22 (same dies); Boston MFA 242 (same dies). Toned, slightly off center. VF. ($1000)

Situated on the Gela river on the southern coast of Sicily, Gela was founded in 688 BC by Cretans and Rhodians. Although the city had a Creto-Rhodian foundation, the name of the river is of local Sikanian origin, meaning very cold, as the water runs from the Heraei mountains to the north. Its coinage is among the earliest in Sicily and began with a prolific series of didrachms. Gela had been known for its adept cavalry, and the obverse type is likely an allusion to that asset of the polis. On the reverse, the rather brutal half-length figure of the man-faced bull swimming right is based on the ‘father of all rivers,’ Acheloös, and is clearly identified by the ethnic Gelas as the personification of the river rushing to its mouth, where the city Gela stood. It was defined by Virgil (Aen. 3, 702) as ‘immanisque Gela fluvii cognomina dicta’ (and Gela called by the nickname of its monstrous stream).

51. SICILY, Gela. Circa 480/75-475/70 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 17.12 g, 6h). Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving slow quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses / Forepart of man-headed bull right. Jenkins, Gela, Group IId, 168 (O46/R103); HGC 2, 338. Toned, some minor delaminations around edge. VF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 50 (23 June 1999), lot 465.

52. SICILY, Leontini. Circa 455-425 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 17.60 g, 9h). Laureate head of Apollo right / Head of roaring lion right; four barley grains around. Maltese Period III, 68 (D21/R57); HGC 2, 667; SNG ANS 225 (same dies); SNG Lockett 797 = Pozzi 1064 (same dies); Rizzo pl. XXIII, 3–4 (same dies). Toned, slightly off center, minor scuff at edge on reverse. EF. ($3000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 46 (24 June 1998), lot 84.

Leontini was founded in 729 BC by settlers from Naxos, the first Greek colony in Sicily, which itself had been established just a few years earlier. In the first decade of the 5th century the city was captured by the tyrant Hippocrates of Gela whose successor, Gelon, transferred his seat of government to Syracuse in 485. Thereafter, Leontini usually remained within the Syracusan sphere of influence, though its 5th century coinage was on a considerable scale attesting the independent wealth of the community. A major political change took place in the late 460s — the expulsion of the tyrants and the restoration of democracy. This was reflected on the Leontine coinage by the introduction of new types featuring the head of Apollo on obverse and a lion’s head on reverse. Apollo was especially revered at Leontini, as he was at the mother city of Naxos where there was a famous sanctuary of Apollo Archegetes. The lion apparently represents a punning allusion to the city name. The surrounding barley-grains are indicative of the exceptional fertility of the Leontine territory and doubtless refer to the local worship of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture.

53. SICILY, Leontini. Circa 455-425 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 17.32 g, 8h). Laureate head of Apollo right / Head of roaring lion right; four barley grains around. Maltese Period III, 99 (D26/R76); HGC 2, 667; SNG Copenhagen 346 (same dies); SNG Delepierre 569 (same dies); Gillet 443 (same dies); Morgan 118 (same dies). Deep find patina. Good VF. ($1500)

54. SICILY, Messana. 420-413 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 17.21 g, 11h). The nymph Messana, holding kentron and reins, driving slow biga of mules right / Hare springing right; below, dolphin right. Caltabiano Series XIV, 517.19 (D206/ R197; this coin cited); HGC 2, 792; SNG ANS 356 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 399 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 1097 (same dies); Boston MFA 291 = Warren 260 (same dies); Hunterian 11 (same dies); Nantueil 300 (same dies). Old cabinet tone, underlying luster, traces of find patina. Good VF. ($2000)

Purchased by the consignor from Brian Kritt, 17 March 2005.

In 493 BC, the city of Zankle invited a group of Samian refugees to settle in the region following Samos’ fall to the Persians. The Samians, at the behest of Anaxilas of Rhegion, chose instead to seize Zankle itself. After doing so, the Samians betrayed Anaxilas and allied themselves with Hippocrates of Gela. Anaxilas managed to suppress the Samians around 488 BC, seized Zankle, and resettled it with colonists from Peloponnesian Messenia. In honor of their loyalty, Anaxilas renamed the city Messana, after their homeland.

The standard coinage of Messana, as at Rhegion during Anaxilas’ reign, carried a biga of mules on the obverse and a hare on the reverse. The biga scene refers to the victory of Anaxilas’ mule cart at the Olympic games of 480 BC. The origin of the hare type is less certain, although it is thought that Anaxilas introduced the animal to Sicily. Though the types at Rhegion changed following Anaxilas’ death, the types at Messana continued to be used on all precious metal coinage for the remainder of the Classical period.

SICILY, Messana. The Mamertinoi. 264-241 BC. Æ (28mm, 17.45 g, 6h). Laureate head of Ares right; arrowhead to left / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings spread. Särström Series III, Group A, 55 (same obv. die); BAR Issue 5; CNS 7; HGC 2, 865. Lovely turquoise patina, some brown encrustation. Good VF. ($750)

The Mamertinoi started as a band of hardy Italian mercenaries from Campania who hired themselves out to various Sicilian strongmen during the war-torn fourth century BC. Agathokles, tyrant of Syracuse and self-proclaimed King of Sicily, made use of the Campanians in his war against Carthage starting in 311 BC. When the war ended inconclusively in 307 BC, the mercenaries were left idle and went rogue, plundering the hinterlands of Sicily. Around this time they named themselves Mamertinoi after the Oscan god Mamers, a local version of Ares-Mars. Circa 288 BC, they infiltrated and seized control of Messana, located at the strategic straits separating Sicily and Italy. Using this former mercantile city as a raiding base, they plundered far and wide, making a violent nuisance of themselves. In 270 BC, the Syracusan tyrant Hieron II dealt them a heavy defeat but failed to dislodge them from Messana. When Hieron besieged Messana in 265 BC, the Mamertinoi first appealed to Carthage for help, but soon chafed at Carthaginian demands and turned instead to the rising mainland power of Rome. Thus the Mamertinoi unwittingly played a key role in sparking the 23-year-long First Punic War between Rome and Carthage, likely the most destructive war in history up to that point. The first issues of Mamertine coinage, all in bronze, coincide with the onset of this war, using types derived from other Sicilian cities. A youthful head of Ares (or more properly Mamers?) occupies the obverse of this, the largest denomination, with the familiar Macedonian emblem of an eagle standing on a thunderbolt depicted on the reverse. The Mamertinoi remained Roman allies for the duration of the war but soon faded from history as a fighting force and settled down to become wealthy landlords and vintners; Mamertine wine remained highly prized in following centuries.

55.

Rare Segesta Tetradrachm

56. SICILY, Segesta. Circa 405/2-400 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 17.42 g, 6h). The hero Egestes, nude, standing right, cap slung over shoulder and chlamys over left arm, resting left foot on rock; E˝EstÅ5W@ to left; below, two hounds standing right at his feet, one sniffing the ground; small ithyphallic herm to lower right / Head of the nymph Segesta right, hair bound in ampyx and a star embroidered sakkos, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace with pendants; sE˝EstÅ$5Å to right, grain ear below. Hurter, Didrachmenprägung T8 (V4/R7); Lederer 6; HGC 2, 1108 (same dies as illustration); BMC 32 = Kraay & Hirmer 203 (same dies); Hirsch 523 (same dies); McClean 2555 (same dies); Regling, Kunstwerk 567 (same obv. die); Rizzo pl. LXII, 14 (same dies). Lightly toned, roughness, some horn silver, cleaning marks. VF. Wonderful style. Rare. ($7500)

Ex Heritage 3115 (8 May 2024), lot 31003.

Segesta was the principal city of the Elymi in north-west Sicily. The Segestans wrote their Elymian language in Greek characters, as witnessed by their coins. They developed a traditional hostility with Selinos, in the pursuit of which they allied themselves with Athens in 418/7 BC (Thuc. 6. 6-8 and 46). In 409 BC, Segesta passed into the Carthaginian sphere of influence in another attempt to combat the encroachments of Selinos. Carthage captured and sacked Selinos in that same year.

Although the most common denomination at Segesta was the didrachm, a few very rare and extremely accomplished tetradrachms were minted in about 400 BC with a remarkably detailed representation of a young huntsman. S. Hurter has maintained the traditional identification of this young man as Egestes, the legendary founder of the city, son of the Trojan maiden Segesta by the river-god Krimsos. Other plausible identifications are the hunter Krimsos or Pan, god of the hunt.

57. SICILY, Selinos. Circa 540-515 BC. AR Didrachm (23.5mm, 8.77 g). Selinon leaf / Incuse square divided into twelve sections. Arnold-Biucchi Group 1; Selinus Hoard 32; HGC 2, 1211. Lightly toned, minor die break on reverse. EF. Well struck from fresh dies with sharp details. ($2000)

Ex Wild Rose Collection; M. A. Armstrong Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 102, 18 May 2016), lot 115; Sotheby’s (7 March 1996), lot 56.

Situated on the southwest coast of Sicily at the mouth of the Selinunte River, Selinos was founded by Dorian colonists from Megara Hyblaia, a town on the eastern coast of the island. Selinos is believed to be the first city on Sicily to strike coins, introducing its didrachms circa 540 BC, less than a decade after Aegina had introduced the concept of coinage to Europe. Based on the Corinthian weight standard, the initial coinage of Selinos regularly featured a tri-lobed wild parsley leaf, since the ancient Greek name for this, selinos, provided an allusive pun on the town’s name.

Fresh Dies

58. SICILY, Syracuse. Hieron I. 478-466 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22mm, 16.99 g, 2h). Struck circa 478-475 BC. Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving slow quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses with wreath / Head of Arethousa right, wearing pearl tainia; four dolphins around. Boehringer Series XIa, 192 (V87/R131); HGC 2, 1306; Bement 454 (same dies). Attractively toned, faint scratch in field on obverse. Good VF. Well centered. ($1500)

The ascendancy of the Deinomenid tyrants, Gelon (485-478 BC) and Hieron I (478-466 BC) brought Syracuse to the status of greatest city west of mainland Greece, rivaling Athens in wealth and prestige. Ironically, the family of Deinomenes, the clan’s patriarch, originally hailed not from Syracuse, but from Gela, to which the Syracusan aristocratic caste called the Gamoroi appealed for help after being overthrown and ejected in a popular revolution circa 486 BC. As the eldest son of Deinomenes and Gela’s military strongman, Gelon raised his own army and used it to capture Syracuse, but instead of reinstalling the Gamoroi, Gelon retained power for himself as a tyrant. The rule of Gelon, and later his brother Hieron I, was largely benevolent, though other Sicilian cities, including their native Gela, were often treated harshly. In 480 BC, Gelon defeated a major Carthaginian invasion at Himera, perhaps undertaken in complicity with the Persian attack of Xerxes I on the Greek mainland. He was thus hailed as a savior of Greek civilization along with the Athenian and Spartan heroes of Salamis and Plataea. Hieron I, assuming power after his brother’s death, expanded Syracuse’s influence onto the Italian mainland, where he won another signal victory over the Etruscans at Cumae in 474 BC. Both Deinomenids embellished Syracuse with amphitheaters, libraries, and other civic buildings, and were liberal patrons of art and literature. On the other hand, Hieron employed a secret police force, the first in Greek history, to retain his grip on power. Syracusan coinage entered its first phase of greatness under their guidance, with the obverse prominently celebrating the city’s repeated Delphic and Olympic victories in chariot racing. The reverse image of Arethousa, nymph of the city’s central spring of Ortygia, was rendered in the high archaic style of the period, much as was Athena’s head on the contemporary coinage of Athens. Though both Gelon and Hieron were addressed as “king” by some contemporaries, there is no evidence they adopted the royal title and their names never appear on Syracusan coins. A third Deinomenid brother, Thrasybolos, attempted to rule Syracuse after Hieron’s death in 466 BC, but was quickly overthrown and replaced by a democratic government.

Ex Moretti Collection

59. SICILY, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. AR Litra (12.5mm, 0.60 g, 11h). Struck circa 466-460 BC. Diademed head of Arethousa right / Octopus. Boehringer Series XIIIb, 449–62 var. (unlisted dies); HGC 2, 1375. Deep find patina, minor roughness. Near EF. Well centered. ($750)

From the Tompa Collection. Ex A. D. Moretti Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica 29, 11 May 2005), lot 113.

60. SICILY, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.96 g, 9h). Struck circa 460-450 BC. Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving slow quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses with open wreath; in exergue, ketos right / Head of Arethousa right, wearing pearl tainia, single-pendant earring, and necklace; four dolphins around. Boehringer Series XIVa, 477 (V255/R342); HGC 2, 1311; SNG ANS 144–5 (same rev. die); SNG München 1010 (same dies); Randazzo 535–6 (same dies); Ward 254 (same dies). Old collection tone, scattered light marks, minor flan flaw on reverse. VF. Perfectly centered. ($1500)

The tyranny of the Deinomenids, under whom Syracuse had become a great power in the Greek world, was overthrown in about 466 BC and replaced by a new oligarchic constitution traditionally called the Second Democracy. This tetradrachm dates from the early years of this new government. While superficially similar to the Deinomenid issues of the 470s BC, it bears an innovation: the serpentine figure of a Ketos, or sea-serpent, in the obverse exergue. Perhaps the emblem of the ruling oligarchy, the Ketos would feature on Syracusan tetradrachms for roughly the next 30 years.

Ex Lockett and Pozzi Collections – Referenced by Gallatin & Scavino

61. SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AR Dekadrachm (34mm, 42.72 g, 5h). Reverse die signed by Euainetos. Struck circa 405-390 BC. Charioteer, wearing long chiton, holding kentron in extended right hand and reins in left, driving fast quadriga left; above, Nike, wearing long chiton, flying right, crowning charioteer with wreath held in her extended hands; below heavy exergual line, [military harness], shield, greaves, cuirass, and crested Attic helmet, all connected by a horizontal spear; []Q¬Å below] / Head of Arethousa left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and pearl necklace; sU-rÅ-[k-os-5W@] behind hair, four dolphins swimming around, EU-[Å5@E] along lower edge. Gallatin dies R.IV/C.XI, 1 = Scavino 20a (D5/R15) = SNG Lockett 990 = Pozzi 616 (this coin, illustrated in all but Gallatin); HGC 2, 1299; Nantueil 361 (same obv. die); Rhousopoulos 429 (same obv. die). Old cabinet tone, with some find patina, slight die wear and a tiny flan flaw on obverse, some cleaning scratches under tone on reverse. VF.

($30,000)

Ex Richard Cyril Lockett Collection (Greek Part I, Glendining, 25 October 1955), lot 894, purchased from Spink (at £110); Prof. S. Pozzi Collection (Naville I, 14 March 1921), lot 616.

The magnificent artistic flowering in Sicily in the 5th century BC, exemplified by the matchless coinage of Syracuse, originated in times of great strife. When the first colonists from Greece arrived on the fertile island in the 8th century BC, they found competitors in both the aboriginal inhabitants, the Sicels, Sicani, and Elymi, and the Phoenician colonists who established Carthage at about the same time. The social stresses set up by these conflicts prepared the way for the establishment of various tyrannies. Hippokrates of Gela was the first of the well known tyrants, and his son Gelon founded the greatest of the Sicilian courts at Syracuse in 485 BC. By the middle of the century, the situation began to resemble that of Renaissance Italy, where the princes engaged in continual warfare between themselves, while engaging the services of the finest artists and craftsmen of their time. Such fighting required significant amounts of money to hire mercenaries, and the increasing cultural sophistication of the courts encouraged experimentation in all of the arts, including the minor ones – the result was the patronizing of some of the most talented coin engravers in history.

In Syracuse and surrounding cities, the anonymous “Damareteion Master” and the “Maestro della foglia” were followed by their students and successors who proudly signed their work, such artists as Choirion, Euainetos, Eumenos, Exakestidas, Herakleidas, and others. These masters developed new ways of viewing the world through art, breaking the static forms of Classic art and developing new methods of portraying motion and life in miniature. The silver tetradrachm was the prefered mode of expression, being large enough for the expression of freeranging talents and also being minted in vast quantities to finance the expensive operations of the Greek hegemons. Even more remarkable were the large silver dekadrachms of Syracuse, which have become universal symbols of Greek numismatic art. Despite the emphasis on the great masterpieces, even the smallest of the silver fractions received the attentions of the masters, and the infrequent issues of gold likewise.

Syracuse commenced its silver coinage at the end of the sixth century BC with an issue of tetradrachms on the Attic standard of about 17.2 grams. These coins are attributed to the Gamoroi, an oligarchic body of aristocrats who battled outsiders, and each other, for control of civic and financial affairs. The obverse features a charioteer driving a walking quadriga while the reverse originally bore an incuse square divided into four compartments, which quickly gave way to the design seen below on lot 75, a swastika-pattern incuse with a circle at its center bearing a female head to left. This is certainly the nymph Arethousa, sacred to the spring of Ortygia which provided Syracuse its pure water. These designs set the paradigm for a century of Syracusan coinage, although the head of Arethousa would soon outgrow the confines of the small incuse circle to occupy most of the reverse, surrounded by frolicking dolphins.

Pedigreed to 1934 – Referenced by Bérend

62. SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AV 100 Litrai – Double Dekadrachm (14mm, 5.78 g, 3h). Struck circa 400-370 BC. Head of Arethousa left, hair in sakkos adorned with a star, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace; sUrÅ˚o[s5o@] to left, pellet behind neck / Herakles kneeling right, strangling the Nemean Lion; rocks below. Bérend Group III, 13.6 (D10/R8 – this coin); HGC 2, 1275; SNG ANS 326 (same dies); SNG Fitzwilliam 1266 (same dies). In NGC encapsulation 6290600-004, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Fine Style. ($25,000)

Ex Mark & Lottie Salton Collection (Stack’s Bowers Galleries, 14 January 2022), lot 4152; Ars Classica XVII (3 October 1934), lot 230.

The remarkable gold issues of Dionysios I, some of them signed by the same elite die engravers who were producing the immense silver dekadrachms, are considered among the most artistic gold pieces ever struck. The distinctive and expressive style of Euainetos is quite evident in his depiction of the nymph Arethousa, her hair enclosed in a sakkos ornamented with stars. The reverse depiction of Herakles wrestling the Nemean Lion is a marvel of compact tension and latent energy. Since Syracuse was engaged in a similar struggle with Carthage for control of Sicily, the imagery presents Dionysios as the new Syracusan Herakles saving Greek cities from the Carthaginian lion.

63. SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles. 317-289 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 16.71 g, 8h). Struck circa 317-310 BC. Wreathed head of Arethousa left; three dolphins around, f5 below neck / Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving fast quadriga left; triskeles above, [ in exergue. Ierardi 57 (O11/R35); BAR Issue 2; HGC 2, 1348. Lightly toned, minor roughness. Near EF. ($3000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Allan Smith Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 102, 18 May 2016), lot 158.

Agathokles was born in Himera circa 361 BC, the son of a potter who moved the family to Syracuse in the 340s BC. Tiring of his father’s trade, Agathokles became a soldier and quickly established himself as an able leader. Agathokles seized power at the head of a mercenary army in a bloody coup in 317 BC. Over the next few years, he strengthened his army and created a formidable navy, and used them to expand his power base throughout Sicily. This inevitably led him into conflict with Carthage, which still controlled territory in western Sicily. The war lasted from 311-306 BC and only resulted in each side becoming more entrenched in their respective parts of Sicily, with the border between them established along the Halycus River. In 304 BC, imitating the famous Diadochs in the east, Agathokles declared himself king of Sicily, though his power only extended across the eastern part of the island. His later years were more concerned with the consolidation of his power than with expansion. Seeing that none of his progeny could effectively rule in his place, in 289 BC, upon his death bed, Agathokles restored the Syracusan democracy.

Fine Style

64. SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles. 317-289 BC. AR

(25.5mm, 17.16 g, 10h). Struck circa 310-306/5 BC. Wreathed head of Kore right / Nike standing right erecting trophy to right; [ to lower left, triskeles to right. Ierardi 92 (O19/ R56); BAR Issue 23; HGC 2, 1536. Lightly toned, minor double strike on reverse. Near EF. Fine style. ($3000)

Tetradrachm

65. SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles. 317-289 BC. AV 100 Litrai – Double Dekadrachm (15.5mm, 5.70 g, 11h). Struck circa 304-289 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with a griffin, single-pendant earring, and pearl necklace / Winged thunderbolt; Å˝ÅQo˚¬Eos above, [∫]Ås5¬Eos and t in two lines below. Bérend, l’or 10 (D4/R3); BAR Issue 29; HGC 2, 1535; Sartiges 148 (same dies). Faintly toned, small mark on obverse. Near EF. ($5000)

Ex MACM inventory MMoCA11C; Gemini VI (10 January 2010), lot 45; Classical Numismatic Group 72 (14 June 2006), lot 197; Münzen und Medaillen AG XXVIII (19 June 1964), lot 82; Ars Classica XVII (3 October 1934), lot 276.

The coinage of Syracuse during the long reign of Agathokles, first as tyrant of Syracuse and later as self-proclaimed King of Sicily, saw a flowering of new types and denominations clearly influenced by royal issues throughout the Hellenistic kingdoms to the east. Herakles, Apollo, and Athena were commonly found on his issues, and he even issued an unprecedented series of electrum. His final phase of coinage saw the royal title of Basileos used for the first time on coins of Syracuse, notably on this gold piece, variously described as an oktobol, a 100-litrai piece, or a double-dekadrachm. The obverse depicting a helmeted Athena was closely modeled on contemporary gold staters of Alexander III the Great and the other Diadochi. The reverse, depicting a winged thunderbolt along with the name and royal title of Agathokles, may be an oblique reference to his contemporary ruler Pyrrhos of Epeiros, who was married to Lanassa, daughter of Agathokles, in 295 BC, and who also employed a winged thunderbolt on his coinage. The weight was about two-thirds that of a Attic-weight Macedonian gold stater.

66. SICILY, Syracuse. Hieron II. 275-215 BC. AV Drachm – Hemistater (15.5mm, 4.26 g, 12h). Struck 269-263 or 217-215 BC. Wreathed head of Persephone left; boukranion to right / Nike, holding kentron and reins, driving fast biga left; & below, 5ErW@os in exergue. Carroccio 28–32 var. (unlisted dies); BAR Issue 55; HGC 2, 1539. Trace deposits, a few hairlines. Good VF. ($3000)

Ex Father & Son Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 118, 13 November 2021), lot 90, purchased from Moruzzi Numismatica (ticket included); Bertolami Fine Arts 37 (19 September 2017), lot 108.

Hieron II started life as the illegitimate son of a noble father, allegedly a distant descendant of the Syracusan tyrant Gelon I. Later legends claim Hieron was exposed as an infant, but swarms of bees fed him honey until his father, warned by an astrologer, came and rescued the boy. As a young man, he served as a mercenary soldier in the army of Pyrrhos of Epeiros. When his commander elected to abort his Sicilian expedition in 275 BC, Hieron stayed behind and convinced a cabal of fellow soldiers to choose him as leader and seize power in Syracuse. He went on to rule the city and much of Sicily, first as a military tyrant, later as an enlightened and successful king, for nearly 50 years. He is most famous as the king who patronized the brilliant polymath Archimedes in his “eureka!” discovery, the principle of displacement. Hieron’s coinage is widely varied, interesting, and in many ways inspired by that of his Hellenistic ally, the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.

67. SICILY, Syracuse. Hieron II. 275-215 BC. AR 2½ Litrai (15mm, 2.11 g, 12h). In the name of the Syrakosioi. Struck circa 217-215 BC. Laureate head of Apollo left / Female standing facing, head left, holding scroll and filleted palm frond; f to lower left. CCO 303 (D5/R3); BAR Issue 69; HGC 2, 1420; SNG ANS 904 (same dies); SNG Ashmolean 2125 (same dies); BMC 664 (same dies); de Luynes 1397 (same dies). Find patina, light roughness. Good VF. ($500)

68. SICILY, Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II. 275-215 BC. AR 16 Litrai – Tetradrachm (25mm, 13.59 g, 4h). Struck circa 240-218/5 BC. Diademed and veiled head left; torch to right / Nike, holding reins, driving fast quadriga right; E below horses. CCO 49 (D12/R31); BAR Issue 65; HGC 2, 1554; SNG ANS 884 (same dies); SNG Ashmolean 2107 (same dies); SNG München 1357 and 1359 (same dies); McClean 1398 (same dies); Ward 337 (same dies); Weber 1707 (same dies). Lightly toned, minor die wear on obverse. Near EF. ($2000)

Ex Jacquier 49 (17 September 2021), lot 66.

Philistis was the daughter of an influential Syracusan named Leptines. Hieron, a mercenary refugee from the army of Pyrrhos of Epeiros, took control of Syracuse after Pyrrhos’ withdrawal from the city in 275 BC. Hieron immediately sought out and married Philistis to secure his position with the city’s elite. His coinage in her name commenced after he was proclaimed king (and she queen) in 265 BC and reflects the strong influence of Ptolemaic Egypt, depicting her veiled head in a manner reminiscent of Egyptian queens Arsinöe II and Berenike II.

Ex Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ward, and Montagu Collections – Pedigreed to 1894

69. SICILY, Syracuse. Gelon, son of Hieron II. 275-215 BC. AR 8 Litrai – Didrachm (20.5mm, 6.69 g, 1h). Diademed head left; star behind neck / Nike driving fast biga right; ∫Å to right, ˚ within legs. CCO 259 (D16/R15); BAR Issue 66; HGC 2, 1561; SNG München 1361 (same dies); Ward 339 (this coin). Old cabinet tone, remnants of find patina, some minor delaminations around edge, a little die wear on obverse, minor mark in field on reverse. Good VF. ($1500)

Ex Tradart (16 November 1995), lot 29; Glendining (with Empire Coins, 9 October 1989), lot 620; Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection (Part II, Sotheby’s Zurich, 4 April 1973), lot 273; John Ward Collection; Hyman Montagu Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 11 December 1894), lot 67 (purchased by W.T. Ready for 2 pounds 18 shillings).

Gelon was the eldest son of Hieron II, king of Syracuse from 275-215 BC. Most references simply list him as Gelon, son of Hieron, but he actually was made king by his father shortly after Hieron was elevated. Although Hieron was the senior ruler, Gelon appears to have had a great latitude of autonomy. The exact dates of his rule as king are not known, but he did die shortly before his father, perhaps even in 216 BC. Gelon was a close friend of the famed Archimedes, who dedicated a treatise, called The Sand Reckoner, to Gelon.

70. SICILY, Syracuse. Hieronymos. 215-214 BC. AR 10 Litrai (22mm, 8.28 g, 2h). Diademed head left; ˚ to right / Winged thunderbolt; ˚5 above. Holloway 40 (O21/R32); BAR Issue 79; HGC 2, 1567; SNG ANS 1028 (same dies); Pozzi 661 (same dies). Some rough horn silver, a few minor marks. Good VF. ($750)

71. SICILY, Syracuse. Fifth Democracy. 214-212 BC. AR 12 Litrai (23mm, 10.24 g, 7h). Helmeted head of Athena left / Artemis standing left, drawing bow; at side, hound springing left; dÅ to left, sUrÅkos5W@ to right. Burnett, Enna 8 (dies 2/c); BAR Issue 84; HGC 2, 1412; SNG Copenhagen 876 (same dies); SNG München 1432 (same dies). Lightly toned, underlying luster, slight doubling, faint scuff on obverse. EF. ($1500)

Ex MACM inventory MMoCA19C; Numismatica Ars Classica 52 (7 October 2009), lot 82; Ars Antiqua II (4 October 2001), lot 45.

Hieron II, a loyal ally of Rome, died in 215 BC while the Romans were locked in a life-and-death struggle with Hannibal of Carthage. The throne of Syracuse then passed to his grandson, Hieronymos, a youth of only fifteen, who was under the baleful influence of his power-hungry uncle, Andranodoros. Witnessing the Roman debacles at Trebbia and Cannae, Andranodoros persuaded his nephew to renounce the Roman alliance and throw in with Carthage, from which he demanded, and received, a promise that he would rule of all Sicily. But the boy king’s brutish behavior against Syracuse’s nobility, including outrages against highborn women, soon aroused sentiment against the new regime, no doubt stirred by the pro-Roman faction. During a visit to Leontini in 214 BC, a cabal of soldiers murdered Hieronymos and his uncle. A new democratic government, the Fifth Democracy, was established, but its leaders foolishly decided to continue the alliance with Carthage. In 213 BC the Romans under Consul M. Claudius Marcellus laid siege to the city. For two years Syracuse held out, aided by advanced war machines built by the brilliant Archimedes, but it finally fell in 211 BC and suffered a brutal sacking, bringing to an end three centuries of Syracusan preeminence in Greek Sicily.

The three-year period of the restored democracy saw a surprisingly large and varied output of coinage, all the more remarkable as the city was under siege by the Romans throughout most of this episode. The coinage was quite diverse in its denominations, and used all metals: gold, silver, and bronze. Fifth Democracy silver is exceptionally diverse, with multiples of 2½, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16 litrai. The bronze also has multiple denominations. Throughout the series, the types featured nearly all of the deities who ever graced a Syracusan coin, perhaps in an attempt to appeal to as many of the Olympian gods as possible while the city was imperiled.

72. SICILY, Syracuse. Fifth Democracy. 214-212 BC. AR 12 Litrai (25mm, 10.18 g, 6h). Helmeted head of Athena left / Artemis standing left, drawing bow; at side, hound springing left; xÅ to left. Burnett, Enna 21 (dies 8/n); BAR Issue 84; HGC 2, 1412; SNG Copenhagen 878 (same obv. die); SNG Delepierre 713 (same obv. die); McClean 2957 (same dies). Deep old iridescent tone, a few marks at edge, hairlines on obverse. Near EF. ($1500)

Ex Lejeune Collection – Pedigreed to 1932

73. SICULO-PUNIC, “Carthage”. Circa 407-398 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24.5mm, 16.92 g, 7h). Possibly Entella mint. Forepart of horse right, wearing bridle, being crowned by Nike flying right; [barley grain to right] / Palm tree with two date clusters; [tß]DJ Te[Q] ([Q]RT ḤD[ŠT] = “Carthage” in Punic) across lower field. Jenkins, Punic, Series 1, 22 (O6/R22); CNP 649a; HGC 2, 261; SNG Copenhagen 42 (same obv. die). Toned, some die wear and a little off center on obverse, light cleaning scratches on reverse, edge scratches. VF. ($5000)

Ex Emil Ernst Alfred Lejeune Collection (Rosenberg 72, 11 July 1932), lot 802.

74. SICULO-PUNIC, ‘Cape of Melkart’. Circa 330-305 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23.5mm, 17.21 g, 7h). Probably Lilybaion mint. Charioteer, holding kentron in extended right hand and reins in left, driving fast quadriga right; above, Nike flying left, crowning charioteer with open wreath held in both hands; [teQ]¬M[ße] ([RŠ]ML[QRT] = “Raš Melqart” in Punic) in exergue / Head of Arethousa right, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and pearl necklace; four dolphins swimming around. Jenkins, Punic 66 (O22/R50); CNP 312; BAR Issue 1; HGC 2, 741; BMC 10 (same dies); Boston MFA Supp. 23 (same dies). Attractively toned, minor edge split, die rust on obverse, minor flan flaw on reverse. Good VF. ($2000)

From the ZZZ Collection. Ex Triton XXVII (9 January 2024), lot 105; Heinrich Rudolf Peter Collection (Künker 347, 22 March 2021), lot 711; Künker 97 (7 March 2005), lot 323; Hagen Tronnier Collection (Künker 94, 27 September 2004), lot 474; Münz Zentrum 51 (28 March 1984), lot 53.

Lilybaion, modern day Marsala, was a Punic city in Sicily founded in the fourth century BC. The destruction of the chief Punic stronghold Motya in 397 BC by the Syracusan tyrant Dionysios I left the denizens of Motya without a home and Carthage without a primary military base on the island. In order to remedy both of these issues, the city of Lilybaion was founded by the survivors from Motya. The new port town would become a thriving trade hub and the most important military base in Sicily. The strong new walls that were built to defend the city were able to fend off both Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the Romans. It was the last bastion of Punic rule in Sicily during Pyrrhos’ conquest of the island, beating back his attempts to take the city before his campaign unraveled entirely. The Romans placed the city under a nine year siege with numerous assaults during the First Punic War, but they were never able to capture the city and only gained control of it after Carthage’s surrender at the end of the war.

The issue of tetradrachms that are purportedly from Lilybaion were all struck in the later half of the fourth century BC. While many show strong affinity for Syracusan styles from the same period, Jenkins notes that this series relies heavily on prototypes from the Entella series.

Artistic Portrait of Herakles

75. SICULO-PUNIC, “The Camp”. Circa 300-289 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 16.57 g, 9h). Possibly Entella mint. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Head of horse left; palm tree to right, †nJM∆M` (‘MHMḤNT = “People of the Camp” in Punic) below. Jenkins, Punic, Series 5a, 321 (O104/R263); CNP 271; HGC 2, 293 corr. (varying legend); Gulbenkian 375 = Jameson 916 (same dies); Pozzi 3303 (same dies). Lightly toned, with some iridescence, minor die wear, a couple of light scratches on reverse. Good VF. ($2000)

Ex Elsen 83 (12 March 2005), lot 94.

Carthage Dekadrachm – Ex Pflieger Collection

76. SICULO-PUNIC, Uncertain mint in Sicily. First Punic War. Circa 264-241 BC. AR 5 Shekels – Dekadrachm (39mm, 36.45 g, 11h). Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain ears and single-pendant earring / Pegasos flying right; 6Í®`∫ (Punic B’RŠT = “In the land”) below. Jenkins, Punic, Series 6, 450 (O4’/R19); Jenkins & Lewis pl. 27, 2; CNP 350; HGC 2, 1664; SNG Fitzwilliam 1512 (same obv. die); SNG Lloyd 1665 (same obv. die); Kraay & Hirmer 211 (same obv. die). In NGC encapsulation 4936376-002, graded Ch XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, Fine Style. Well centered. ($30,000)

Ex Collection of a Gentleman (Stack’s Bowers Galleries, 16 August 2021), lot 42065; Pflieger Collection (Vinchon, 13 April 1985), lot 205.

Although since the late 6th century BC relations between Rome and Carthage had always been maintained on a friendly basis, Rome’s growing influence in Magna Graecia in the early decades of the third century BC led inevitably to an increasing rivalry between the two powers. The Italian state was being drawn inexorably into the bitter politics of the centuries-old dispute between Greeks and Carthaginians in Sicily. This magnificent medallic piece was issued at about the time of the outbreak of the First Punic War which, after almost a quarter of a century of fighting, was to bring about the end of the Carthaginian presence on the island. Find spots for these coins have been exclusively Sicilian, and they were presumably struck for military purposes. Although horses had always been popular on Carthaginian and SiculoPunic issues, the depiction of the winged Pegasos represented a departure from tradition. The influence of the Corinthian coinage and that of her colony Syracuse seems obvious. The typically enigmatic Punic inscription translates “in the land,” and the Carthaginian stronghold of Panormos on the north coast of western Sicily has been suggested as the mint for this impressive series.

77. CARTHAGE. Circa 310-290 BC. EL Stater (18.5mm, 7.53 g, 12h). Carthage mint. Wreathed head of Tanit left, wearing necklace with ten pendants; pellet before neck / Horse standing right; three pellets in exergue. Jenkins & Lewis Group V, 295 (same dies); CNP 2.10f; MAA 10. Traces deposits, minor marks and scuffs. VF. ($1500)

The Punic goddess Tanit and the horse became the standard types of Carthaginian coinage for the balance of its existence. Tanit was the primary deity of Carthage. A celestial divinity with some fertility aspects, she was the North African equivalent of Astarte. She is always depicted on the coinage wearing a wreath of grain which may have been borrowed from Demeter and Persephone as the Carthaginians assimilated the Sicilian culture into their own during the various Punic excursions to the island. The use of the horse on the reverse is usually considered part of the foundation myth of Carthage. According to Virgil’s Aeneid, the Phoenician colonists who founded Carthage were told by Juno (or Tanit) to establish the new colony at the place where they discovered a horse’s head in the ground. Another theory postulates that the obverse head is actually Demeter or Persephone since in 396 BC, to make amends for the destruction of the goddesses’ temples outside Syracuse by the Carthaginian army, their worship was introduced at Carthage.

Third

Known

78. THRACE, Abdera. Circa 450-425 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 14.72 g, 10h). Pythinnes, magistrate. Griffin with curved wing seated left, raising right forepaw; to left, open hand downward / Eπ5 π-¨Q-5˜˜-EW around raised quadripartite incuse square; all within shallow incuse square. May, Abdera, Period IV, 135 var. (A–/P114 [unlisted obv. die with hand]); CN Online –; AMNG II –; HGC 3, 1136; Gemini IV 100 (same dies); New York Sale XLV, 26 = Roma XV, lot 128 = Nomos 11, lot 44 (same dies). Minor pitting and porosity, a few light scrapes on reverse. Good VF. Extremely rare, apparently the third known. ($3000)

Abdera has its mythological foundation in the Labors of Herakles, who founded the city in honor of his companion Abderos after the latter was killed by the mares of Diomedes. Historically, the first recorded settlement was a failed colonization effort by Klazomenaians under the leadership of Timesias in 656 BC, but neither of these events have left any concrete traces in the later history. It was in 541 BC that citizens of Teos, fleeing the Persian conquest of Ionia, established a long-lasting civic entity. The unchanging numismatic symbol of Abdera, the griffin, was adopted from the coinage of the lost home city, Teos, but turned to face left instead of right as at Teos. Abdera’s production of massive silver oktadrachms begins within a decade of the founding of the city, and reflects the reason for the success of this foundation as opposed to the earlier failure; at the beginning of the 6th century BC the prolific silver mines of Thrace started coming online, and trading cities such as Abdera and Thasos were well positioned to claim their portion of the wealth. While producing large quantities of silver coins, the city also introduced one of the earliest series of signed coinage by annual magistrates. While the obverse type was invariably a griffin, the reverses, once they evolved beyond the simple quadripartite square in the late 5th century, seem to have been left to the whim of the magistrates, who responded with a delightful repertoire of varied types, mythological and naturalistic, a number featuring visual puns on the magistrate’s name. This was the period of Abdera’s greatest achievements, of well known citizens such as Demokritos, the ‘laughing philosopher’, and Protagoras, the most celebrated of the sophists. The failed revolt against Athens in 411 BC proved only a slight hiatus in the city’s prosperity. However, the final end would come within a generation, as the production of the Thracian silver mines began to slow (or was diverted to the growing power of Macedon) and the Thracian tribes became increasingly restive. In 375 BC, the Abderan army was destroyed by the Triballoi, and only closer confederacy with Athens preserved the city. Its annual coinage issues ceased, and after this period little precious metal coinage was struck in Abdera. By the time of the coming of the Romans in the 2nd century BC, the great trading city of Abdera had sunk into permanent obscurity.

Ex Stoecklin, American Numsimatic Society, and J. P. Morgan Collections

May Plate Coin

79. THRACE, Ainos. Circa 412/1-410/09 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22.5mm, 16.63 g, 7h). Head of Hermes right, wearing petasos with pelleted rim / Goat standing right; Å5n-5 above, kerykeion to right; all within incuse square. May, Ainos, Period II, 263a (A161/P172) = Morgan 172 (this coin, illustrated in both); AMNG II 288; HGC 3, 1269; Ward 416 (same dies). In NGC encapsulation 4280562-001, graded XF★, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, lt. marks. ($5000)

Ex Dr. Walter Stoecklin (†1975) Collection (Nomos 14, 17 May 2017), lot 82, purchased from Bank Leu; American Numismatic Society Collection; J. Pierpont Morgan Collection (sold privately; not in H. Schulman or Stack’s sales).

The legendary founder of Ainos was said to be Ainios, a son of the god Apollo; the Roman poet Virgil apparently confused this name with that of the Trojan hero Aeneas and credits the city’s foundation to him. The main deity of the city was Hermes Perpheraios (”the wanderer”), and it is he who is depicted on the city’s early coinage. Here the messenger of the gods wears a tight-fitting conical hat called a petasos, and bears a particularly determined expression. The goat on the reverse symbolizes the god’s status as a patron of herdsmen. Ainos initially used the Persic weight standard, by which this issue would be a triple siglos.

80. THRACE, Byzantion. Circa 260-245 BC. AV Stater (18.5mm, 8.37 g, 5h). In the name and types of Lysimachos. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield, transverse spear in background; µ to inner left. Marinescu Issue 22, 53 (O26/R50); Müller –; HGC 3, 1374 (same dies as illustration). Some marks, hairlines, struck with worn reverse die. VF. ($2000)

81. ISLANDS off THRACE, Thasos. Circa 500-480 BC. AR Stater (22.5mm, 9.41 g). Ithyphallic satyr advancing right, carrying off protesting nymph / Quadripartite incuse square. Le Rider, Thasiennes 2; HGC 6, 331. Lightly toned, earthen deposits, flan crack, granular surfaces. Good VF. ($750)

Extremely Rare

82. ISLANDS off THRACE, Thasos. Circa 390-335 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22mm, 15.09 g, 7h). Bearded head of Dionysos left, wearing wreath of ivy with berries / Herakles, wearing lion skin, kneeling right, drawing bow; inverted labrys to right; all within linear square in incuse square. Pixodarus Group IV, 28 (A15/P26); West 32bis; Le Rider, Thasiennes 23; HGC 6, 342. Toned, slightly off center, areas of weak strike, deposits on reverse. Good VF. Extremely rare, only 6 examples noted in Pixodarus, this coin is the only additional example in CoinArchives. ($1500)

From the Hesiod Collection. Ex Baldwin’s 111 (5 July 2023), lot 8; Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 391 (15 February 2017), lot 83.

83. KINGS of THRACE, Macedonian. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28.5mm, 16.88 g, 1h). Sestos mint. Struck 297/6-282/1 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, arm resting on shield, transverse spear in background; flower to inner left. Thompson 29; Müller 331; HGC 3, 1750 corr. (mint missing from list). Lightly toned, minor die rust on obverse. Good VF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 82 (16 September 2009), lot 342.

Lysimachos, a Macedonian noble of great strength and stature, was born circa 360 BC and rose to prominence as a bodyguard for Alexander the Great, although he was a generation older than the young king. When Alexander’s territories were parceled out in 323 BC, Lysimachos was given control of Thrace, the Chersonese, and the intervening Black Sea coast. Much of this territory was claimed by various Thracian tribes, forcing him to spend decades in a largely fruitless effort to subdue them. By the time he assumed the royal title in 306/5 BC, his kingdom consisted of little more than the southern portions of Thrace. But he soon experienced a late-career revival as he plunged fully into the wars of the Diadochi, carving out an ever-expanding realm largely at the expense of his main rivals, Antigonos I Monophthalmos and his son Demetrios I Poliorketes. This territory was rich with both bullion and mint cities, enabling Lysimachos to begin striking a voluminous coinage on his behalf, initially patterned on the coins of Alexander, but with his own name and royal title. In 297 BC, he introduced a new type whose iconography would resound through the ages. The obverse was a portrait of the deified Alexander, diademed and bearing a ram’s horn sprouting from his temples, symbolic of the hybrid Greco-Egyptian god Ammon. This undoubtedly refers to one of the most famous episodes in Alexander’s legendary life, his visit to the shrine of Ammon in the Egyptian oasis of Siwa, in which the oracle greeted him as ‘my son.’ The reverse depicted Athena, Lysimachos’ patron goddess, seated on a massive throne and resting her arm on a shield. This vision of the seated warrior-goddess proved enduring and can still be seen as the figure of Britannia on modern coins. Dozens of mints produced Lysimachos types in both silver and gold, and would continue to do so for decades after his own battlefield demise in 281 BC at the ripe age of 79. The range of styles varies greatly by mint, ranging from highly idealized to stunningly lifelike. G.K. Jenkins noted the power of the Alexander portrait in his commentary on the Gulbenkian Collection: “ [T]he best of the Alexander heads on Lysimachos’ coinage...have a power and brilliance of effect that is irresistible. It [is speculated] that these Alexander heads may have derived from an original gem carved by Pyrgoteles, an engraver prominent among the artists of Alexander’s court...” Regardless of the inspiration, part of the remarkable attraction of this coinage is its artistic variety, with each engraver creating his own fresh and distinctive portrayal of the world’s greatest conqueror.

Ex Prince Waldeck Collection – Pedigreed to 1935

84. KINGS of THRACE, Macedonian. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28.5mm, 16.64 g, 12h). Lampsakos mint. Struck 297/6-282/1 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, arm resting on shield, transverse spear in background; torch to inner left, star on throne. Thompson 43; Müller 381; HGC 3, 1750b; SNG BN 2538-9. Deep old iridescent tone, marks and some smoothing on obverse. Good VF. ($750)

From the Hesiod Collection. Ex Prince Waldeck Collection (Münzhandlung Basel 4, 1 October 1935), lot 591.

85. KINGS of THRACE, Macedonian. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AR Tetradrachm (31mm, 17.06 g, 1h). Lampsakos mint. Struck 297/6-282/1 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield, transverse spear in background; B to inner left, crescent in exergue. Thompson 49; Müller 399; HGC 3, 1750b. Toned, with slight iridescence, minor porosity, light scuff at edge on reverse. Good VF. ($1500)

Attractive Iridescent Tone and Fine Style Portrait

86. KINGS of THRACE, Macedonian. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 4.33 g, 12h). Ephesos mint. Struck circa 294-287 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield, transverse spear in background; kithara to inner left, Å on throne. Thompson 174; Müller 355; HGC 3, 1753d. Lovely iridescent tone, minor die flaw in field on reverse. EF ($750)

87. MACEDON, Akanthos. Circa 525-470 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 17.19 g). Lion right, attacking bull crouching left, head right, biting into its hindquarter; Q above; floral ornament in exergue / Quadripartite incuse square. Desneux 69–79 (unlisted dies); AMNG III/2, 5; HGC 3, 383. Faintly toned, minor double strike and small mark on obverse, trace deposits on reverse. Good VF. ($2000)

Ex G. Hirsch 371 (9 February 2022), lot 1050; Nomos Obolos 12 (31 March 2019), lot 182.

Akanthos was founded on the easternmost “finger” of the Chalcidice in the seventh century BC. Huge silver deposits were discovered in close proximity during the sixth century BC, leading to Akanthos becoming a prolific mint, with its coinage circulating widely in northern and mainland Greece. Of the Archaic Greek coinages, the imagery of Akanthos is one of the most influential, depicting a lion attacking a bull. Lions still prowled the hinterlands of Thrace and Macedon in this era. Herodotus recounts an episode in The Histories when the baggage camels of the army of the Persian King Xerxes was set upon by lions during its march from Asia Minor into Greece proper (Herodotus 7.125126).

88. MACEDON, Akanthos. Circa 470-430 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 17.34 g, 5h). Lion right, attacking bull collapsing left, biting into its hindquarter; in exergue, fish left / Ethnic in shallow incuse square around quadripartite square in relief. Desneux 95, 97–8, and 102 var. (unlisted dies); AMNG III/2, 21; HGC 3, 385. Light iridescent tone, underlying luster, test cut on reverse. EF. ($1500)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Heritage 3077 (5 December 2019), lot 38003.

89. MACEDON, Amphipolis. 370/69 BC. AR Hemidrachm (11.5mm, 1.82 g, 12h). Laureate head of Apollo facing slightly right / Ethnic on raised linear square enclosing race torch; all within shallow incuse square. Lorber 65 (O.hd/R.hd); HGC 3, 415. Toned, some roughness and porosity, a few minor marks on obverse. Good VF. Rare. ($500)

Amphipolis was founded in 437 BC. Despite losing to Athens during the Peloponnesian War, she remained independent until her capture by Philip II in 357 BC. During this short period, Amphipolis produced a remarkable series of coins depicting a facing head of Apollo. Heavily influenced by Kimon’s work at Syracuse, the local artists produced dies of outstanding technical skill.

90. MACEDON, Amphipolis. 369/8 BC. AR Drachm (14.5mm, 3.42 g, 3h). Laureate head of Apollo facing slightly right / Ethnic on raised linear square enclosing race torch; all within shallow incuse square. Lorber 56d (Od6/Rd5); HGC 3, 413; BMC 7 (same dies); Boston MFA 536 = Warren 551 (same rev. die); Hermitage Sale II 582 (same obv. die). Lightly toned, granular surfaces. Good VF. ($2000)

Ex Nomos 23 (30 November 2021), lot 67.

91. MACEDON, Chalkidian League. Circa 380 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 14.30 g, 12h). Olynthos mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Kithara. Robinson & Clement Group J, 44 (A33/P40); AMNG III/2, –; HGC 3, 498 corr. (some with symbols); Pozzi 750 (same dies). Double struck, a few light scratches on obverse, delamination on reverse. Good VF. ($1500)

The Chalkidike is a three-fingered spit of land extending from eastern Macedon into the Aegean Sea. Wary of Athenian imperialism and the rising power of the Macedonian Kingdom, the free cities of the Chalkidike banded together in 432 BC to form a defensive coalition called the Chalkidian League, with its capital of Olynthos. The silver coinage struck at Olynthos was on the Macedonian standard, somewhat lighter than the Attic standard employed by most of Greece, and was legal tender at all cities belonging to the league. The standard design featured a head of Apollo, god of beauty, art and music, with a type of lyre called a kithara on the reverse. The Chalkidian League’s coinage came to an end with the capture and destruction of Olynthos by King Philip II of Macedon in 348 BC.

92. MACEDON, Chalkidian League. Circa 357 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23.5mm, 14.46 g, 7h). Olynthos mint; Stratonos, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo right / Kithara; Eπ5 strÅtW@os below. Robinson & Clement Group O, 91 (A58/P78); AMNG III/2, –; HGC 3, 500; SNG ANS 499 (same dies); Pozzi 754. Iridescent tone, traces of find patina. Good VF. ($1500)

MACEDON, Chalkidian League. Circa 357 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22mm, 14.45 g, 11h). Olynthos mint; Stratonos, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo right / Kithara; Eπ5 strÅtW@os below. Robinson & Clement Group O, 93 (A60/P80); AMNG III/2, –; HGC 3, 500. Lightly toned, minor double strike on obverse, a little porosity. VF. Clear magistrate name. Very rare, only one in CoinArchives. ($1500)

93.

Ex Empedocles Collection and the 1913 Kaliandra Hoard

94. MACEDON, Mende. Circa 460-423 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 17.20 g, 2h). Inebriated Dionysos, holding kantharos, reclining left on the back of an ass standing right; to right, bird perched right within branches / Ethnic within shallow incuse square around linear square containing a vine with five bunches of grapes. Noe, Mende 26 (this coin referenced and illustrated); HGC 3, 545. Toned, granular surfaces on obverse. VF. ($3000)

Ex G. Empedocles Collection; 1913 Kaliandra Hoard (IGCH 358).

The city of Mende, located on the Pallene Peninsula on the eastern shore of the Thermaic Gulf, was, according to Thucydides (4.123.1), founded by Eretria in the 8th century. It later founded colonies of its own: Neapolis on the eastern coast of Pallene, and Eion at the mouth of the river Strymon near Amphipolis. Mende’s wealth is indicated by the high amounts of tribute paid to the Delian Confederacy: eight talents until 451-450 BC, and then amounts ranging from five to nine talents after 438-437 BC. During the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) Mende originally sided with Athens, but then, on the urging of the oligarchs, went over to the Spartan general Brasidas. It eventually returned to the Athenian side, but is not mentioned in connection with the Peace of Nicias. From 415-414 BC, Mende again appears in the Athenian Tribute Lists, but by the fourth century the city was only minting copper coins. The Dionysiac types of Mende proclaim it as a famous wine producing city, as attested by its amphoras that have been found throughout the Mediterranean. On this delightful coin, Dionysos, who rules wine and winemaking, is shown being carried home drunk from a symposion, a type of careless joy that links the world of men with the Olympians – at least until the morning.

95. MACEDON, Mende. Circa 460-423 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 17.13 g, 11h). Inebriated Dionysos, holding kantharos and branch, reclining left on the back of an ass standing right; to right, bird perched right on branch / Ethnic around a vine with five bunches of grapes; all within incuse square. Noe, Mende 73 (same dies); HGC 3, 545. Toned, granular surfaces, minor double strike on obverse. VF. ($3000)

Ex Sheik Saud Al Thani Collection (Part II, Numismatica Ars Classica 123, 9 May 2021), lot 189; CGB 47 (19 March 2011), lot 56; Michael F. Price Collection (Stack’s, 3 December 1996), lot 485.

Ex Sheik Saud Al Thani and Price Collections

96. MACEDON, Neapolis. Circa 500-480 BC. AR Stater (20.5mm, 8.47 g). Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue / Quadripartite incuse square. AMNG III/2, 6; HGC 3, 583. Toned, minor marks, a little porosity, minor doubling at edge on obverse. Good VF. Well centered. ($2000)

Neapolis, which is well known for its apparently large issues of silver in the 5th-early 4th centuries BC, is relatively unknown outside of numismatics. Its exact location is unknown, though a city that has been under excavation near modern Polychronon may be Neapolis. The city was likely founded as a settlement by colonists from Mende in the 6th century BC. Like many of the other cities in the region, Neapolis supplied troops and ships to Xerxes during the Greco-Persian Wars, and afterward became a member of the Delian League. Its coinage consists of two large series of silver coins, both featuring the facing head of a gorgoneion on the obverse. This coin belongs to the first series, with its simple quadripartite incuse reverse, began late in the Archaic period, circa 500 BC, and lasted until circa 480 BC.

Alexander I – A Clever Politician

97. KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander I. 498-454 BC. AR Triple Stater – “Oktadrachm” (34mm, 28.40 g). Aigai mint. Struck circa 492-480/79 BC. Horseman, wearing petasos and holding two spears, standing right behind horse advancing right / Quadripartite incuse square. Tzamalis, Ethné, Group B.1, dies D43/R46; Raymond pl. II, 4; AMNG III p. 49, 7 (Bisaltai); HPM pl. XII, 2 (Bisaltai; same obv. die); HGC 3, 753. Toned, light porosity, minor flan flaws on obverse, light graffito in field on reverse. Good VF. ($7500)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 115 (16 September 2020), lot 97.

By the end of the sixth century BC, the Kingdom of Macedon became an influential regional power, strategically located between the Persian Empire and the city-states of Greece. The wars with Persia further extended Macedon’s importance, especially that of its young prince, Alexander I, the son of Amyntas. An astute politician, Alexander deftly maneuvered through this precarious situation. Although he early on offered his sister’s hand in marriage to a Persian to offset punishment for his revenge against the high handedness of a Persian embassy in 514-513 BC, Alexander maintained an aloof but cordial relationship with the Persians as they moved through the region in 492 BC, forcing the other tribes to Medize. At the same time, he worked towards a stronger association with the Greeks. Herodotos (9.44) says that on the eve of the battle at Plataia, Alexander entered the Athenian camp to report that a delay in engaging the Persians would help to further diminish their already low supplies. In return, he hoped the Greeks (in particular the Athenians) would assist him when the time came, thereby forging a relationship between the rising power in the north with the rising Greek city-states of Athens, Sparta and their allies.

This coin type had long been ascribed to the Bisaltai, one of the powerful Thraco-Macedonian tribes that struck coinage in the late 6th and early 5th centuries. The weight of the evidence now points to it being the earliest issue of Alexander I, when he was allied with the tribes against the Persians; he presumably struck coins with types that were acceptable to his allies and would, in fact, symbolize their alliance.

For a discussion of the weight standard of this issue, see S. Psoma, “Did the So-Called Thraco-Macedonian Standard Exist?” in KAIPOΣ, pp. 167–90.

98. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip II. 359-336 BC. AV Twelfth Stater (7.5mm, 0.71 g, 1h). Pella mint. Struck circa 345/2-340/36 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right / Thunderbolt; head of lion facing below. Le Rider Group I, 12 (D9’/R9); SNG ANS 209–15. Minor die wear, a little off center on reverse. Near EF. ($1000)

The youngest son of King Amyntas III, Philip II was as a youth held hostage in Thebes, then the leading city of Greece. While there, he was taught by its famous leader, Epaminondas, in military tactics and diplomacy. After he was allowed to return to Macedon, he became regent for his infant nephew, Amyntas IV, the son of his brother Perdikkas III. Soon after, Philip managed to seize the kingdom for himself and soon expanded Macedonian control over the northern tribes. His future military successes were due to his introduction of the infantry phalanx, which was armed with the sarissa – a spear of about 18 feet in length.

Beginning about 359 BC, Philip’s ambitions came into conflict with Athens, which saw itself as the center of Greek culture and democracy. The Athenian orator, Demosthenes, was the most vocal opponent of the Macedonian king, and delivered a series of damning orations, known as the Philippics, against the Macedonian king. The Athenians also sent military forces to assist Philip’s opponents. Ultimately, at the Battle of Chaironeia in 338 BC, Philip defeated a coalition of Greek city-states (including Athens and Thebes). At this battle, Philip’s son, Alexander (the future Alexander the Great), distinguished himself by routing the Greeks’ right wing of cavalry. Now, in complete control of Greece, Philip sought to build a coalition with himself at its head for the purpose of launching an invasion against the Persian Empire. In 336 BC, while preparations for this invasion were still in their early stages, Philip was assassinated by one of his bodyguards, Pausanias of Orestis, and was succeeded by Alexander III.

99. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Philip II – Alexander III. Circa 340/36-328 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 8.58 g, 1h). In the name and types of Philip II. Pella mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Charioteer driving biga right; thunderbolt below. Le Rider Group II.1, 95 (D45/R72); SNG ANS 130-7. Lustrous. Good VF. ($2000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 84 (5 May 2010), lot 221.

100. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Philip II – Alexander III. Circa 340/36-328 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.62 g, 9h). In the name and types of Philip II. Pella mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving biga right; thunderbolt below. Le Rider Group II.1, 123 (D58’/R94); SNG ANS 130–7. Much remaining luster. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-001, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

101. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Philip II – Alexander III. Circa 340/36-328 BC. AV Stater (19mm, 8.60 g, 11h). In the name and types of Philip II. Pella mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving biga right; kantharos below. Le Rider Group II.1, 199 (D57/R149); SNG ANS 138–43. Much remaining luster. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-002, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

102. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Philip II – Alexander III. Circa 340/36-328 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.54 g, 2h). In the name and types of Philip II. Pella mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving biga right; below, trident right. Le Rider Group II.1, 314 (D91/R241); SNG ANS 144–54. Lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-003, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

103. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Philip II – Alexander III. Circa 340/36-328 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.64 g, 6h). In the name and types of Philip II. Pella mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving biga right; below, Nike flying right, holding wreath. Le Rider Group II.2, 360 (D158/R271); SNG ANS 157–9; Hirsch 1034 (same dies). Lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-004, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

104. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Philip II – Alexander III. Circa 340/36-328 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.57 g, 6h). In the name and types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving fast biga right; crescent below. Le Rider Group II, 96 (D43/R74); SNG ANS 255. Some remaining luster. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-005, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

105. KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.61 g, 12h). Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater, circa 328/5-323 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; kantharos in left field. Price 168; Troxell, Studies, Series 2, 485 (O14/RC8). Much remaining luster. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-011, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

Exceptional Alexander Distater

106. KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. AV Distater (21mm, 17.17 g, 8h). Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater, circa 325-323/2 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with coiled serpent, single-pendant earring, and two necklaces / ŬE$Å@droU, Nike standing left, holding wreath in extended right hand and cradling stylis in left arm; vertical thunderbolt in left field, “ below left wing. Price 191; Troxell, Studies, Group B, 538 (same obv. die); Noe, Sicyon, 7.4 var. (A9/P– [unlisted rev. die]). Fully lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232250001, graded Ch MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Fine Style. An exceptional coin, the single finest certified specimen.

($50,000)

Alexander III the Great’s distater was the largest gold coin yet seen in the Greek world, and was tariffed at 40 silver drachms. Although distaters had apparently been struck earlier in Alexander’s reign, the largest output commenced after circa 325 BC, as he was wrapping up his Indian campaign and en route back to Babylon. Around the same time, Alexander formally retired 10,000 of his veterans and sent them home to Macedon with all their accumulated pay over a decade’s service, plus a bonus of a talent, or 6,000 drachms, for each man. The bonus alone represented 15 years of wartime pay, an unimaginable sum to these career warriors. It is tempting to think the gold distaters may have been struck as part of this settlement, as the equivalent of a talent in silver could be paid out rather conveniently in 150 distaters. However, most of the distater mintage took place in Macedon proper, at the mints of Amphipolis and Aigai, rather than at the eastern mints like Babylon or Tarsos along the line of march. Perhaps the impressive new denomination was intended only for senior officers; alternatively, rather than being forced to carry their newfound wealth with them, the soldiers might have been issued a special form of scrip that entitled them to receive full payment once they reached home.

107. KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24.5mm, 17.21 g, 2h). Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater, circa 325-323/2 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, Athena Promachos standing right. Price 105; Troxell, Studies, Issue F4. Faintly toned, underlying luster. EF. Well centered. ($750)

108. KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 8.63 g, 2h). Sardes mint. Struck under Menander, circa 330/25-324/3 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; in left field, head of stag right. Price 2531; ADM I Series I, 3a (same dies); ANS inv. 1950.146.1 (same dies). Fully lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-013, graded MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($6000)

109. KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.63 g, 12h). Salamis or mint in western Asia Minor. Struck circa 332/1-323 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; in left field, head of ram right. Price 1917 (Magnesia; same obv. die as illustration); Troxell, New, Group III, 37 (dies 19/– [unlisted rev. die]); CNG 90, lot 433 (same dies). Fully lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-012, graded Ch MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Fine Style. Very rare, four noted by Troxell (including the one in Pella), eight in CoinArchives. ($7500)

Fine Style

110. KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 17.13 g, 12h). Babylon mint. Struck under Stamenes or Archon, circa 324/3 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; Â in left field, P below throne. Price 3602; Waggoner Issue 2, Series 4, obv. die 57; ANS inv. 1944.100.80462 (same obv. die). Iridescent tone, some underlying luster, small mark on obverse. Near EF. Fine style. ($750)

Ex Roma VIII (28 September 2014), lot 452.

111. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Alexander III – Philip III. Circa 325-319 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.60 g, 8h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and cradling stylis; thunderbolt in left field. Price 164; Troxell, Studies, p. 127 and pl. 25, I (same obv. die). Much remaining luster. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-006, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Well centered. ($5000)

112. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Alexander III – Philip III. Circa 325-319 BC. AV Stater (18.5mm, 8.58 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and cradling stylis; thunderbolt in left field. Price 164; Troxell, Studies, p. 127 and pl. 25, M. Trace deposits, underlying luster, a few light scratches and marks, edge marks. Near EF. Sharp details. ($3000)

113. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Alexander III – Philip III. Circa 325-319 BC. AV Stater (18.5mm, 8.56 g, 8h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and cradling stylis; Boeotian(?) shield in left field. Price 176; Troxell, Studies, p. 127 and pl. 25, O. Much remaining luster. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-007, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

114. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Alexander III – Philip III. Circa 330/25-320 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.60 g, 12h).

In the name and types of Alexander III. Uncertain mint in western Asia Minor. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; in left field, spearhead upward. Price 3137 (Salamis); Troxell, New, Group I, 3 (dies 3/b). Lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-008, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($5000)

115. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Alexander III – Philip III. Circa 330/25-320 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 8.63 g, 11h).

In the name and types of Alexander III. Uncertain mint in western Asia Minor. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; in left field, eagle standing right. Price 3128a (Salamis; same dies as illustration); Troxell, New, Group II, 22 (dies 12/b); SNG Ashmolean 2921 (same dies). Lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-010, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Very rare, six noted by Troxell, two additional in Pella, five in CoinArchives. ($5000)

116. KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Alexander III – Philip III. Circa 330/25-320 BC. AV Stater (19mm, 8.58 g, 12h).

In the name and types of Alexander III. Uncertain mint in western Asia Minor. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; below left wing, eagle standing left. Price 3125 (Salamis; same obv. die as illustration); Troxell, New, Group III, 30 (dies 16/– [unlisted rev. die]). Fully lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-009, graded MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($6000)

117. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 17.21 g, 2h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater, circa 322-320 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, Athena Promachos standing right. Price 109; Troxell, Studies, Issue G2. Area of faint iridescent toning on obverse, underlying luster. Choice EF. ($750)

Born circa 359 BC, Arrhidaios was the illegitimate son of Philip II, king of Macedon, by a Thessalian dancer named Philinna. According to Plutarch, a poisoning attempt by Philip’s jealous wife, Olympias, left Arrhidaios mentally compromised and subject to epileptic fits. His halfbrother, Alexander III the Great, was quite fond of him and took him on all of his campaigns, although this was also a way of making sure he did not become a political pawn. When Alexander died in Babylon in June, 323 BC, a council of generals hammered out a compromise by which Arrhidaios was crowned as Philip III, to reign jointly with the infant son of the conqueror, Alexander IV. However, neither had any real power, this being held by a succession of regents. The new king proved as compliant and simple-minded as the generals had hoped, but in 320 BC, Arrhidaios married a niece of Philip II’s, Eurydike, who had enough ambition for the both of them. Eurydike plunged into the complex and deadly politics of the Diadochi. In 317 BC, she threw her support behind Kassander’s successful bid to become regent. Kassander left her and Arrhidaios in charge of Macedon while he went on campaign in Asia. However, Alexander’s mother Olympias raised her own army and invaded Macedon, capturing and ultimately executing the royal couple. The coinage of Philip III Arrhidaios is clearly based on that of Alexander, showing no innovations except for the name.

118. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 14.07 g, 2h). In the types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Struck under Polyperchon, circa 318-317 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / Nude youth, holding palm frond and reins, on horseback right; ∞ below, ¬ below horse’s raised foreleg. Le Rider pl. 45, 11–2; Troxell, Studies, Issue 7, 311–2; SNG ANS 638–42; CNG 90, lot 454 (same obv. die). Bright surfaces, a little roughness. EF. ($1000)

119. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AV Stater (19mm, 8.62 g, 12h). In the name and types of Philip II. Pella mint. Struck under Antipater or Polyperchon, circa 323-318/7 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right / Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving biga right; kantharos below. Le Rider Group IIIA, 475 (D196/R348); SNG ANS 172–6; SNG Copenhagen 529 (same dies). Underlying luster, slight die rust on obverse, small scuff on reverse. EF. ($3000)

120. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 8.51 g, 6h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Pella mint. Struck under Antipater or Polyperchon, circa 323-318/7 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; bee in left field. Price 202; Moore –. Minor marks. VF. Well centered. ($2000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex CNG inventory 729277 (November 2001).

121. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 16.68 g, 3h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Pella mint. Struck under Antipater or Polyperchon, circa 323-318/7 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; bee in left field. Price 205; Moore 18–22 var. (unlisted dies); Berlin obj. no. 18250455 (same obv. die). Underlying luster, remnants of find patina. EF. Fine style. ($1500)

122. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.66 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Miletos mint. Struck under Asandros, circa 323-319 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; grain ear below right wing, labrys in right field. Price 2094; ADM I Series III, 125 (same dies). Some remaining luster. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-015, graded MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Very rare, four in ADM, one additional in Pella, three in CoinArchives. ($6000)

123. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 8.62 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Miletos mint. Struck under Asandros, circa 323-319 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; labrys below right wing, grain ear in right field. Price 2095; ADM I Series III, 127 (same obv. die as 125). Lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 8232251-014, graded MS, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 4/5. Rare. ($6000)

124. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 17.15 g, 2h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Miletos mint. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left, legs crossed; grain ear in left field. Price 2099b; ADM I Series III, 137e (same dies); ANS inv. 1944.100.31875 (same dies). Attractively toned, underlying luster. EF. ($1000)

Price 2099 comprises two varieties, one with Zeus’ legs parallel (or spread), the other with his legs crossed, though this distinction is not differentiated in his corpus. However, the examples in his plates show both varieties, with 2099a having parallel legs, while 2099b has crossed legs.

125. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 17.21 g, 6h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Uncertain mint in Cilicia. Struck under Philotas or Philoxenos. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; wreath in left field, d5 below throne. Price 2949 (Side[?] mint). Faintly toned, underlying luster, area of find patina, a few minor marks. EF. ($750)

126. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 17.15 g, 1h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Uncertain mint in Cilicia. Struck under Philoxenos, circa 320-318/7 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; f5 in left field, ∫s under throne. Price 2955 (Side[?] mint). Faintly toned, underlying luster, traces of find patina. EF. ($750)

127. KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.58 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Sidon mint. Struck under Laomedon. Dated RY 12 of Abdalonymos (322/1 BC). Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; Â (date) below left wing. Price 3497; Newell, Sidon 35 (dies X/– [unlisted rev. die]); DCA2 858. Minor marks. VF. ($2000)

128. KINGS of MACEDON. Antigonos I Monophthalmos. As Strategos of Asia, 320-306/5 BC, or King, 306/5-301 BC. AV Stater (18.5mm, 8.54 g, 11h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Lampsakos mint. Struck circa 310-301 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; in left field, † above forepart of Pegasos left. Price 1388; ADM II Series XVIII. Underlying luster. Near EF. ($2500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex CNG inventory 725616 (May 2001).

After Perdikkas, Antigonos Monophthalmos was perhaps the most powerful of the Diadochs upon Alexander’s death. Having been entrusted with overseeing the Macedonian rule in Asia Minor, Antigonos was left in control of vast resources that enabled him to persevere through the wars of the Diadochs. At the height of his power, his territories stretched from the Hellespont to Babylon. While his military prowess was keen, so too were his diplomatic skills. In fact, it was his skill of using the other Diadochs against one another that was more attributable to his success in building his domains than his military victories. By 306 BC, Antigonos was so certain of his dominance that he proclaimed himself king, the first of the Diadochs to do so. It was this event, which he thought to be his triumphant moment, that proved his undoing. From that moment, the other Diadochs clearly saw Antigonos and his son, Demetrios Poliorketes, as their primary opponents. Putting aside their differences for the first time, all the other Diadochs – Ptolemy, Seleukos, Lysimachos, and Kassander – joined forces against Antigonos. For a year the allies pressured the Antigonid forces around the Aegaean. Finally, at the battle of Ipsos in 301 BC, Antigonos was defeated by the combined forces of Seleukos and Lysimachos. Antigonos was killed in the battle, but Demetrios was able to escape and continue fighting the others for years, but he never regained the sizeable territory that his father had once ruled.

129. KINGS of MACEDON. Kassander. As regent, 317-305 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 14.24 g, 9h). In the name and types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Struck circa 316-311 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / Youth, holding palm frond and rein, on horseback right; dolphin below, À below raised foreleg. Le Rider pl. 46, 9 & 19; Troxell, Studies, Group 9, 331–2; HGC 3, 988. Faintly toned, underlying luster. Choice EF. ($1500)

Ex Cederlind 120 (12 September 2000), lot 33.

Kassander was the son of Alexander III’s regent in Macedon, Antipater. By the end of Alexander’s reign, Antipater had fallen under suspicion of treason, and thus the Macedonian king treated Kassander, who was with him in the East, disfavorably. Thankfully for Kassander, Alexander died before dealing with Antipater. At Triparadeisos, Kassander was named chiliarch, while his father remained regent in Macedon. Although Kassander wanted to succeed his father, when Antipater died, the regency was given to Polyperchon instead. In response, Kassander allied himself with the powerful Antigonos Monophthalmos, who supported him in establishing a power base in Piraios and the Peloponnesos. From these bases, Kassander launched invasions against Polyperchon, and eventually succeeded in overthrowing the regent in 317 BC. Kassander quickly established his firm dominion over Macedon, and had Alexander’s mother, Olympias, put to death. He also married Thessalonike, the daughter of Philip II, to ingratiate himself with the families who had long ties to Alexander’s father, and who exerted much power over the local countryside. His consolidation of power also included the murder of Alexander III’s wife, Roxane, and the young Alexander IV in 310 BC. His success in controlling Macedon, though, was seen as a threat by Antigonos, who still had the Macedonian throne as his own goal. In response to Kassander’s rise in Macedon, Antigonos proclaimed that the Greek cities were free from Macedonian control, an act that ingratiated him to them. Antigonos used their gratitude to foment dissent againt Kassander throughout Greece and Peloponnesos. Antigonos also allied himself to Polyperchon, who had sought refuge in the Peloponnesos, and now supported his attempts to overthow Kassander. Although he lost power in Greece, Kassander maintained his control of Macedon thoughout the Diadochi Wars. He died of dropsy in 298 BC.

130. KINGS of MACEDON. Kassander. As regent, 317-305 BC, or King, 305-298 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 17.18 g, 5h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Amphipolis mint. Struck circa 307-297 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, ¬ above torch; £ below throne. Price 445; Ehrhardt 29. Attractive iridescent tone, underlying luster, a few minor marks, a couple of tiny flan flaws on obverse. EF. ($750)

131. KINGS of MACEDON. Demetrios I Poliorketes. 306-283 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 16.80 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Tyre mint. Struck circa 290-286 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; å in left field, ç below throne. Newell –; Hersh, Tyrus 15 (obv. die VI); Price 3528. Lightly toned, some redeposited silver, a few minor marks, light scratch and small patch of porosity on obverse. EF. ($1000)

Demetrios I Poliorketes was the son of one of Alexander’s greatest generals, Antigonos I Monophthalmos. Antigonos was arguably the strongest of Alexander’s followers, the Diadochs, at one time ruling over all of Alexander’s eastern territories from Asia Minor to Baktria, except for Egypt. Antigonos’ success led him to be the first Diadoch to crown himself king, in 306 BC. By that time, Demetrios was an active participant in his father’s wars, and was also crowned king along with his father. Fearing Antigonos’ growing power, the other Diadochs allied themselves against him, and finally defeated and killed him at the battle of Ipsos in 301 BC. Following Ipsos, Demetrios continued to battle the other Diadochs, and although he won numerous victories, he was usually unable to maintain his control over his conquests afterward. His epithet, Poliorketes (‘besieger of cities’) was earned following his siege of Rhodes. While that siege ultimately failed, it featured a number of elaborate siege engines which had become a hallmark of Demetrios’ style of warfare. Demetrios was eventually abandoned by his army, and he subsequently surrendered to Seleukos I of Syria in 288 BC. Demetrios died in captivity five years later

132. KINGS of MACEDON. Antigonos II Gonatas. 277/6-239 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30mm, 16.99 g, 6h). Amphipolis mint. Struck circa 271/68-260/55 BC. Horned head of Pan left, lagobolon over shoulder, in the center of a Macedonian shield / Athena Alkidemos advancing left, shield decorated with aegis on arm, preparing to cast thunderbolt; crested Macedonian helmet to inner left, ˆ to inner right. TEA Period I, Group 7, 33 (O11/R33); HGC 3, 1042. Toned, minor marks and scratches. Good VF. ($750)

Antiogonos Gonatas was the son of Demetrios Poliorketes and grandson of Antigonos Monophthalmos (“one-eyed”). During the wars of succession, he participated with his father on campaign in Greece and Macedon. Upon his father’s death in 283 BC, Antigonos assumed the royal title and resolved to retake the Macedonian throne. Before he was able to invade Macedonia, in 279 BC, a huge wave of Galatians moved into the region from the north and ravaged as far south as Delphi. In 277 BC, Antigonos took his army north and decisively defeated the Celts in a victory that brought him recognition and acclaim across the Aegaean. Antigonos now seized the empty Macedonian throne and reigned successfully for nearly 30 years.

Five Interesting Damastion Tetradrachms

133. ILLYRO-PAEONIAN REGION, Damastion (Dardania). Circa 340-330 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22.5mm, 12.88 g, 3h). Laureate head of Apollo left / Tripod; swastikas flanking central leg. May, Damastion 74; HGC 3, –; SNG Ashmolean 3328. Lightly toned, a touch off center, a few minor marks, graffito on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

134. ILLYRO-PAEONIAN REGION, Damastion (Dardania). Circa 340-330 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 13.01 g, 7h). Laureate head of Apollo right / Tripod. Cf. May, Damastion 77f (obv. type left, rev. die likely from same engraver); HGC 3, 93. Lightly toned, a couple of scratches and graffito on obverse, double struck on reverse. VF. ($500)

135. ILLYRO-PAEONIAN REGION, Damastion (Dardania). Circa 340-330 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22mm, 12.82 g, 12h). Laureate head of Apollo left / Tripod; kerykeion to inner left. May, Damastion 82; HGC 3, 90. Lightly toned, granular surfaces. VF. ($500)

136. ILLYRO-PAEONIAN REGION, Damastion (Dardania). Circa 335-330 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 12.96 g, 5h). Laureate head of Apollo right / Tripod. Cf. May, Damastion 102a–b (same obv. die, different rev. style); cf. HGC 3, 93 (same). Lightly toned, minor flan crack, some porosity and die wear, indication of undertype on reverse. Good VF. ($500)

Unpublished

137. ILLYRO-PAEONIAN REGION, Uncertain. Circa 340-330 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 12.27 g, 12h). Laureate head of Apollo right / Tripod set on base; πÅrÂo-@5s˚o at sides. Unpublished, but cf. May, Damastion, pl. IX, D for another uncertain issue (of the Tenestines?) struck from a nearly identical obverse die. Lightly toned, minor marks, scratch on reverse. Near EF. Apparently unique. ($1000)

138. EPEIROS, Federal coinage (Epirote Republic). Circa 148-50 BC. AR Drachm (21mm, 5.19 g, 10h). Laureate head of Zeus right; + to left, ∫o below chin / Eagle, with closed wings, standing right on thunderbolt within wreath. Franke Group II, Series 2, 94 (V47A/R61); HGC 3, 171. Bright surface, edge split, a few minor die flaws on obverse. Superb EF. ($750)

139. THESSALY, Larissa. Circa 380-365 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 6.06 g, 12h). Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left, grain ears in hair / Mare and foal standing right. L-S Series VI, Type A, dies O4/R1, g (this coin); Lorber, Hoard 8 (same dies); BCD Thessaly II 297; HGC 4, 444; SNG Berry 544 (same dies); McClean 4625 (same dies). Minor patches of find patina. Near EF. Better than most of the examples of middle facing head types on CoinArchives. ($1000)

Ex CNG inventory 760505 (October 2005).

The name Larissa derives from a proto-Greek word for “citadel” or “fortress.” One of the largest cities in Thessaly, Larissa produced a large and varied coinage beginning in the early-fifth century BC, mostly featuring the hero Thessalos wrestling a bull. Starting about 404 BC, inspired by Kimon’s Syracusan facing-head portrait of the spring nymph Arethousa, Larissa introduced a new design also featuring a facing female head, probably intended to represent a local spring nymph bearing the city’s name. The nymph heads feature on nearly all Larissan coinage, including bronzes, tiny fractions, silver drachms (by far the most numerous coins struck and surviving), and staters of two drachms. The larger staters, in particular, are closely modeled on Kimon’s Arethousa, lacking only the dolphins surrounding the portrait on the original.

140. THESSALY, Larissa. Circa 356-342 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 6.02 g, 2h). Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left, hair in ampyx / Horse standing right, preparing to lie down. Lorber, Hoard, Phase L-III, 38; BCD Thessaly II 316; HGC 4, 453. Lightly toned, shallow test cut on edge, small area of die rust on obverse, double struck on reverse. Good VF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex CNG inventory 727661 (September 2001).

141. THESSALY, Larissa. Circa 356-342 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 12.15 g, 12h). Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left, hair in ampyx / Bridled horse prancing right. L-S Type 2, Series B, dies O10/R1, a (this coin); BCD Thessaly II 305; HGC 4, 409. Toned, with some blue iridescence, remnants of find patina, slight granularity and some porosity. EF. ($2000)

Ex Lanz 36 (21 April 1986), lot 255.

142. THESSALY, Larissa. Circa 356-342 BC. AR Stater (23mm, 11.92 g, 6h). Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left, hair in ampyx / Bridled horse prancing right. L-S Type 2, Series B, dies O12/R2, a (this coin); BCD Thessaly II 305; HGC 4, 409; Triton XX, lot 136 = SNG Lockett 1571 = Pozzi, Boutin 2771 = Pozzi 1219 (same dies). Toned, marks, a little off center. VF. ($1500)

Ex BCD Collection (not in prior BCD sales); Palladium Numismatics BBS 7 (28 December 1994), lot 42.

143. THESSALY, Thessalian League. Circa 470s-460s BC. AR Hemidrachm (13mm, 2.97 g, 8h). Forepart of horse right / Sprouting wheat grain within incuse square. Franke, Geschicte 7 var. (horse emerging from rock); BCD Thessaly II 22.2 (same dies); cf. HGC 4, 197. Lightly toned, granular surfaces. Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 124 (19 September 2023), lot 130.

144. AKARNANIA, Anaktorion. Circa 350-300 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 8.60 g, 5h). Pegasos flying right; J below / Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet with neck guard; tripod, with Å@Å on base, and s behind neck; J below. Imhoof-Blumer, Akarnaniens 55; Pegasi 28; BCD Akarnania –; HGC 4, 758. Bright surfaces, some die wear on obverse, a couple of minor flan flaws on reverse. Good VF. Rare. ($500)

145. AKARNANIA, Anaktorion. Circa 350-300 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 8.44 g, 10h). Pegasos flying right; J below / Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet with neck guard; tripod and J behind neck. Imhoof-Blumer, Akarnaniens 62; Pegasi 26; BCD Akarnania 88 var. (monograms retrograde); HGC 4, 758. Bright surfaces, hairlines, area of flat strike on obverse, a little die rust on reverse. Near EF. ($500)

146. AKARNANIA, Leukas. Circa 350-320 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 8.46 g, 4h). Pegasos flying left; ¬ below / Helmeted head of Athena left; kerykeion to right, ¬ below. Imhoof-Blumer, Akarnaniens –; BCD Akarnania –; Pegasi 58; HGC 4, 822. Old collection tone, graffiti in fields. Good VF. ($500)

Ex Johns Hopkins University and Garrett Collections – Pedigreed to 1921

147. AKARNANIA, Leukas. Circa 320-280 BC. AR Stater (20.5mm, 8.54 g, 1h). Pegasos flying left; ¬ below / Helmeted head of Athena left; behind neck, Å and grape bunch on vine above amphora. Imhoof-Blumer, Akarnaniens –; BCD Akarnania –; Pegasi 129; HGC 4, 825. Old cabinet tone, slight die wear and graffito in field on obverse. Good VF. ($600)

Ex Johns Hopkins University Collection [inv. 44.5.277] (Part II, Bank Leu & Numismatic Fine Arts, 16 October 1984), lot 224; John Work Garrett Collection [inv. G 247], purchased from Elder, 23 February 1921.

Pedigreed to 1907

148. BOEOTIA, Federal Coinage. Circa 225-171 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 5.01 g, 1h). Laureate head of Poseidon right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and trident; to left, Ì above $. BCD Boiotia 134; HGC 4, 1175. Old cabinet tone with some iridescence, some die wear, minor double strike on obverse, small edge bump. Good VF. ($500)

Ex Phillips Family Collection; Spink Numismatic Circular LI.6 (June 1943), no. 20206; J. Hirsch XIX (11 November 1907), lot 372.

149. BOEOTIA, Thebes. Circa 363-338 BC. AR Stater (19.5mm, 12.18 g). Eu(w)ara–, magistrate. Boeotian shield / Amphora; above, horizontal club above grape bunch on vine; EU-VÅ/r-Å in two lines across field; all within incuse concave circle. Hepworth 43; BCD Boiotia 567; HGC 4, 1334. Cabinet tone, with some iridescence, minor die wear on obverse, traces of doubling on reverse. Good VF. ($1000)

Ex Pierre & Angélique Amandry Collection.

150. EUBOIA, Euboian League. Circa 375-357 BC. AR Stater (21.5mm, 12.06 g, 12h). Head of the nymph Euboia right / Cow couchant right; above, grape bunch on vine with two leaves; all within incuse square. Wallace 7 (dies IV/5); BCD Euboia 3 (same dies); HGC 4, 1412; SNG Copenhagen 475 (same dies). Faintly toned, remnants of find patina, extensive cleaning scratches. Good VF. ($1000)

151. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 500/490-485/0 BC. AR Tetradrachm (20mm, 16.92 g, 8h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing; olive spray to left; all within incuse square. Seltman Group Gi, 173 var. (A–/P119 [unlisted obv. die]); Asyut Group IVg; HGC 4, 1590. Toned, deposits, minor flan flaws, off center on reverse. VF. ($3000)

152. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 465/2-454 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23.5mm, 17.11 g, 5h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, with spread tail feathers; olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Starr Group V, unlisted dies; HGC 4, 1596. In NGC encapsulation 3761943-007, graded XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, Fine Style. ($1500)

153. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 465/2-454 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 17.18 g, 10h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, with spread tail feathers; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Starr Group V.B, unlisted dies; HGC 4, 1596. Some die wear and a minor flan flaw on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

154. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24.5mm, 17.10 g, 10h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Starr pl. XXIII, 8; Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Faintly toned, some die wear. Good VF. Early post-454 issue. ($750)

Certain elements of the style of this and the following three tetradrachms, particularly the palmette on Athena’s helmet and the stance of the owl, suggest that these coins were among the earliest issues in the ubiquitous “frontal eye”/classical tetradrachms of the mid-late 5th century at Athens, as these features more closely resemble those found on the later groups of early-mid 5th century issues analyzed by Chester Starr.

155. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23.5mm, 17.13 g, 9h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Starr pl. XXIII, 1–3; Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Faintly toned, slight die wear and a few tiny flan flaws on obverse. Near EF. Early post-454 issue. ($750)

156. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 17.18 g, 8h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Starr pl. XXIII, 1–3; Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Lightly toned, small edge split, slight die wear and minor mark on obverse. EF. Attractive style. Early post-454 issue. ($750)

157. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 17.17 g, 10h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Starr pl. XXIII, 1–3; Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Faintly toned, a couple of light marks and small flan flaw on reverse. Near EF. Well centered. Early post-454 issue. ($750)

158. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 17.15 g, 10h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Bright surfaces, a couple spots of die rust on obverse, slight die shift on reverse. EF. Well centered. ($1000)

159. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 17.16 g, 10h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Lightly toned, small flan flaw on obverse. EF ($1000)

Very Rare Heterogeneous Type

160. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 280/67-229 BC. AR Tetradrachm (21.5mm, 16.86 g, 8h). Helmeted head of Athena right, ‘quadridigité’ palmette on helmet / Owl standing right, head facing; olive spray and crescent to left. Nicolet-Pierre & Kroll Heterogeneous Group A, 2 (same obv. die); cf. Kroll 30; HGC 4, –. Minor marks. Good VF. Very rare. ($750)

Extremely Rare – Ex Larissa Hoard

161. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 229-168/5 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22.5mm, 16.91 g, 1h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with a palmette and three olive leaves on the bowl, and round earring / Owl standing right, head facing; kerykeion-like symbol to left, ÅQE to right. Flament, Monnayage 20 (D e/R 9) = Price, Larissa 233 = H. NicoletPierre, “De l’ancien au nouveau style athénien: une continuité?” in SPNO, 7.2 (this coin); HGC 4, 1601. Old collection tone, remnants of find patina, a little off center, slight die rust on obverse. VF. An extremely rare issue from a very rare series, the last of the traditional owls before the New Style reform. ($5000) Ex Hess-Leu 45 (12 May 1970), lot 189; Larissa, 1968 (“Sitochoro”) Hoard (IGCH 237).

162. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 165-42 BC. AR Tetradrachm (31.5mm, 16.56 g, 11h). New Style coinage. Antiochos, Karaichos, and Protoge–, magistrates. Struck 131/0 BC. Helmeted head of Athena Parthenos right / Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; magistrates’ names in fields; to right, elephant standing right; z on amphora, sW below; all within wreath. Thompson 398/399a (same obv./rev. die); HGC 4, 1635. Die break on obverse, double struck on reverse. EF. ($1000)

163. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 165-42 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28.5mm, 16.48 g, 12h). New Style coinage. Aristion and Philon, magistrates. Struck circa 97/6 BC. Helmeted head of Athena Parthenos right / Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; magistrates’ names in fields; to right, Pegasos grazing left; E on amphora, Â˙ below; all within wreath. Thompson 966 (same obv. die); HGC 4, 1635. Deep iridescent tone, trace deposits, a little off center. Good VF. ($750)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Collection of a Mentor (Naville Numismatics 75, 31 July 2022), lot 106.

This issue of Aristion and Philon is of particular historical importance as it serves as numismatic evidence of the close ties between Mithradates VI of Pontos and Athens as early as 98 BC. By the beginning of the 1st century BC, Mithradates’ skillful use of diplomacy, propaganda, and conquests made the Pontic king appear as a viable champion of Greek interests. Aristion, an influential Athenian politician, adhered to a faction that believed it was in Athens’ interest to align itself with Mithradates against Rome. The present issue reflects this goal. Here Aristion and his co-magistrate Philon employ the Pontic Pegasos, the badge of Mithradates which appears on the king’s royal issues and civic issues of his affiliated mints. In 87 BC, during the First Mithradatic War, with the support of Mithradates’ general Archelaos, Aristion declared himself tyrant of Athens and struck coins bearing his name and ‘King Mithradates’ as the magistrates (Thompson 1143-1146), an issue believed to have been used for the king’s military necessities. Sulla responded by besieging Athens, which suffered miserably for months. As starvation set in, the Romans stormed the walls, and the city quickly fell. Aristion and his supporters tried to hold out in the Acropolis, but were forced to surrender due to a lack of food. Soon afterward, Sulla ordered Aristion’s execution. For more details on the linkage between the two issues of Aristion and their Mithradatic connections, see Callataÿ, pp. 301–5.

Athens Allied with Mithradates VI of Pontus

Roman Occupation of Athens under Sulla

164. ATTICA, Athens. Circa 165-42 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30.5mm, 16.10 g, 12h). New Style coinage. Roman occupation under Sulla. Struck 86-84 BC. Helmeted head of Athena Parthenos right / Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; ⁄ and € flanking, no letter on amphora; all within wreath. Thompson Group II, 1313 (same dies); HGC 4, 1777. Lightly toned, area of flat strike, minor marks. VF. ($1000)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 539 (31 May 2023), lot 120; William McDonald Collection (G. Bell, 27 September 2012), lot 125.

During the First Mithradatic War (89-85 BC), Mithradates VI of Pontos posed as the champion of Hellenic civilization against the rapacious Roman businessmen, grain merchants and tax farmers who had made themselves widely hated by local populations. In 88 BC he instigated the Asiatic Vespers, a pogrom that claimed the lives of at least 80,000 Roman civilians throughout Asia Minor. Mithradates believed that Rome, still struggling to contain the costly Social War in Italy, was in no immediate position to retaliate. He did not count on the determination of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, elected consul in 88 BC, who quickly raised five legions and marched east to crush the Pontic uprising. In the meantime, an anti-Roman tyrant named Aristion had seized power in Athens, blocking Sulla’s path to Asia Minor. Landing at Dyrrhachion in Illyria, Sulla’s force marched on Athens and placed it under siege in the autumn of 87 BC. It proved to be a long, bitter slog. After five months, the citizens of Athens were reduced to gnawing on shoe leather, and Sulla learned that the government in Rome had been seized by his hated rival, Gaius Marius. Rejecting demands to give up his legions, on 1 March, 86 BC, Sulla ordered an all-out attack, and the inner walls of Athens were finally breached. The greatest city of Greece was given over to rape, pillage, and fire until two of Sulla’s Greek friends persuaded him enough was enough. Aristion and his supporters were rounded up and executed. Athens, now largely in ruins and its population decimated, received a Roman garrison under Sulla’s quaestor, M. Licinius Lucullus, to ensure its continued submission while Sulla proceeded to confront Mithradates in Asia.

The Sullan campaign against Athens has long been associated with two distinctive but differing issues of silver tetradrachms on the familiar Athenian “New Style” pattern, one with with a pair of simple monograms flanking the central owl, and another with trophies in the same position; in each case these symbols replaced the elaborate mintmarks and magistrate names found on “regular” New Style owls. E.S.G. Robinson proposed that the monograms can be resolved as TAM(IOY) and MAP(KOY), the latter possibly referring Marcus, the younger brother of Lucullus. This theory was endorsed by Margaret Thompson in her corpus on the New Style coinage (pp. 434-5). Whether either or both of these issues came before, during or after the siege of Athens is unclear, but the stylistic differences with the regular New Style coinage indicate they were struck at a moving mint in the Roman camp, possibly from silver looted by Sulla from temples throughout Greece. In such case these “Pseudo owls” may plausibly be identified as the “Lucullan coins” mentioned by Plutarch in his biography of Lucullus that were prized by troops for their silver content and wide acceptance. Another contemporary inscription from Delphi refers to three slaves being freed for the sum of “105 Lucullan flats,” perhaps referring to the broad, flat fabric of these coins.

Ex Selinute Hoard

165. ISLANDS off ATTICA, Aegina. Circa 525-480 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 12.05 g). Sea turtle, head in profile, with thin collar and row of dots down its back / Incuse square with “Union Jack” pattern. Selinus Hoard 119 (this coin); Asyut Group II; Meadows, Aegina, Group IIa; Milbank pl. I, 3; HGC 6, 428. Toned, slight granularity, die wear on obverse. VF. ($1500)

From the Tompa Collection. Ex Selinute, 1985 Hoard (CH VIII, 35).

The first coins produced on the island of Aegina depicted a sea turtle (emblematic of the marine interests of the Aeginetans) on the obverse, while bearing on the reverse the imprint of the punch used to force metal into the obverse die. The production of turtles decreased as silver from the island of Siphnos was no longer available and Mediterranean trade was now dominated by Athens, the new mistress of the Aegean. In 457 BC, Athens conquered Aegina and stripped her of her maritime powers. Following the loss of her naval autonomy, Aegina produced staters with a land tortoise on the obverse in lieu of her former emblematic sea turtle. Subsequently in 431 BC, the Aeginetans were expelled from their homeland by the Athenians, only returning after the conclusion of the Peloponnesian War.

166. ISLANDS off ATTICA, Aegina. Circa 456/45-431 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 12.28 g, 12h). Land tortoise with segmented shell / Large square incuse with heavy skew pattern. Meadows, Aegina, Group IIIb; Milbank Period IV, pl. II, 12; HGC 6, 437. Toned, banker’s mark on obverse. Good VF. Well centered. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Review XXVI.2 (Winter 2001-2002), no. 24; Numismatica Ars Classica L (18 May 2001), lot 1321.

167. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 490-450 BC. AR Stater (19mm, 8.53 g, 8h). Pegasos flying right; J below / Helmeted head of Athena right within incuse square. Ravel Period II, Class 3, 241 (P137/T185); Pegasi 79; BCD Corinth 22; HGC 4, 1825. Faintly toned, traces of find patina, struck with worn obverse die, light scrape on obverse, a few minor flan flaws on reverse. Good VF. Attractive late archaic head of Athena. ($750)

168. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 450-400 BC. AR Diobol (8.5mm, 0.94 g, 7h). Head of Pegasos left; J to lower left / Large d (mark of value) within incuse square. BCD Corinth 37; HGC 4, 1881. Toned, trace deposits, some granularity, small die break on reverse. Good VF. ($500)

169. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 400-350/45 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 8.55 g, 5h). Pegasos flying left; J below / Helmeted head of Athena left; dolphin above, Σ to right. Ravel Period IV, 901 (P366/T513); Pegasi 343; BCD Corinth 88; HGC 4, 1834. Toned, minor edge marks, a couple of light scratches under tone on obverse. Good VF. ($750)

170. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 350/45-285 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 8.58 g, 1h). Pegasos flying left; J below / Helmeted head of Athena left, with laurel wreath on the helmet; Å-r flanking neck truncation, aegis to right. Ravel Period V, 1009; Pegasi 427; BCD Corinth –; HGC 4, 1848. Lightly toned. Near EF. Well centered and attractive style. ($1000) Ex Classical Numismatic Group 82 (16 September 2009), lot 524.

Pedigreed to 1914

171. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 350/45-285 BC. AR Stater (20.5mm, 8.52 g, 9h). Pegasos flying left; J below / Helmeted head of Athena left; ˝ below chin; to right, dove flying left within wreath. Ravel Period V, 1029; Pegasi 419; BCD Corinth 110 = SNG Lockett 2094; HGC 4, 1848. Old cabinet tone, some peripheral weakness to strike on reverse. Near EF. ($1500)

Ex Dr. Hugh Shire Collection; Mr. & Mrs. B. R. Noble Collection (Glendining, 11 December 1975), lot 81; Cumberland Clark Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 19 January 1914), lot 203 (part of)

172. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 350/45-285 BC. AR Stater (21.5mm, 8.55 g, 5h). Pegasos flying left; J below / Helmeted head of Athena left; d-5 flanking neck; to right, Athena Nikephoros standing left. Ravel Period V, 1082; Pegasi 458; BCD Corinth 134; HGC 4, 1848. Lightly toned, underlying luster, minor die shift, a little die rust, some scrapes on reverse. EF. ($1000)

Purchased by the consignor from Tom Cederlind.

173. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 285-146 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 8.25 g, 1h). Pegasos flying left / Helmeted head of Athena left; to right, Nike flying left, holding fillet. Ravel Period VI, 1098; Pegasi 473; BCD Corinth –; HGC 4, 1848. In NGC encapsulation 4375533-001, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($1000)

174. SIKYONIA, Sikyon. Circa 350-330/20 BC. AR Obol (10.5mm, 0.81 g, 12h). Dove alighting right, holding fillet in beak / Dove flying right. BCD Peloponnesos 245; HGC 5, 225. Faint cleaning marks. Near EF. Well centered. ($500)

Located in the northeast of the Peloponnesos, Sikyonia was a fertile territory stretching some sixteen miles. Sikyon, the area’s most important city and one of the Mediterranean’s most well-renowned artistic centers, was the site where legend holds that Prometheus famously deceived Zeus. The city joined Sparta during the Peloponnesian War and provided the bulk of the coinage used by the Peloponnesian League. In 303 BC, Demetrios Poliorketes re-founded Sikyon further inland, giving it the short-lived name of Demetrias. Sikyon’s output of coinage was large and uninterrupted from the 5th-1st centuries BC. The city’s status was diminished when Corinth was made a Roman colony and, aside from a small issue under Nero, Sikyon did not mint coins until the reign of Septimius Severus.

175. SIKYONIA, Sikyon. Circa 350-330/20 BC. AR Obol (12.5mm, 0.85 g, 6h). Dove alighting right, holding fillet in beak / Dove flying right. BCD Peloponnesos 245; HGC 5, 225. Hairline flan crack, minor marks on obverse, minor double strike and area of porosity on reverse. EF. ($500)

176. ELIS, Olympia. 78th-80th Olympiad. 468-460 BC. AR Obol (10mm, 0.97 g, 12h). Eagle flying left, holding serpent in talons / Thunderbolt, with wings above, volutes below, within incuse circle. BCD Olympia 15; HGC 5, 462. Toned, granular surfaces, a little off center on obverse. VF. ($500)

Located on the northwest corner of the Peloponnesos, the sacred shrine of Olympia became established as the site of the most important Greek festival of athletics in the eighth century BC. The first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC, consisting solely of a foot race, or stadion, won in that year by Koroibus of Elis. As time went on, more events were added, including wrestling, boxing, long jump, javelin, discus, and chariot races. The contests became so important that Greek cities at war would declare a temporary truce to allow athletes to cross their lines. Soon a permanent complex was built to house the games, and a magnificent temple of Zeus containing a statue ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the World was completed in 463 BC. In order to support the volume of visitors which the games attracted, mints were established specifically for the striking of a uniform coinage which could serve as the medium of exchange throughout the ceremonies. The first group of coins minted were at the 78th Olympiad in 468 BC and new types were issued at four year intervals (to coincide with the games) thereafter. The finest die engravers were employed in their production and coins of Olympia rank as some of the greatest masterpieces of Greek coinage.

177. ELIS, Olympia. 78th-82nd Olympiad. 468-452 BC. AR Stater (19mm, 11.68 g, 3h). Eagle flying left, tearing at hare held in its talons / Nike advancing left, holding wreath, within incuse circle. Seltman, Temple –; BCD Olympia 18 var. (Nike right); HGC 5, 293 var. (same). Lightly toned, some faint scratches, bankers’ marks and countermarks on obverse, tiny flan flaws on reverse. Near VF. Extremely rare with Nike left. ($2000)

From the Apollo to Apollo Collection.

178. ELIS, Olympia. 92nd Olympiad. 412 BC. AR Stater (21.5mm, 11.67 g, 10h). Head of Hera right, wearing ornamented stephane / Flaming thunderbolt within olive wreath. Seltman, Temple 253 (dies EC/ηι); BCD Olympia 68–9 (same obv. die); HGC 5, 347; BMC 62 (same dies). Toned, scratches, die wear on reverse. VF. ($750)

179. ELIS, Olympia. 106th-107th Olympiad. 356-352 BC. AR Obol (12mm, 0.85 g, 2h). Head of Olympia left / Eagle standing left; olive branch to left. BCD Olympia 174; HGC 5, 478 photo. Toned, granular surfaces, edge chip, small scratch on obverse, surface crack on reverse, fragile. Good VF. Very rare. ($500)

180. ELIS, Olympia. 107th-108th Olympiad. 352-348 BC. AR Obol (12mm, 0.73 g, 12h). Laureate head of Zeus right / Eagle standing right, head left. BCD Olympia 145–6; HGC 5, 480. Faintly toned, slight roughness, some weakness to strike, die break on reverse. Good VF. Rare. ($500)

Kraay & Hirmer Plate Coin – Ex JDL Collection

181. ELIS, Olympia. 110th Olympiad. 340 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 12.29 g, 9h). Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath / Eagle, with closed wings, standing right on the head of a ram right; V-Å/&-r in two lines across field. Seltman, Temple 194 (CK/εγ); BCD Olympia 153 (same dies); HGC 5, 387; M.-M. Bendenoun, Coins of the Ancient World, A portrait of the JDL Collection (Genève, 2009), 21 = Kraay & Hirmer 505 (this coin); Weber 4050 (same dies). In NGC encapsulation 3761907-001, graded AU★, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Fine Style, test mark. ($20,000)

Ex JDL Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica 74 and Tradart 18 [joint sale], 18 November 2013), lot 10; Sternberg XVI (15 November 1985), lot 131; Leu 13 (29 April 1975), lot 167.

Ex Kagan, Lockett, and Consul Weber Collections – Pedigreed to 1908

182. ISLANDS off ELIS, Zakynthos. Circa 456-405 BC. AR Drachm (15mm, 3.74 g, 10h). Laureate head of Apollo right / Tripod; to right, head of cock right. HGC 6, 222; BMC 12; SNG Lockett 2478 (this coin). Old cabinet tone, slightly off center. VF. Extremely rare. ($750)

Ex Jonathan H. Kagan Collection; Richard Cyril Lockett Collection (Greek Part III, Glendining, 27 May 1959), lot 1978 (part of); Ars Classica XII (18 October 1926), lot 1562 (sold for 40 Sfr to Baldwin’s against Ratto); liquidation of the Zschiesche & Köder inventory (Part V, Helbing [37], 9 April 1913), lot 447; Consul Eduard Friedrich Weber Collection (J. Hirsch XXI, 16 November 1908), lot 1969.

Extremely Rare Zakynthos Stater

183. ISLANDS off ELIS, Zakynthos. Circa 357-250 BC. AR Stater (25.5mm, 10.75 g, 4h). Anaxip–, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo right / Tripod. HGC 6, 218; Sartiges 316 (same obv. die). Lightly toned, ex-jewelry. Near VF. Extremely rare, none in CoinArchives. ($1500)

184. ARGOLIS, Argos. Circa 480-460 BC. AR Obol (10mm, 0.88 g, 12h). Head of wolf left / Large Å, with a pellet below the crossbar, within a shallow incuse square with two deep incuses above. BCD Peloponnesos 1019; HGC 5, 676. Toned, light granularity. Near EF. ($500)

A territory mainly triangular in shape, Argolis was the location of the Bronze Age fortresses of Mycenae and Tiryns, as well as Agamemnon’s Mycenaean kingdom in the Iliad. Occasionally, the name of one of its most famous cities, Argos (the plain), is applied to the whole of the Peloponnese or even the whole of Greece itself. Epidauros, another of Argolis’ famous cities, is reputed to be the birthplace of Asklepios, the god of healing, where the Asklepieion was dedicated to him. These large cities, along with numerous others in Argolis, were active in the production of coinage during the 4th through 2nd centuries BC. As with other Greek territories brought under the control of the Romans, autonomous coinage decreased and was later replaced by provincial issues mostly after the 1st century AD.

185. ARGOLIS, Argos(?). Circa 370-350 BC. AR Hemidrachm (15mm, 2.54 g, 8h). Head of Hera right, wearing ornamented stephane / Wolf left. CNG E-583, lot 125; CNG 81, lot 2424; Naville Numismatics 1, lot 52 = NAC 64, lot 2226 = New York Sale XVII, lot 64; Gorny & Mosch 212, lot 1639; Pecunem 38, lot 180; otherwise, unpublished. Toned, edge split, roughness, some marks, off center on obverse, area of weak strike on reverse. VF. Very rare. ($500)

The attribution here to Argos rests on the similarity of its obverse type to the contemporary “temple-key” tritetartemorions (see BCD Peloponnesos 1069), as well as later bronze issues (see CNG 81, lots 2443 and 2464ff). We have also interpreted the reverse type as a wolf, which is the common symbol on coins of Argos. This attribution, however, is not without controversy. Alan Walker suggests an attribution to Argos Amphilokion in Akarnania, where the head of Hera is also similarly depicted on certain silver issues. Moreover, he views the reverse type to be a dog, and has a style more in line with the dog reverse types common at that city. BCD, however, is unconvinced of either attribution, and suggests that this issue may be from a mint in western Asia Minor. Recently, two examples appeared with an inscription, XOP, on the reverse, below the creature. Such a name is unknown for a mint, and there are no known occurrences of such a magistrate in either Akarnania or anywhere in the Peloponnesos.

186. ARKADIA, Alea. Circa 380-370 BC. AR Obol (12.5mm, 0.82 g, 10h). Head of Artemis right / Bow. BCD Peloponnesos 1346; HGC 5, 808. Iridescent tone, some roughness, small scratches under tone. Good VF. ($500)

187. CYCLADES, Tenos. Circa 200-188 BC. AR Didrachm (21.5mm, 6.81 g, 12h). Laureate and horned head of Apollo Karneios right / Poseidon standing left, holding dolphin and trident; grape bunch to left. É&A-G 203.II; HGC 6, 729. Lightly toned, extensive light cleaning scratches. VF. Rare. ($1000)

Very Rare

188. PONTOS, Amisos. Circa 120-100 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 3.99 g, 12h). Head of Perseus right, harpa over shoulder / Aegis with facing gorgoneion at center; Ë to right. Malloy –; RG 12; HGC 7, 235. Find patina, light roughness. Near EF. Very rare and exceptional for issue. ($1000)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Roma XXVIII (5 July 2023), lot 271.

Extremely Rare

189. KINGS of PONTOS. Mithradates VI Eupator. Circa 120-63 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 8.40 g, 12h). First Mithradatic War issue. In the name and types of Lysimachos of Thrace. Byzantion mint. Struck circa 88-86 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield, spear diagonally in background; : to inner left, ∫U on throne; in exergue, ornate trident left. CNG 93, lot 336 (same obv. die); Münzen und Medaillen GmbH 38, lot 10; otherwise, unpublished. Faintly toned, trace deposits, minor marks, test cut on edge. VF. Extremely rare, one of apparently three known. ($2000)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Künker 277 (21 June 2016), lot 38.

Soon after coming to power as king of the Black Sea backwater of Pontos, Mithradates VI showed signs of an ambition that the borders of his small kingdom could not contain. Frustrated that Rome controlled most of the territories he had marked out for conquest, he cannily observed the growing resentment that greedy Roman businessmen and magistrates were earning in Asia Minor and portrayed himself as the means by which the Greek world would gain its vengeance and freedom. He invaded Rome’s Asia province in 88 BC and precipitated the massacre of 80,000 Italian residents. He next invaded Greece proper, but was met there and defeated by Roman legions under Sulla. A revolution in Rome, however, forced Sulla to cut a quick deal with Mithradates and return to Italy. A decade later, Mithradates was at it again, attacking the Roman protectorate of Bithynia and drawing a response from the general Lucullus. Again, Mithradates suffered humiliating defeat and he slipped away to fight another day. The Third Mithradatic War (73-66 BC) was another brutal back-and-forth affair finally brought to an end by Pompey the Great. Yet again, Mithradates escaped and was planning another war when his own son, Pharnakes II, led a rebellion that trapped him in the citadel of Pantikapaion. Mithradates tried to take poison to avoid capture, only to find his attempts to immunize himself by taking small amounts of poison over the years had been all too successful. He finally induced a loyal Gallic swordsman to run him through instead.

190. KINGS of PONTOS. Mithradates VI Eupator. Circa 120-63 BC. AV Stater (20mm, 8.32 g, 12h). First Mithradatic War issue. In the name and types of Lysimachos of Thrace. Istros mint. Struck circa 88-86 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield, spear diagonally in background; d5 to inner left, 5% on throne; in exergue, ornate trident left. Callataÿ p. 139, dies D1/R1; AMNG I 482; SNG Copenhagen (Thrace) 1094 (same dies); McClean 4481 (same dies). Underlying luster, minor double strike on reverse. EF. ($1500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Rye Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 112, 11 September 2019), lot 221.

191. KINGS of PONTOS. Mithradates VI Eupator. Circa 120-63 BC. AR Tetradrachm (32mm, 16.79 g, 12h). Pergamon mint. Dated month 12, year 224 BE (September 73 BC). Diademed head right / Stag grazing left; to left, star-increscent above n; d˚s (year) to right; 5∫ (month) in exergue; all within Dionysiac wreath of ivy and fruit. Callataÿ p. 22, dies D65/R1; HGC 7, 340; DCA2 561. Bright surfaces, minor porosity, numerous brush marks. EF. ($2000)

Mithradates’ novel coinage deliberately evokes the memory of Alexander the Great, depicting himself as a semi-divine conqueror from the same mold as the Macedonian, with a leonine mane of hair. These coins represent the last great example of Hellenistic portraiture. This tetradrachm was issued at the start of the Third Mithradatic War after Mithradates took control of the Roman mint at Pergamon.

Ex Woodward Collection – Pedigreed to 1931

192. PAPHLAGONIA, Sinope. Circa 425-410 BC. AR Drachm (16.5mm, 5.82 g). Head of sea-eagle left; below, dolphin left / Quadripartite incuse square with two opposing quarters filled, one of the others bisected by thin line. RG 14; HGC 7, 388 var. (pellet in quarters); SNG BM Black Sea 1367 = Weber 4808 (same rev. die). Deeply toned, remnants of find patina, faint cleaning marks under tone. VF. ($1000)

Ex Phillips Family Collection, purchased from Spink, 23 February 1942; Cahn 84 (29 November 1933), lot 337; Cahn 71 (14 October 1931), lot 402; William Harrison Woodward Collection (not in Robinson catalog).

The Electrum Issues of Kyzikos

193. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 600-550 BC. EL Hemihekte –Twelfth Stater (8mm, 1.31 g). Head of tunny left, with tunny upward in its mouth / Quadripartite incuse square. Hurter & Liewald 24.1; Von Fritze I –; Boston MFA –; SNG BN –; Gulbenkian 602. Minor marks. Good VF. Well centered. ($500)

From the Siren Collection.

The celebrated electrum coinage of Kyzikos began in the first half of the sixth century BC, and from the beginning the coinage was notable for the variety and inventiveness of its designs. These staters and fractions were regarded as gold coins and circulated throughout a large area along with the gold darics of the Persian Empire. On all of the coins of Kyzikos, large or small, was engraved the tunny-fish (θυννος), which constituted an important product in the Kyzikene economy. This intriguing electrum hekte depicting two tunnies, one in the mouth of another, is among the earliest struck.

194. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 600-550 BC. EL Hemihekte – Twelfth Stater (8mm, 1.32 g). Tunny left with wing of griffin above / Quadripartite incuse square. Hurter & Liewald III 37.3; Von Fritze I 33; cf. Boston MFA 1405 = Warren 1583 (stater); SNG BN –. Light scrapes and marks, tiny flan flaws. Good VF. ($500)

From the Siren Collection.

195. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.66 g). Tunny left between two dolphins swimming left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 95; Boston MFA –; SNG BN 236. Minor roughness. VF. Very rare. ($1500)

From the Siren Collection.

196. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Stater (19mm, 16.15 g). Forepart of Sphinx left; below, tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 71; Boston MFA 1427 = Warren 1525; SNG BN 198. Edge splits, minor marks. VF. ($1500)

Rare as a Hekte

197. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.66 g). Forepart of griffin left; to left, tunny downward / Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Von Fritze I 98 (unlisted denomination); Boston MFA –; SNG BN –; Rosen 474. Small flan flaw on obverse. EF. Well centered. Very rare as a hekte. ($1500)

From the Siren Collection.

Apparently Unique

198. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Hemihekte – Twelfth Stater (8mm, 1.28 g). Forepart of winged lion left; below, tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Von Fritze I 96 (for type); otherwise, unpublished. Light marks. Near VF. Apparently unique as a hemihekte. ($500)

From the Siren Collection.

199. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11.5mm, 2.67 g). Harpy standing left, holding in right hand a tunny by its tail, on dotted ground line / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 74; cf. Boston MFA 1441 = Warren 1518 (stater); SNG BN 203–4. Slight doubling on obverse, minor marks. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Siren Collection.

A winged spirit in ancient mythology best known for constantly stealing the food from Phineas, the harpy was a hybrid of a bird and a woman. Earlier mythology represented them as beautiful women with wings and lovely hair, whereas later Roman and Byzantine writers depicted them as the most ugly of creatures.

200. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Stater (16.5mm, 16.03 g). Sphinx crouching left, raising forepaw, on tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 72; Boston MFA 1450 = Warren 1522; SNG BN 200. Edge splits. VF. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex GK Collection (Roma E-Sale 88, 9 September 2021), lot 453.

201. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11.5mm, 2.75 g). Sphinx standing left, raising forepaw, on tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 72; Boston MFA 1451; SNG BN 201–2. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Siren Collection.

202. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11.5mm, 2.64 g). Griffin, with straight wings, crouching left, raising forepaw, on tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 100; Boston MFA –; SNG BN –; Triton VI, lot 304. Good VF. Very rare, only three in CoinArchives. ($1000)

From the Siren Collection.

203. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Stater (18.5mm, 16.20 g). Eagle, wings spread, tearing at and standing left on tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 94; Boston MFA 1454 = Warren 1576; SNG BN –. Faintly toned, edge split. Good VF. ($3000)

204. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Stater (17mm, 15.91 g). Winged male mythological creature runningkneeling left, head right, holding tunny by its tail in right hand / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 123; Greenwell 57; Boston MFA 1457 = Warren 1471; SNG BN 271; BMC –; Gulbenkian 617; Jameson 2560; SNG von Aulock 1198 = Kraay & Hirmer 704 = L. Mildenberg, “Über das Münzwesen im Reich der Achämeniden” in AMI 26 (1993), pl. VII, 62. A touch off center, a few light marks. Good VF. Very rare. ($7500)

While the identification of this creature, certainly of local significance, is unknown today, it has traditionally been referred to as “Phobos.” In his catalog of the Gulbenkian collection, Jenkins sees an Egyptian or near-Eastern influence, while Bivar, in his article on Mithra (“Mithra and Mesopotamia,” Mithraic Studies [Manchester, 1975], pp. 275-89), suggests that the creature corresponds to the Mithraic Areimanios (Ahriman). One also may see an assimilation of the ubiquitous Persian lion-headed griffin, adapting the head, wings, and tail to a human body. Although some references note the head as being that of a wolf, other examples clearly show a mane that is directly influenced by the lion heads on the common early Lydian electrum, supporting Bivar’s (and others’) contention that it is a lion head. At the same time, the ear is not fully visible on most examples, but on some, such as the present piece, it clearly is that of a griffin (compare to its depiction on the coins of Teos and Abdera). The wings and posture of the creature are mythological archetypes, commonly found on displays of various deities and creatures on pottery and coins. An excellent example of an archaic representation of a local deity of Asia Minor.

Third Known

205. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.62 g). Horse standing left on tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Roma E-Sale 26, lot 280; Heritage 3122, lot 34067; otherwise, unpublished. Edge split. Near EF. Extremely rare, apparently the third known. ($2000)

From the Siren Collection.

206. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 450-330 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.64 g). Orestes kneeling left on tunny left, holding sword in his lowered right hand, left hand resting on omphalos to right / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 165; Boston MFA 1533 = Warren 1489; SNG BN –. Faintly toned, slight die shift on obverse, scratches on reverse. VF. ($750)

Ex Nomos Obolos 15 (24 May 2020), lot 297.

Orestes is one of the most complex and conflicted characters in Greek mythology and a prototype for Hamlet. The son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, king and queen of Mycenae, Orestes was too young to take part in the Trojan War and was absent in Athens when his father returned to Mycenae with Cassandra as his concubine. Clytemnestra, enraged by her husband’s betrayal and his earlier sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia, conspired with her lover to murder both Agamemnon and Cassandra and rule the kingdom themselves. Orestes, upon his return from Athens, killed his mother and her lover to avenge his father, but his act of matricide both appalled the gods and filled him with guilt, and he was tormented by the furies until driven insane. In a version of the tale related by the playwright Aeschylus, Orestes is tried before a court of immortals and subject to a hung jury, which Athena breaks by voting for his acquittal. In Greek philosophy he is held up as a paradigm for those whose crimes are mitigated by extenuating circumstances.

Second Known

207. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 450-330 BC. EL Hemihekte – Twelfth Stater (8.5mm, 1.29 g). Wreathed head of Pan or youthful satyr right; on neck truncation, tunny right / Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Von Fritze I 192 (unlisted denomination); Hurter & Liewald II –; Boston MFA –; cf. SNG BN 331 (stater); Roma VII, lot 659. Hairlines. Good VF. The second known hemihekte for this issue. ($2000)

From the Siren Collection.

208. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 450-330 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.64 g). Eros standing left, astride bull crouching left, which he holds by its horns; below, tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Hurter & Liewald I 9b corr. (Eros, not Nike); Von Fritze I –; Boston MFA –; SNG BN –; SNG von Aulock 1212. Edge splits, minor marks, light roughness and scrape on obverse. VF. Very rare. ($750)

From the Siren Collection.

Timotheos – Famed Athenian General – Associate of Plato and Isokrates

209. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 450-330 BC. EL Stater (18mm, 15.88 g). Bearded head of Timotheos right, wearing laurel wreath; below, tunny right / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 197; Greenwell 81; Boston MFA 1561 = Warren 1500; SNG BN 337; Jameson 2207 = Pozzi 2177; Kraay & Hirmer 721. Lightly toned, a few minor marks, small bump at edge on reverse. Good VF. ($15,000)

J. P. Six (NC 1898, pp. 197-198) first suggested that the bearded male portrait on this stater was that of the Athenian general Timotheos (d. 354 BC), who had raised the siege of Kyzikos in 363 BC (Diod. Sic. 15.81.6), noting a similarity between the coins and a marble portrait in the Capitoline Museum (no. 46). Other authors subsequently took different views. However, in “The Cyzicenes: A Reappraisal,” AJN 5-6 [19931994], pp. 9-11, Mildenberg defended Six’s hypothesis. He noted that Kyzikos was under Persian control from 540 BC until 445 BC, and then from 387 BC until the end of the Achaemenid Empire. During the almost sixty-year interval, Kyzikos was allied with Athens as a member of the Delian League. Kyzikos, however, was not banned from continuing to strike electrum staters (per League rules), because Athens saw the coinage as a valuable means of payment and in its best interest. Thus, when Athenian forces under the command of Timotheos successfully raised the Persian siege of Kyzikos in 363 BC (Diod. Sic. 15.81.6), the citizens placed the portrait of the victorious general, complete with laurel wreath, on this issue of staters to show their appreciation of his services and subtly honor him in an already-accepted Athenian-associated context.

Timotheos was the son of Konon and a Thracian mother (Ath. 13.577a). A prominent citizen, Timotheos was an associate of both the philosopher Plato and the Athenian orator Isokrates. Between 378 BC and 356 BC he frequently served as strategos, in which capacity he was able to secure an Athenian alliance with Kephallenia, and friendship with the Akarnanians and the Molossians. In 373 BC he was assigned command of a fleet to relieve Korkyra from Spartan control. Because the expedition was underfunded, the relief was delayed, prompting Timotheos to be brought to trial. Through the intervention of his allies, including Jason, the ruler of Pherai and the tagos (ταγός) of the Thessalian League, Timotheos was acquitted. Following his acquittal, and with the assistance of Amyntas III of Macedon, Timotheos took Korkyra (Diod. Sic. 15.47). For this, a statue was raised in his honor in Athens (Aeschin. In Ctes. 243). In 363 BC, Timotheos raised the siege of Kyzikos, for which these staters may have been issued (Diod. Sic. 15.81.6). In 366 BC, Timotheos was sent to aid Ariobarzanes, the satrap of Phrygia, but when he discovered that the satrap was in revolt against the Great King, Timotheos turned his attention to the northern Aegean. There, he captured Samos after a siege of 10 months, followed by similar conquests along the Thraco-Macedonian coast. A legal action brought against him by Apollodoros (the speech of which is attributed to Demosthenes), is noteworthy for illustrating the reversal of fortune of the once-great and honored general. Timotheos was once again in command during the Social War (357-355 BC), but competing personalities among the leadership again brought Timotheos to trial. Found guilty and unable to pay the heavy fine imposed on him, Timotheos retreated to Chalkis in Euboia, where he died. In remorse for their treatment of the once-favored general, the Athenians forgave a greater part of the debt that had passed on to his son, Konon. They also brought his ashes back to Athens, burying them in the Keramikos and erecting statues to him in the Agora and on the Akropolis.

Extremely Rare as a Hekte

210. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 450-330 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.64 g). Aphrodite standing half-left, leaning on column to right, before column Eros stands half-right; below, tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Von Fritze I 203 (unlisted denomination); cf. Boston MFA 1566 = Warren 1452 (stater); cf. SNG BN 338 (stater); CNG 34, lot 120 = NFA XX, lot 710. Edge splits, a few minor marks. Good VF. Extremely rare as a hekte, none in CoinArchives. ($1500)

From the Siren Collection.

Second Known

211. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 450-330 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.61 g). Eagle standing right, head left, on tunny left; all within raised circular disc / Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Von Fritze I 222 (unlisted denomination); Hurter & Liewald II –; Boston MFA –; SNG BN –; Roma XII, lot 303. Edge splits. VF. Apparently the second known hekte for this issue. ($750)

From the Siren Collection.

Sixth Known

212. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 450-330 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.62 g). Figure, wearing armor and holding transverse scepter, standing left, in pose of acclamation, on tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. CNG 103, lot 216 (same dies); Numismatik Naumann 146, lot 230 = id. 141, lot 183 = id. 139, lot 178; Nomos 24, lot 175; Roma IX, lot 337 (same dies); Triton XIII, lot 175 (same dies); otherwise, unpublished in the standard references. Faintly toned, minor edge splits, slight die wear on obverse. Good VF. Extremely rare, apparently the sixth known. ($2000)

From the Siren Collection.

For a study on this interesting issue, see I. Touratsoglou, “Macedonians in Kyzikos. The Evidence from an Electrum Hekte” in P. Valavanis and E. Manakidou, eds., EΓPAΦΣEN KAI EΠOIEΣEN: Essays on Greek Pottery and Iconography in Honour of Professor Michalis Tiverios (Thessaloniki: University Studio Press, 2014). Touratsoglou dates the issue to circa 340-330 BC, linking it to the expedition of Parmenio, who was sent by Philip II of Macedon to free the Greek cities Asia Minor.

213. MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 170-150 BC. AR Tetradrachm (33mm, 17.05 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Laureate head of Kore Soteira right / Long torch horizontally left; Ê below; all within oak wreath. Von Fritze II 33; SNG BN 446–51 var. (monograms). Traces of find patina, cleaning marks. VF. ($1000)

214. KINGS of PERGAMON. Attalos I. 241-197 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 16.90 g, 12h). In the name of Philetairos. Pergamon mint. Struck circa 241-235 BC. Laureate head of Philetairos right / Athena enthroned left, elbow resting on shield to right, crowning dynastic name; transverse spear in background, cornucopia to outer left, H to inner left, bow to right. Westermark Group VI:A, obv. die C; SNG BN 1622. Toned. Near EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 105 (10 May 2017), lot 219.

215. TROAS, Abydos. Circa 80-70 BC. AR Tetradrachm (31mm, 16.06 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Iphiades, magistrate. Draped bust of Artemis right, wearing stephane, bow and quiver over shoulder / Eagle, wings spread, standing right; to right, star above radiate head of Helios right; all within wreath. Callataÿ, Abydos, dies D32/R– (unlisted rev. die); CN Online 55094 (this coin); SNG Fitzwilliam 4250 (same obv. die); SNG München 32 (same obv. die). Iridescent tone, a few light scratches under tone on obverse. VF. Rare. ($1000)

216. TROAS, Ilion. Circa 185-50 BC. AR Tetradrachm (37mm, 15.02 g, 12h). Apemantos, president of the aonothetai Helmeted head of Athena right / The Palladion: Athena Ilias standing right, holding distaff and filleted spear; È to inner left; to inner right, owl standing right, head facing. Ellis-Evans dies O8/R23; Bellinger T44 (same dies as illustration); BnF Fonds général 680 (same dies). Toned, some find patina, light roughness, cleaning scratches and marks. VF. Rare. ($750)

Founded in the seventh century BC by Aeolians on the site of ancient Troy, Ilion prospered and ultimately developed into a successful Hellenistic city. It possessed a famous temple of Athena (‘Ilias’) that was visited by King Xerxes of Persia and later by Alexander the Great. With the collapse of Seleukid authority in Asia Minor in 189 BC, Ilion, in common with many other communities of western Asia Minor, celebrated its liberation from regal authority by issuing large and impressive tetradrachms. These honor the goddess Athena Ilias, whose helmeted head appears as the obverse type, while the reverse features her standing figure, probably the statue which stood within the sanctuary. The names appearing on these issues are not technically magistrates, but influential citizens who financed the coinage from their own wealth in return for recognition on the coins (see Bellinger, “The First Civic Tetradrachms of Ilium” in ANSMN VIII [1958], pp. 23-24).

Ex Wilkinson, Lockett, and Pozzi Collections – Pedigreed to 1921

217. TROAS, Sigeion. Circa 350-340 BC. AR Half Siglos (14.5mm, 2.54 g, 12h). Helmeted head of Athena facing slightly right / Owl standing right, head facing; crescent to left. Ellis-Evans, Memnon, dies O2/R2 (this coin referenced); SNG Lockett 2740 = Pozzi 2280 (this coin); SNG von Aulock 1569 (same obv. die); BMC 1 (same dies). Find patina, some roughness, scrapes, scratches. VF. Well centered. Extremely rare, only five examples noted by Ellis-Evans. ($750)

Ex Dr. J. S. Wilkinson Collection (Malter 49, 15 November 1992), lot 701; Richard Cyril Lockett Collection (Greek Part IV, Glendining, 21 February 1961), lot 2214; Prof. S. Pozzi Collection (Naville I, 14 March 1921), lot 2280.

218. AEOLIS, Myrina. Circa 155-143 BC. AR Tetradrachm (34mm, 16.56 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Laureate head of Apollo right / Apollo Grynios standing right, holding branch and phiale; · to left, omphalos and amphora at feet; all within laurel wreath. Sacks Issue 39, obv. die 66; BMC 13 (same obv. die). Iridescent tone, trace deposits, minor doubling on obverse. Near EF. ($750)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 338 (5 November 2014), lot 83.

The Electrum Coinage of Mytilene and Phokaia

By the last quarter of the sixth century BC, the voluminous electrum hektai issues of Mytilene and its neighbor Phokaia in Ionia were being struck on an annual or semi-annual basis as “contributions” to either the Persian empire or the Delian league, depending on the political climate. The source of their wealth was the profitable trade between the Aegean and the resource-rich Black Sea coastal cities, and even the growing dominance of Athens and its “owls” did not dislodge the hektai as the preferred coinage of the northern littoral of the Aegean. Popular as a widely circulating trade currency, the electrum hektai remained in widespread use for a period of over two centuries. The art of early hektai demonstrated a clear connection to the technique of gemstone engraving, with a marvelous compaction of detail in a small area and the use of bas relief and intaglio engraving. The incuse reverse types of Mytilene show a sophisticated understanding of small scale die cutting, employing a range of naturalistic design types. Phokaia retained an archaic look in its coinage right to the end of the series, employing simple designs (always with the civic badge of the seal included) along with the quadripartite incuse square long after it had been abandoned everywhere else. In the later series at Mytilene, the constant changing of types, usually of human form, whether mortal or god, led to elegant refinements in the depiction of the human form that are remarkable for their complex gem-like detail in a miniaturized format. The end of this long series came in 326 BC, when the entire coinage of the eastern Greek world was standardized after the coming of Alexander, and pure gold coinage came to be preferred over electrum.

of

220. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.57 g, 11h). Forepart of bull left; Â to left / Incuse head of roaring lion right; rectangular punch behind. Bodenstedt Em. 2; HGC 6, 927. Faintly toned, minor edge split. Good VF. Well centered. ($1000)

Extremely Rare

221. LESBOS,

219. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.57 g, 12h). Forepart

bull left; Â to left / Incuse head of roaring lion right; rectangular punch behind. Bodenstedt Em. 2; HGC 6, 927. Faintly toned, minor marks. Near EF. Well centered. ($1000)

Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte (11mm, 2.57 g, 7h). Head of roaring lion left / Incuse head of calf left; rectangular punch behind. Bodenstedt Em. 12 var. (lion right); HGC 6, 937 var. (same). Faintly toned, trace deposits, minor edge split, light cleaning marks. Good VF. Extremely rare with head of lion left, none in CoinArchives. ($1000)

222. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.52 g, 4h). Head of roaring lion right / Incuse head of calf right; rectangular punch behind. Bodenstedt Em. 13; HGC 6, 938. Edge splits. EF. Well struck from fresh dies. ($1000)

223. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.57 g, 4h). Head of roaring lion right / Incuse head of calf right; rectangular punch behind. Bodenstedt Em. 13; HGC 6, 938. Minor marks, spot of die rust on obverse. EF. Well struck. ($1000)

224. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.56 g, 8h). Forepart of winged boar right / Incuse head of roaring lion right; rectangular punch to left. Bodenstedt Em. 15; HGC 6, 940. A few minor marks. EF. Well centered. ($1000)

225. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.55 g, 12h). Forepart of winged boar right / Incuse head of roaring lion right; rectangular punch to left. Bodenstedt Em. 15; HGC 6, 940. Edge split, a couple of marks at edge on obverse. Near EF. Well centered. ($1000)

226. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.47 g, 1h). Head of ram right; below, cock pecking left / Incuse head of roaring lion right; rectangular punch to left. Bodenstedt Em. 16; HGC 6, 941. Lightly toned, minor marks, slight die wear on obverse. EF. Well centered. ($750)

227. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.52 g, 10h). Gorgoneion / Incuse head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress; rectangular punch to left. Bodenstedt Em. 19.1; HGC 6, 944. Granular surfaces. Good VF. ($1000)

228. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 478-455 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.54 g, 4h). Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Incuse head of bull right. Bodenstedt Em. 29; HGC 6, 956. Die rust on obverse. Good VF. Well centered. ($750)

229. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 454-428/7 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.54 g, 5h). Helmeted head of Athena right / Two steer heads confronted; ¬E above; all within incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 35; HGC 6, 961 corr. (letters present on some dies). Struck with worn obverse die, minor marks on reverse. Good VF. Well centered. Rare with letters on reverse. ($750)

230. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 454-428/7 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.51 g, 2h). Forepart of boar right / Head of roaring lion right in incuse square within incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 41; HGC 6, 967. Lightly toned, a few minor marks. VF. Well centered. ($750)

231. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 412-378 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.60 g, 4h). Head of Artemis-Kybele right, hair in sakkos / Head of Telchine left, hair in sakkos, lamp at forehead; all in linear square within shallow incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 68; HGC 6, 994. Faintly toned, hairlines, a touch of die rust on obverse. Good VF. Fine style. Rare. ($750)

232. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 377-326 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.54 g, 3h). Head of Hermes right, wearing petasos / Lion standing right in linear square within [shallow incuse square]. Bodenstedt Em. 83; HGC 6, 1009. Lightly toned, minor marks, some die rust on obverse, flan flaw on reverse. VF. ($500)

233. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 377-326 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.54 g, 12h). Wreathed head of Persephone right / Bull butting left in linear square within [shallow incuse square]. Bodenstedt Em. 88; HGC 6, 1014 corr. (bull butting

left, not right). Minor marks, light scuff on reverse. Good VF. ($750)

234. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 377-326 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.55 g, 12h). Wreathed head of Dionysos right / Head of satyr facing, with no hair, in linear square within shallow incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 90; HGC 6, 1016 corr. (symbols sometimes on rev.). Lightly toned, a few minor flan flaws. VF. ($600)

235. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 377-326 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.53 g, 11h). Half length bust of Maenad, hair in sphendone, right / Race torch in linear square within [shallow incuse square]. Bodenstedt Em. 92; HGC 6, 1018. Faintly toned, slight die shift on obverse, light scratch and scuff on reverse. Good VF. ($750)

236. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 377-326 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.56 g, 1h). Head of Kabeiros right, wearing pileos; two stars flanking / Head of Persephone right within linear square. Bodenstedt Em. 99; HGC 6, 1025. Faintly toned, some weakness to strike, hairlines, die wear on reverse. Near EF ($750)

237. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 377-326 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.54 g, 12h). Head of Zeus Meilichios right, wearing laurel wreath; [small serpent before chin] / Draped bust of Nike facing, head right; stars flanking above; all within linear square. Bodenstedt Em. 101; HGC 6, 1027. Faintly toned, slightly off center, a few minor marks, a touch of die rust on reverse. EF. ($1000)

238. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 377-326 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.53 g, 12h). Helmeted head of Athena right / Owl standing right, head facing, in linear square within [shallow incuse square]. Bodenstedt Em. 105; HGC 6, 1031. Lightly toned, slightly off center, a little die rust on obverse. VF. ($500)

239. IONIA, Ephesos. Phanes. Circa 625-600 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.35 g). Forepart of stag right, head left / Incuse square with raised lines within. Fischer-Bossert, Phanes 19 (O14/R19L); Weidauer –; Adams I 78 (same obv. die). Minor marks and scrapes. Near EF. ($3000)

The celebrated coins of Phanes – the first coins on which a legend appears – are known to be among the earliest Greek coins, as a hemihekte (twelfth stater) of the issue was found in the famous foundation deposit of the temple of Artemis at Ephesos, built circa 550 BC. It is this find spot, along with the design of the grazing stag, that suggests Ephesos as the mint. If indeed a person, the mysterious “Phanes” named on this piece was likely an Ephesian treasury minister or a private individual wealthy enough to strike his own coinage. An alternative reading of the legend as “Phaneos” (light-bringer) has also been proposed, perhaps referring to an aspect of Artemis or her brother, Apollo.

Very Rare Symmachy Issue

240. IONIA, Ephesos. Symmachy coinage. Circa 405/4 BC. AR Tridrachm – Double Siglos (21mm, 10.93 g, 11h). The Herakliskos Drakonopnigon: the Infant Herakles crouching right, strangling a serpent coiled around each arm; s-U-@ around / Bee with straight wings; E-f flanking head, π-E across field below. Karwiese II, Series 9.1, 170 (O2/R7); Delrieux, Ententes 20–1 (D1/D2); Hecatomnus p. 101, 9 (O2/R7); SNG von Aulock 7821 = SNG Lockett 2808 = Weber 5836 (same obv. die); SNG Kayhan 144. Rough surfaces, horn silver, cleaning marks. VF. Very rare. ($5000)

From the Hesiod Collection.

At the turn of the fifth to fourth centuries BC, several important cities in western Asia Minor – Byzantium, Knidos, Kyzikos, Ephesos, Iasos, Lampsakos, Rhodes, and Samos – struck an issue of silver coinage bearing on the obverse the figure of Herakliskos Drakonopnigon – the infant Herakles strangling a pair of serpents – along with the Greek letters ΣYN, generally interpreted as syn[machoi] (allies). The significance of the figure of Herakliskos Drakonopnigon, which was the badge of this alliance, has been the subject of significant debate, especially in establishing the chronology of this short-lived alliance.

The figure of Herakliskos Drakonopnigon was depicted in Greek art from the first half of the 5th century BC and represents an important event in the early life of the Greek hero. The birth of Herakles, son of Zeus and Alkmene, enraged Zeus’ wife Hera, who tried to kill the infant by sending two serpents to strangle the sleeping baby in his crib. The following morning, the nurse discovered Herakles playing with the serpents’ lifeless bodies: he had strangled one in each hand. The use of this image as the badge of the alliance is significant. S. Karweise in his article, “Lysander as Herakliskos Drakonopnigon (NC 140 [1980], pp. 1-27) argued that the infant Herakles probably represented the Spartan admiral Lysander, whose defeat of the Athenians at Aigospotamoi in 405 BC effectively ended the Peloponnesian War. Lysander was a member of the Heraklidai – considered to be direct descendents of Herakles – and the use of the figure of Herakliskos Drakonopnigon would have been particularly apt, given that Spartan power was now on the rise, having “strangled” that of Athens. Thus, for Karweise, these coins should have been struck shortly after the end of the war – about 404 BC. This interpretation continues to be offered when the coinage is discussed (see Sitta von Reden, Money in Classical Antiquity [Cambridge, 2010], p. 80).

Dismissing the figure of Herakliskos Drakonopnigon as just a contemporary type in favor of the significance of the Greek letters ΣYN, and beginning with those issues of Rhodes with figure of Herakliskos Drakonopnigon, but without the Greek letters ΣYN, Delrieux argued that the alliance of these cities occurred in two brief phases – the first circa 395-390 BC, when Rhodes became the base of operations for the Athenian general Konon and his ally, the Persian general, Pharnabazos, against the Spartans. In 394 BC, following the defeat of the Spartan fleet at Knidos, many cities north along the Ionian Coast, including Ephesos and Samos, joined this alliance, which continued through to at least 390 BC when Sparta reasserted control in Asia Minor. The second phase began circa 389-387 BC. At that time, the Athenian general Thrasyboulos, who replaced Konon as commander (he had since been imprisoned by the Persians), began re-establishing Athenian alliances with those Asia Minor cities that had previously been their allies (many of these cities once belonged to the Delian League). The result of this action was Spartan fear over a resurgent Athenian empire, prompting counter-attacks against the cities of the Hellespont and the Propontis. To protect themselves from these attacks, these pro-Athenian cities allied themselves. With the King’s Peace in 386 BC, however, this second phase of the alliance was no longer necessary: the alliance broke up and ceased striking this coinage.

241. IONIA, Ephesos. Circa 202-150 BC. AR Drachm (18.5mm, 4.04 g, 11h). Satyros, magistrate. Bee / Stag standing right; palm tree in background. Kinns, Attic, p. 90, obv. die 46; SNG Copenhagen 298. Toned, minor porosity. Good VF. ($500)

From the Michael Rogal Collection. Ex George Bernert Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 106, 13 September 2017), lot 366, purchased from Art of Money, Portland, Oregon, circa 1994.

In the Style of the Master Theodotos

242. IONIA, Klazomenai. Circa 380-360 BC. AR Drachm (16mm, 4.02 g, 6h). Mandronax, magistrate. Unsigned dies in the style of Theodotos. Head of Apollo facing slightly left, wearing laurel wreath, drapery around neck / Swan standing left, wings spread; ÂÅ@dro@Å[$] to left, ˚¬-Å below. SNG Copenhagen –; SNG München –; cf. BMC 26 (hemidrachm); SNG Lockett 2792 (same dies); Traité II 1998. Deeply toned with iridescence. Near EF. Well centered, and exceptional metal for issue. ($20,000)

Ex David Herman Collection (Triton X, 9 January 2007), lot 295; Schweizerische Bankverein 38 (12 September 1995), lot 213.

This drachm is from the same series as the beautiful tetradrachms that were struck from dies by the artist Theodotos, whose signature is engraved on the obverse of those coins (cf. BMC 19 and Berlin obj. no. 18216496 [both also from the same magistrate as the present coin]). Due to the close similarity of style across all the issues, it is thought that the dies for the fractional silver of this series were struck from unsigned dies by the same master.

243. IONIA, Lebedos. Circa 140-135 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30.5mm, 16.34 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Anaxipolis, magistrate. Helemted head of Athena right / Owl standing right, head facing, on club between two filleted cornucopias; all within wreath. Amandry, Tétradrachmes, Group III, – (D3/R9 [unlisted die combination]); Kinns 32; SNG Copenhagen –. Toned, much find patina, some light roughness, nick on edge. Good VF. ($1500)

Lebedos was located on the central coast of Ionia, to the north of Ephesos. Very little is known of the town, which was best known for its mineral springs. Pausanias noted that it was originally inhabited by Carians, but later, Ionian Greeks migrated there under Andræmon, son of Codrus. In contrast, Strabo says it was founded as a colony by Andropompus, and previously bore the name Artis. A member of the Ionian League, the city’s commerce flourished in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, during which time it issued a civic coinage in silver and bronze. Particularly notable are these tetradrachms issued in the mid-2nd century. Struck on the Attic standard, their types were influenced by the ‘New Style’ Athenian issues, with a similar head of Athena on the obverse, and a reverse type of civic symbols enclosed within a wreath. As these tetradrachms were typically used in international trade, they were a source of civic pride, and this is reflected in the high quality of engraving found on these coins, which is among the finest of the middle Hellenistic period.

244. IONIA, Miletos. Circa 340-325 BC. AR Drachm (15mm, 3.67 g, 12h). Pantainos, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo left / Lion standing left, head right; star above, P (civic) monogram to left. D-L Period I, Series III, 178 (V8/R15); SNG München 722 (same dies). Attractive light tone over lustrous surfaces, minor double strike on obverse. EF. Attractive style. ($1000)

Extremely Rare

245. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 625/0-522 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.57 g). Forepart of seal right; to left, small dolphin downward; small ring below / Incuse square. Cf. Bodenstedt Em. 1 (types with rings); Triton XVI, lot 464 (same obv. die); Pecunem 40, lot 270 (same dies). A couple of edge splits, minor marks. Near EF. Extremely rare, apparently the third known. ($1500)

Unpublished Swimming Seal

246. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 625/0-522 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.58 g). Seal swimming in counterclockwise circle / Incuse square. Unpublished. Some small scuffs on reverse. EF. Extremely rare. ($1500)

Exceptional Myshemihekte

247. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 625/0-522 BC. EL Myshemihekte – Twenty-fourth Stater (6.5mm, 0.65 g). Head of griffin left; to right, small seal upward / Incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 12. Choice EF. Perfectly centered and struck with fresh dies. A beautiful example. ($750)

248. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 625/0-522 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (11mm, 2.59 g). Head of boar left; below, small seal left / Incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 14. Scratches and marks on reverse, edge mark. EF ($1500)

249. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 625/0-522 BC. EL Myshemihekte – Twenty-Fourth Stater (6mm, 0.65 g). Helmeted head right; below, small seal right / Rough incuse square. Bodenstedt em. 15. Edge split, minor marks. Near EF. Well centered. ($500)

250. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 625/0-522 BC. EL Myshemihekte – Twenty-fourth Stater (7mm, 0.64 g). Head of ram left; below, small seal left / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 20. Trace deposits, minor marks. Near EF. ($500)

Extremely Rare and High Grade Rooster Type

251. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 625/0-522 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (9.5mm, 2.56 g). Cock standing left; to right, small seal diagonally upward / Incuse square. Triton XVI, lot 468; otherwise, unpublished. Slight die wear, minor marks on reverse. EF. Extremely rare. ($7500)

252. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.57 g). Head of warrior left, wearing Corinthian helmet decorated with vine tendril on the bowl; below, small seal left / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 30. Some weakness to strike on obverse, minor marks on reverse. Near EF. ($1000)

253. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.54 g). Forepart of griffin left, with curled wing; behind, seal downward / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 39. Toned, slightly off center. Good VF. ($1000)

Ex Heritage 232334 (24 August 2023), lot 64009.

254. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 521-478 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.59 g). Two seals, belly-to-belly, swimming in opposite directions / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 46. A little die rust on obverse. Near EF. Well centered. ($750)

255. IONIA, Phokaia. Circa 478-387 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.51 g). Head of nymph left, hair in sakkos; [to right, small seal downward] / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 94. Hairline flan crack, minor marks. Good VF. ($500)

256. IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 650-600 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.31 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Globular surface with cluster of pellets / Two incuse squares. Weidauer –; Artemision –; Traité I –; SNG Kayhan –; SNG von Aulock –; Elektron 10. Small scuff on reverse. As made. ($750)

Referenced by Fischer-Bossert

257. IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 650-625 BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (13.5mm, 4.72 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Pegasos walking left / Two incuse squares. Fischer-Bossert, Horses, Series II, 3c (dies P3/P3-P4 – this coin); Weidauer 149; Prospero 501 (same dies). Faintly toned, die wear on obverse. VF. ($1000)

From the Hesiod Collection. Ex Stack’s Bowers Galleries (16 August 2021), lot 42166; Goldberg 55 (29 October 2009), lot 50.

258. IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 600-550 BC. EL Myshemihekte – Twenty-fourth Stater (6.5mm, 0.58 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Bridled forepart of winged horse left / Incuse square. Fischer-Bossert, Horses, Series II, 21 (O21/P22); Weidauer 143; Linzalone Ln1132 (same dies); Rosen 288 (same dies). A little die wear, light graze on obverse. Near EF. ($500)

259. IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 625-600 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.52 g). Phokaic standard. Raised clockwise swastika pattern / Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Artemision 99 (forty-eighth stater); SNG Kayhan –; Traité I 117–8. Minor marks, light graze on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

260. IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 600-550 BC. EL Myshemihekte – Twenty-fourth Stater (6.5mm, 0.59 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Schematic head of lion right / Rough quadripartite incuse square. Weidauer 122–3. Trace earthen deposits. VF. ($500)

Ex Elsen 71 (20 September 2002), lot 185.

261. IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 650-625 BC. EL Forty-eighth Stater (5mm, 0.33 g). Phokaic standard. Bird standing right / Incuse punch. Unpublished in the standard references. Slight roughness on obverse, minor marks on reverse. VF. Extremely rare. ($500)

262. ISLANDS off IONIA, Ikaria. Oinoe. 4th century BC. AR Drachm (14.5mm, 3.35 g, 7h). Head of Artemis facing slightly right, bow and quiver over shoulder / Bull butting right. HGC 5, 1158; SNG Kayhan 627. Lightly toned, slight granularity, some hairlines, struck with worn reverse die. VF. Fine style head of Artemis. ($500)

263. ISLANDS off IONIA, Samos. Circa 310-300 BC. AR Didrachm (20mm, 6.48 g, 12h). Rhodian standard. Ermodikos, magistrate. Facing lion scalp / Forepart of ox right. Barron p. 214, 7 (A103/P107); HGC 6, 1230; SNG von Aulock 2301 (same dies); McClean 8417 = Walcher von Molthein 2350 (same dies). Toned, traces of find patina. VF. ($750)

Rare Aristonikos Tetradrachm

264. LYDIA, Apollonis. Eumenes III (Aristonikos). Pretender to the throne of Pergamon, 132-130 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 12.65 g, 11h). Cistophoric standard. Dated year 3 (of his revolt = 132/1 BC). Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath / Bow case with serpents; thunderbolt above; to left, laureate and bearded head (Zeus?) left; to right, laureate and beardless head (Dionysos?) right; ∫Å EU across field within coils of serpents, ˝ (date) on lower part of bow case, Å∏-o¬ across lower field. Hochard Series 1, 1 var., dies D1/R– (unlisted rev. die); Kleiner & Noe Series 2, dies 2/– (unlisted rev. die); Kurth S301; DCA2 568; SNG von Aulock 2897 (same obv. die); SNG Copenhagen Supp. 947 (same obv. die). Toned, minor die wear on obverse. Near EF. Rare. ($500)

From the Kalevala Collection.

When the Pergamene king Attalos II died in 134 BC, he bequeathed his kingdom to the Romans. Because the Romans were slow in securing their claim, Aristonikos, son of the earlier Pergamene king Eumenes II, filled the power vacuum, claiming the throne and taking the dynastic name Eumenes. Although he was unable to capture Pergamon, his revolt lasted four years, until he was defeated and captured by the Romans under the consul M. Perperna. After his surrender, he was paraded through Rome and executed.

265. KINGS of LYDIA. temp. Ardys – Alyattes. Circa 630s-564/53 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.38 g). LydoMilesian standard. Sardes mint. Confronted heads of roaring lions (die positioned to feature the left side lion); [µ5Òåk¨k (KUKALIṂ in Lydian, retrograde) between] / Two square punches. Weidauer Group XVIII, 114 = Wallace, KUKALIṂ, pl. I, 1 = M. Thompson, “Some Noteworthy Greek Accessions” in MN XII (1966), 1 (same right side punch); Weidauer Group XVIII, 115 = SNG Ashmolean 756; SNG Kayhan –; Traité –. Struck with worn obverse die. Fine. ($1000)

266. KINGS of LYDIA. Alyattes. Circa 620/10-564/53 BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (14.5mm, 4.76 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Confronted heads of roaring lions, “sun” on foreheads (die positioned to feature the left side lion); √∏¨√[...] (WALW[...] in retrograde Lydian [the L also inverted]) downward between, read from the inside-out / Two incuse squares. Weidauer Group XVII, 91–2 var. = Le Rider, Naissance, pl. IV, 10–1 var. (orientation of legend); SNG Ashmolean –; SNG Kayhan –; Traité I –. Minor marks. VF. ($2000)

267. KINGS of LYDIA. temp. Alyattes – Kroisos. Circa 620/10-550/39 BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (13.5mm, 4.69 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Head of roaring lion right, “sun” with multiple rays on forehead / Two incuse squares. Weidauer Group XVI, 86–7; Kurth G24–5; cf. SNG Ashmolean 749–53. Minor edge splits, banker’s mark at edge on reverse. Near EF. ($1500)

268. KINGS of LYDIA. temp. Alyattes – Kroisos. Circa 620/10-550/39 BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (14mm, 4.71 g). LydoMilesian standard. Sardes mint. Head of roaring lion right, “sun” with multiple rays on forehead / Two incuse squares. Weidauer Group XVI, 86–7; Kurth G24–5; cf. SNG Ashmolean 749–53. Edge splits, small area of weak strike. Good VF. ($1000)

269. KINGS of LYDIA. temp. Alyattes – Kroisos. Circa 620/10-550/39 BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (13mm, 4.70 g). LydoMilesian standard. Sardes mint. Head of roaring lion right, “sun” with multiple rays on forehead / Two incuse squares. Weidauer Group XVI, 86–7; Kurth G24–5; cf. SNG Ashmolean 749–53. Bankers’ marks on obverse and edge. VF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Review XXII.2 (Spring/Summer 1997), no. SP2011-954909.

270. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AV Sixth Stater (9mm, 1.30 g). Light standard. Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 8; Walburg Group IV; Traité I 406. Slight doubling on obverse. Near EF. Well centered and struck. ($3000)

271. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AV Sixth Stater (9mm, 1.31 g). Light standard. Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 8; Walburg Group IV; Traité I 406. Underlying luster. Good VF. Well centered. ($2000)

272. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AV Twelfth Stater (6mm, 0.66 g). Light standard. Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Incuse square. Walburg Group VI, 2–4; Berk 10–3; Kurth G56. Faintly toned, underlying luster. Near EF. Well centered. ($1500)

273. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Stater (20mm, 10.74 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 20; Kurth S1; Traité I 407–8; SNG Ashmolean 760. Faintly toned, typical slight doubling on obverse. VF. Good metal for issue. ($1500)

274. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Stater (20.5mm, 10.64 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 20; Kurth S1; Traité I 407–8; SNG Ashmolean 760. Faintly toned, typical granular surfaces and slight doubling on obverse. VF. ($1500)

275. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 10.67 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 20; Kurth S1; Traité I 407–8; SNG Ashmolean 760. Lightly toned, typical granular surfaces and slight doubling on obverse, traces of find patina. VF. ($1500)

276. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Hemistater (18mm, 5.33 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 23; Kurth S3; SNG Ashmolean –; SNG Kayhan 1024–6. Lightly toned, only a hint of the typical granularity, usual slight doubling on obverse. VF. ($750)

277. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Third Stater (14.5mm, 3.51 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 24; Kurth S5; SNG Ashmolean 772 (Persian period). Toned, typical granular surfaces. Near EF. Well centered on a broad flan. ($750)

278. KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Third Stater (14mm, 3.50 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 24; Kurth S5; SNG Ashmolean 772 (Persian period). Toned, typical granular surfaces, edge splits, minor die shift on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

279. KINGS of LYDIA. temp. Cyrus – Darios I. Circa 550/39-520 BC. AR Siglos (16mm, 5.38 g). In the types of Kroisos. Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 22; Kurth S11; SNG Ashmolean 762–71. Attractive old collection tone, edge marks from prior bezel. Good VF. ($500)

Second Known

280. CARIA or LYCIA, Uncertain coastal mint. Circa 525/0 BC. AR Stater (18mm, 11.44 g). Sea turtle, seen from above with head in profile, with row of dots down its back / Two quadripartite squares of unequal size. J.-A. Chevillon & R. Fournials, “Asie Mineure de Sud-Ouest: un statère inédit à la tortue avec un double carré creux” in NK 30 (2012), fig. 1 (same obv. die); otherwise, unpublished. Traces of find patina, granular surfaces, cleaning scratches. VF. Well centered and complete. Extremely rare, the second known. ($1500)

This intriguing archaic stater has traditionally been viewed as part of a group of early silver issues struck with similar incuses, featuring two squares of significantly different size. The majority of these issues were struck on the Aeginetan standard, which Kraay (in ACGC) thought had been adopted through trade between Aegina and communities along the Carian coast and nearby islands. It was believed that the Aeginetan traders introduced silver coinage to this region, which supports the suggestion that these issues were among the first silver coins produced there. Initially, some issues appeared to have been struck on a lower weight standard, such as that of the female-head type, but more recent research by Chevillon & Fournials led to the conclusion that this was not the case; all of the issues appear to have been struck on the Aeginetic standard. However, they think that the types, and the unusual incuse type, point to a Lycian, rather than Carian origin. It appears the question of the location of the mint shall remain open pending future coin finds, but it is unquestionable that these coins are among the earliest silver issues struck in southern Asia Minor.

281. SATRAPS of CARIA. Pixodaros. Circa 341/0-336/5 BC. AR Didrachm (19mm, 6.97 g, 1h). Halikarnassos mint. Laureate head of Apollo facing slightly right, drapery around neck / Zeus Labraundos standing right. Konuk, Identities 30; Babelon, Perses 414–21; HN Online 241. Remnants of find patina on obverse, hairlines on reverse. Good VF. Fine style. ($500)

282. ISLANDS off CARIA, Kos. Circa 370/60-345 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 15.14 g, 5h). Theodotos, magistrate. Bearded head of Herakles left, wearing lion skin / Crab; club below; all in dotted square within incuse square. Ingvaldsen Issue VI, 31 (O13/R29) = Stefanaki Series IV, Issue 9, 246–8; HGC 6, 1302; Prospero 555 (same dies). Traces of find patina, a little horn silver on obverse, light porosity on reverse. Near EF. ($1500)

283. ISLANDS off CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 250-229 BC. AR Didrachm (20mm, 6.68 g, 12h). Agesidamos, magistrate. Radiate head of Helios facing slightly right / Rose with bud to right; to left, Artemis running left, holding torch. Ashton 206; HN Online 392; HGC 6, 1439. Toned, a couple of light marks on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

Ex Wild Rose Collection; Lanz 40 (25 May 1987), lot 299.

284. ISLANDS off CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes Circa 250-229 BC. AR Didrachm (21mm, 6.660 g, 12h). Mnasimachos, magistrate. Radiate head of Helios facing slightly right / Rose with bud to right; to left, Athena Nikephoros standing left. Ashton 208; HN Online 395; HGC 6, 1439. Bright surfaces, flan crack, horn silver on obverse, cleaning scratches and double struck on reverse. EF. ($500)

285. ISLANDS off CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 229-205 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24.5mm, 13.54 g, 11h). Tharsytas, magistrate. Radiate head of Helios facing slightly right / Rose with bud to right; to left, eagle standing right, wings spread, on torch. Ashton 215; HGC 6, 1432. Toned, minor flan flaw on obverse, light doubling on reverse. Near EF. Well centered. ($2000)

Ex The Numismatic Auction 1 (13 December 1982), lot 123.

The city of Rhodes on its eponymous island was a relatively late foundation, formed in 408 BC by the union of Ialysos, Kamiros, and Lindos. Its strategic position on an island between Europe and Asia Minor assured its prosperity and growing importance as a naval power. In 305 BC, Rhodes allied itself with Ptolemy I of Egypt against Antigonos I and his son, Demetrios, who quickly attacked the city and placed it under siege. Despite employing the most imposing artillery and siege engines yet seen, Demetrios was forced to give up the siege by the timely arrival of a relief force sent by Ptolemy. The Rhodians sold off the abandoned siege equipment for 300 talents, and used the money to build a gigantic statue of the city’s patron god, Apollo-Helios. Designed by the brilliant sculptor Chares of Lindos, the statue was composed of bronze plates attacked to an iron frame and stood 98 feet tall atop a 50-foot base. The head of Helios was topped by a crown of sunbeams, an image replicated on the famous coins of Rhodes, including the example seen here. Alas, a powerful earthquake struck Rhodes in 226 BC, about the time this tetradrachm was struck, and toppled the Colossus, the huge statue breaking at the knees. An oracle warned the citizens of Rhodes not to rebuild it, and the Colossus lay in ruins, still a popular tourist attraction, until it was sold for scrap and carted off in AD 654.

286. PAMPHYLIA, Aspendos. Circa 380/75-330/25 BC. AR Stater (23mm, 10.96 g, 11h). Two wrestlers, nude, grappling; ˚5 between / Slinger in throwing stance right; triskeles to right; all in dotted square; c/m: head of satyr(?) right within incuse circle. Tekin Series 4; SNG BN 104. Iridescent tone, slight weakness on high points, minor doubling on obverse. Near EF. ($500)

As renderings of athleticism and action, the coins of Aspendos have seldom been matched. Aspendos was a colony of Argos located at the southern coast of Asia Minor on the navigable River Eurymedon, which made it an important emporium and naval base. Its famous wrestler coinage commences circa 410 BC. Wrestling was one of the premier events of Greek sports, practiced at the Olympic Games and at gymnasia throughout the ancient world.

287. PISIDIA, Selge. Circa 325-250 BC. AR Stater (24mm, 8.92 g, 1h). Two wrestlers, nude, grappling; ˚ between / Slinger in throwing stance right; to right, triskeles above club and cornucopia. SNG BN 1947. Toned, tiny flan flaws. Near EF. Well centered. ($750)

Ex Cutler Collection

288. CILICIA, Nagidos. Circa 385/4-375 BC. AR Stater (26mm, 10.14 g, 12h). Aphrodite seated left, holding phiale; to left, small Eros flying right, crowning her; below throne, mouse left / Dionysos standing left, holding grape bunch on vine and thyrsos; g to upper left, Å˚ to lower left; c/m: bull advancing right within incuse square. Casabonne Type 3; Lederer Group IXb, 47 var. = BMC 24 var. (letters on rev.; same obv. die); SNG BN 28 var. (same); SNG Levante –. Toned, a little porosity, test cut on reverse. Coin: Good VF; c/m: VF. ($750)

Ex GTP Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 124, 19 September 2023), lot 245; New York Sale XL (12 January 2017), lot 1117; Superior Stamp & Coin inventory 701833-84 (ND); Lawrence M. Cutler Collection (Numismatic Fine Arts [XXIV], 18 October 1990), lot 370; Numismatic Fine Arts Winter MBS (15 January 1982), lot 245.

289. CILICIA, Nagidos. Circa 380 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 10.61 g, 11h). Head of Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath / Head of Aphrodite right, hair bound in sphendone and ampyx. Casabonne Type 7; Lederer Group III, 15; SNG BN 5. Lightly toned, a little off center, some die wear on reverse. Near EF. ($1500)

290. CILICIA, Tarsos. Mazaios. Satrap of Cilicia, 361/0-334 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 10.84 g, 10h). Baal of Tarsos seated left, head and torso facing, holding eagle, grain ear, grape bunch and lotus-tipped scepter; rt (TN in Aramaic) to left, M (M in Aramaic) below throne / Lion attacking bull left; å below. Casabonne Series 2, Group C; SNG BN –; SNG Levante 106. Lightly toned, underlying luster, slightly off center on obverse, a hint of doubling on reverse. EF. ($750)

Fourth Known

291. CILICIA or LEVANTINE REGION, Uncertain. Early-mid 4th century BC. AR Stater (22.5mm, 10.55 g, 6h). Helmeted head of Athena right, bowl decorated with Skylla scanning / Diademed head right; så (Aramaic aleph and samekh) behind neck. Brindley 387 corr. (Skylla, not hippocamp); Gorny & Mosch 207, lot 383; CNG E-468, lot 125; otherwise, unpublished. Lightly toned, traces of find patina, porous, minor doubling, light scuffs and scrapes, a few small flan flaws on obverse. Good VF. Extremely rare, apparently the fourth known. ($750)

292. KINGS of GALATIA. Amyntas. 36-25 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 15.77 g, 12h). Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike advancing left, holding filleted scepter. Arslan, Coins K6; HGC 7, 778. Lightly toned, traces of find patina. Good VF. ($750)

Ex Stack’s (4 December 1984), lot 121.

Amyntas saw service as an auxiliary commander in the Roman army under Brutus and Cassius. He gained the favor of Mark Antony and was granted the Kingdom of Galatia, but deserted Antony before Actium, aligning himself with Octavian. He died in battle in 25 BC and his kingdom was annexed as a Roman province.

Extremely Rare

293. ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. 5th century BC. AR Drachm or Hemistater (?) (16mm, 5.82 g). Uncertain standard. Forepart of chimaera at bay right / Rough incuse square. Cf. CNG 106, lot 451; cf. Heritage 3085, lot 31090 (both for similar issue with full chimaera visible); otherwise, unpublished in the standard references. Lightly toned, minor porosity, light scrape at edge on obverse. VF. Extremely rare, none in CoinArchives. ($1000)

A Selection of Tigranes II Tetradrachms

294. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.73 g, 12h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; v to inner right, M on rock; all within wreath. SCADA Group 1, obv. die A2; Kovacs 74.1; M&D 2; CAA 17; AC 30. Slightly off center on obverse, trace deposits on reverse. Good VF. ($500)

Tigranes II won the epithet “The Great” by expanding the Artaxiad Armenian Kingdom to its greatest extent and claiming the title “King of Kings,” hitherto employed by the Achaemenid and Parthian rulers of Persia. The son of the Artaxiad king Artavasdes I (ruled 159-115 BC), Tigranes spent much of his youth as a hostage to his father’s loyalty in the Parthian court. Tigranes inherited the Armenian throne in 95 BC and began methodically turning his mountainous, feudal kingdom into a powerful, centralized Hellenistic state. At its peak his kingdom incorporated all of Seleukid Syria, Cilicia, Cappadocia, and large swaths of Parthia. Though a crafty and talented statesman, his success was due less to his own military prowess than the result of a power vacuum caused by internal strife within Parthia and the collapse of the Seleukid Kingdom, along with the turmoil caused by the titanic struggle between the Roman Republic and Mithridates VI of Pontus. Tigranes formed an alliance with Mithridates, but fared poorly against the Roman generals Lucullus and Pompey. He ultimately elected to formally submit to Rome, which allowed him to retain his core kingdom while giving up his conquests.

295. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 15.83 g, 12h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; v to inner right, M on rock; all within wreath. SCADA Group 1, obv. die A10; Kovacs 74.1; M&D 2; CAA 17; AC 30. Light iridescent tone, scratch on edge. Good VF. Well centered. ($500)

296. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.77 g, 11h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; v to inner right, M on rock; all within wreath. SCADA Group 1, obv. die A11; Kovacs 74.1; M&D 2; CAA 17; AC 30. Slightly off center and minor die flaw on obverse. EF. ($600)

297. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 15.87 g, 12h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; M on rock, small Q in right field; all within wreath. SCADA Group 2, obv. die A21; Kovacs 74.2; M&D 1; CAA 19; AC 30. Faintly toned, minor die flaw and a touch off center on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

298. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.91 g, 12h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; M on rock, small Q in right field; all within wreath. SCADA Group 2, dies A31/P88; Kovacs 74.2; M&D 1; CAA 19; AC 30. Slightly off center. Good VF. ($500)

299. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.72 g, 1h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; on rock, é above ·; all within wreath. SCADA Group 7, obv. die A53; Kovacs 75.1; M&D 9; CAA 33; AC 37. Bright surfaces, minor die break and area of weak strike on reverse. Near EF. ($500)

300. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 15.70 g, 1h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; on rock, é above ·; all within wreath. SCADA Group 7, obv. die A53; Kovacs 75.1; M&D 9; CAA 33; AC 37. A couple of die breaks and small scratch on obverse, a little off center on reverse. Near EF. ($500)

301. KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the

95-56

(28mm, 15.94 g, 12h).

mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; · on rock; all within wreath. SCADA Group 7, obv. die A57; Kovacs 75.2; M&D 9; CAA 33; AC 37. A little off center, slight weakness to strike on obverse. Near EF. Attractive portrait. ($500)

Great’.

BC. AR Tetradrachm

Tigranocerta

Extremely Rare Third Stater of Timocharis

302. CYPRUS, Marion. Timocharis. Early 4th century BC. AR Third Stater (14.5mm, 3.32 g, 5h). Laureate head of Apollo right / Goddess (Europa?) holding on to horns of bull running right; below, small dolphin right above waves; all within incuse square. Destrooper-Georgiades, Coins –; Schwabacher, Coins, Fig. 12 = McClean 9152 (same dies); Zapiti & Michaelidou –; Tziambazis 54 var. (ethnic). Lightly toned, compact flan, area of weak strike, struck with worn obverse die, light scratch on obverse. Good VF. Extremely rare, and a particularly clear reverse for issue. ($750)

303. CYPRUS, Salamis. Evagoras I. Circa 411-374/3 BC. AR Stater (22.5mm, 11.18 g, 3h). Herakles seated right on rock draped with lion’s skin, leaning on club and holding cornucopia / Ram couchant right; E to right in exergue. McGregor Group K.AR.I.a, 414 var. (O2/R– [unlisted rev. die]); Zapiti & Michaelidou 1 (same obv. die); Tziambazis –. Iridescent tone, struck with worn reverse die. Good VF. ($1000)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 539 (31 May 2023), lot 267.

304. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Seleukos I Nikator. Second satrapy and kingship, 312-281 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.53 g, 2h). In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Babylon I mint. Struck circa 311-300 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; ü below left wing, Â5 below right wing. SC 81.1; Price 3745; HGC 9, 3a. Underlying luster, minor marks. Near EF. ($3000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex CNG inventory 725603 (April 2001).

The Seleukid Empire was one of the main successor states to the Macedonian empire forged by Alexander III ‘the Great.’ Following Alexander’s death, his greatest generals, the Diadochs, divided the empire among themselves, but the settlement was not enduring and nearly constant warfare resulted from their ambitions to widen their respective areas of control. Seleukos I, despite being passed over in the initial settlement in 323 BC, received the satrapy of Babylon in the second settlement in 320 BC. By the time of his death in 281 BC, Seleukos had expanded his realm to encompass most of Alexander’s eastern possessions from Asia Minor to Baktria.

As with most of the other diadochs, Seleukos continued to strike coins in the name of Alexander, and he opened a number of new mints to serve his various campaigns and his growing empire. Shortly after assuming the royal title in 305 BC, Seleukos began issuing coinage in his own name and introduced a variety of new types that propagated the mythology of his new dynasty and celebrated his considerable accomplishments. Over the century following Seleukos’ death, though, the vast size of the empire proved unmanageable, and a number of local irredentist movements resulted in a growing number of breakaway regions, many of which also struck their own coinage. Internecine struggles, in conjunction with the growing power of Rome, were ultimately responsible for the final dissolution of the Seleukid empire in 64 BC. Over its nearly 250 years of existence, the Seleukid empire issued a vast quantity of coinage that was arguably the most diverse of all the Hellenistic kingdoms.

305. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Seleukos I Nikator. Second satrapy and kingship, 312-281 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.52 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Babylon I mint. Struck circa 311-300 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; Â5 below left wing, ü below right wing. SC 81.2; Price 3748; HGC 9, 3a. Scattered marks, minor doubling on obverse. Good VF. ($2000)

Unpublished Seleukos I Gold Stater

306. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Seleukos I Nikator. Second satrapy and kingship, 312-281 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 8.51 g, 11h). In the types of Alexander III of Macedon. Seleukeia on the Tigris mint I. Struck circa 300-296/5 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing single pendant earring, necklace, and triple-crested Corinthian helmet adorned with a coiled serpent / ∫Å-s5¬EWs sE¬EU˚oU, Nike standing left, holding wreath in extended right hand, cradling stylis in left arm; @o below left wing. Cf. SC 116.6a (for the tetradrachm of this issue); HGC 9, 4d. Some light roughness, minor doubling on obverse. Good VF. Unpublished and apparently unique, none in CoinArchives. ($3000)

307. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Seleukos I Nikator. Second satrapy and kingship, 312-281 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 16.96 g, 12h). Susa mint. Struck circa 300-295 BC. Head of hero (Alexander or Seleukos?) right, wearing helmet covered with panther skin and adorned with the ear and horns of a bull / Nike standing right, placing wreath on trophy; ' to lower left, ( in lower middle field. SC 173.4; ESMS Tr.7–31 var. (unlisted dies); Marest-Caffey Group 1.4, 59 var. (A14/R– [unlisted rev. die]); HGC 9, 20. Lightly toned, underlying luster. EF. A lovely example for the type. ($2000)

The Trophy coinage of Susa began circa 300 BC, in the aftermath of the pivotal Battle of Ipsos, ending the Fourth Diadoch War. The battle saw the final defeat of Seleukos’ most formidable enemy, Antigonos I Monophthalmos, whose power in Asia Minor posed the greatest threat to the nascent Seleukid empire. Traditionally, this coinage was thought to have begun slightly earlier, marking the successful end of Seleukos’ Indian campaign in 305 BC, but a recent analysis of the iconography recognized that the details of the trophy indicated that a Macedonian enemy was defeated; the star on the shield was an Argead device, which clearly identifies the vanquished opponent as the Antigonid enemy that fell at Ipsos (see P. Iossif, “Les monnaies de Suse frappées par Séleucos Ier: Une nouvelle approche” in QT XXXIII [2004], pp. 249–71). The portrait on the obverse has long been the subject of debate, with numismatists identifying him as Dionysos, Alexander, or Seleukos. The arguments for each identification have merit, and indeed they are probably all correct; the image is an assimilation of all three into a singular portrait, as Iossif argues. In contrast to the reverse, which relates to the western victory of Seleukos, the obverse portrait relates to Seleukos’ eastern victory and ties his mythology to that of both Dionysos, the first conqueror of India, and Alexander, the second conqueror of India. Thus, this issue celebrates the totality of Seleukos’ victories in the east and west, solidifying his new empire, and also further establishes his dynastic heritage by tying his exploits to that of the great conqueror, Alexander, in an effort to legitimize Seleukos’ right to rule over these vast lands.

Excellent Portrait

308. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos I Soter. 281-261 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29.5mm, 17.18 g, 8h). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Diademed head right / ∫Å%5¬EW% Å@t-5ocoU, Apollo, nude, testing two arrows in his right hand, left hand holding tip of bow set on ground to right, seated left on omphalos; Z to outer left, A to outer right. SC 378.3a; ESM 140; HGC 9, 128g; McClean 9255 (same obv. die). Lightly toned, with some iridescence. EF. Superb portrait. ($2500)

Ex Long Valley River Collection (Roma XX, 29 October 2020), lot 300; Hess-Divo 328 (22 May 2015), lot 66; Gorny & Mosch 151 (9 October 2006), lot 212.

309. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos III ‘the Great’. 222-187 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 17.02 g, 12h). Antioch on the Orontes mint. Series I, circa 222-211/0 BC. Diademed head right / Apollo, testing arrow and placing hand on grounded bow, seated left on omphalos; ∑ to outer left. SC 1041.1; Le Rider, Antioche 1–34 (obv. die A1); HGC 9, 447u. Lightly toned, slight die wear on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

310. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos, son of Seleukos IV. 175 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28.5mm, 16.55 g, 1h). Antioch on the Orontes mint. Diademed head right / Apollo, testing arrow and placing hand on grounded bow, seated left on omphalos; tripod to outer left, A in exergue. SC 1369a; Le Rider, Antioche, 34 (A1/P1); HGC 9, 610b; BMC 2 (same dies). Light marks, areas of minor roughness. EF. ($1000)

311. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Alexander I Balas. 152-145 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 14.14 g, 1h). Tyre mint. Dated SE 167 (146/5 BC). Diademed and draped bust right / Eagle standing left on prow left; palm frond behind; to left, club surmounted by i; to right, z$r (date) above ◊. SC 1835.6a; HGC 9, 883; DCA2 62. Lightly toned, minor edge scuff and small dig on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 93 (22 May 2013), lot 510.

Alexander I Balas was promoted as a rival to the Seleukid king Demetrios I by Attalos II of Pergamon, who had been alienated by Demetrios’ hostility. Soon, Alexander gained the support of the Romans and the Ptolemaic kingdom, and successfully invaded Syria. After Demetrios was killed in battle, Alexander requested a marriage alliance with Ptolemy VI, which was granted. In 150 BC, a royal wedding was held with both kings in attendance, in which Alexander received the hand of Ptolemy’s eldest daughter, Cleopatra Thea. This great event was widely promoted, and commemorated on a rare issue of Seleukid tetradrachms and bronze with the royal couple on the obverse, as well as on a Ptolemaic issue of gold staters with Cleopatra’s portrait. The harmony between the empires was short-lived. After the Seleukid empire suffered massive defeats in the east to the Parthians and Elymaians, Demetrios II, son of Demetrios I, invaded Koile-Syria. As the Seleukids rallied to Demetrios, Ptolemy, recognizing Alexander’s weakness, gave his support to the new king. After finally meeting Demetrios in battle, Alexander was defeated and fled to Arabia, where he was murdered.

312. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos IX Eusebes

114/3-95

AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.30 g, 12h). Antioch mint. 1st reign at Antioch, circa 113-112 BC. Diademed head right / Athena Nikephoros standing left; to outer left, - above `; @ to inner right; all within wreath. SC 2363b; HGC 9, 1228i. Lightly toned. Near EF ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 79 (17 September 2008), lot 426.

114/3-95

AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 16.69 g, 12h). Sidon mint. Dated SE 202 (111/0 BC). Diademed head right within fillet border / Athena Nikephoros standing left; to outer left, %5dW above 5Er above `%U above ∫; ∫s (date) in exergue; all within wreath. SC 2385; HGC 9, 1228k; DCA2 230. Lightly toned over lustrous surfaces, trace deposits. EF ($750)

Philopator (Kyzikenos).

BC.

313. SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos IX Eusebes Philopator (Kyzikenos).

BC.

314. PHOENICIA, Byblos (Gebal). ‘Ozba’al. Circa 400-365 BC. AR Shekel (26mm, 13.25 g, 12h). Three hoplites, holding shields, on galley left above waves, prow ending in lion’s head; below, hippocamp left above murex shell, Zo (‘Z in Phoenician) above dorsal fin / Lion attacking bull left. E&E-B Series IV.2.1.c, – (O12/R15? [unlisted die combination]); HGC 10, 133 corr. (letters on obv. not noted). Faintly toned, a little off center on obverse, double struck with worn die on reverse. Near EF. ($750)

315. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Shekel (29mm, 14.30 g, 12h). Dated CY 29 (98/7 BC). Laureate head of Melkart right, lion skin around neck / Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond in background; to left, Q˚ (date) above club; Ê to right, b (Phoenician B) between legs. DCA-Tyre 100; HGC 10, 357; DCA2 946. Deep iridescent tone, a few minor marks, a little porosity, patch of roughness on reverse. Good VF. ($1000)

One of the great cities of Phoenicia, Tyre was founded on an island just off the Levantine coast circa 2750 BC and rose to wealth and prominence from its extensive trade network and colonies, including Carthage. Effectively autonomous, it paid only tacit tribute to the Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian and Persian Empires before Alexander the Great arrived in 332 BC. Confident in their defenses, the civic leaders offered only to remain neutral in the conflict and refused Alexander entry to its famous Temple of Melkart. When he tried negotiations again, his envoys were slain and thrown from the walls. Enraged, Alexander subjected Tyre to a titanic seven-month siege. The causeway he built from the mainland to the island citadel forever altered the city’s geography, turning the island into a peninsula. After taking savage reprisals on the city’s populace, he pardoned King Azemilkos and returned him to the throne as a client king to Macedon. Upon Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Tyre was subject first to the Ptolemies and then the Seleukids and was an important mint for both dynasties. The city received a grant of autonomy from the Seleukid crown in 126/5 BC. Tyre immediately inaugurated a new civic coinage dated to the era of its autonomy, with certain affinities to the coinage it had formerly minted for its royal masters. The civic silver featured a new obverse type, a head of the local god Melkart, but the reverse type of an eagle standing on a prow was identical to the reverse of Tyre’s Seleukid coinage, which in turn had been an elaboration on the Ptolemaic eagle. Tyrian shekels and half-shekels continued to be minted until about AD 66. They circulated in Judaea and were used by the Jews to pay their annual Temple dues. The infamous “30 pieces of silver” paid to Judas for betraying Jesus would also have been Tyrian issues. This shekel was minted more than a century before the crucifixion, but is likely similar in type to the Biblical “30 pieces of silver.”

316. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Shekel (29mm, 14.31 g, 12h). Dated CY 45 (82/1 BC). Laureate head of Melkart right, [lion skin around neck] / Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond in background; to left, EÂ (date) above club; d to right, ` (Phoenician A) between legs. DCA-Tyre 160–1; HGC 10, 357; DCA2 946. Faintly toned, struck with lightly worn obverse die, double struck on reverse. Good VF. ($750)

317. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Shekel (27mm, 13.95 g, 1h). Dated CY 71 (56/5 BC). Laureate head of Melkart right, lion skin around neck / Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond in background; to left, &o (date) above club; Z to right, b (Phoenician B) between legs. DCA-Tyre 242 var. (control marks; same obv. die); HGC 10, 357; DCA2 946. In NGC encapsulation 6655862-005, graded AU, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5. ($1000)

318. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Shekel (26mm, 14.27 g, 1h). Lifetime of Christ issue. Dated CY 127 (AD 1/2). Laureate head of Melkart right, [lion skin around neck] / Eagle standing left on prow; palm frond in background; to left, r˚Z (date) above club; to right, ˚r above ˆ; b (Phoenician B) between legs. DCA-Tyre 456; HGC 10, 357; DCA2 947. In NGC encapsulation 6944875-001, graded XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Exceptional for date. ($1000)

319. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Shekel (24mm, 13.53 g, 1h). Dated CY 162 (AD 36/7). Head of Melkart right, wearing laurel wreath, [lion skin around neck] / Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond in background; to left, r$∫ (date) above club; to right, ˚r above ); b (Phoenician B) between legs. DCA Tyre 598; HGC 10, 357; DCA2 947. Compact flan, slight roughness. Near EF. ($750)

320. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Half Shekel (18mm, 6.77 g, 1h). Dated CY 164 (AD 38/9). Laureate head of Melkart right, [lion skin around neck] / Eagle standing left on prow; palm frond in background; to left, r$d (date) above club; to right, ˚r above ); ` (Phoenician A) between legs. DCA-Tyre 887 corr. (letter between legs; same rev. die as illustration); HGC 10, 358; DCA2 949. Toned, a couple spots of find patina, slight roughness, bump on obverse. EF. Exceptional for issue. ($750)

321. JUDAEA, Jewish War. 66-70 CE. AR Shekel (22mm, 13.76 g, 11h). Jerusalem mint. Dated year 1 (66/7 CE). Omer cup; ! (“1” in Hebrew [date]) above, pellets flanking; L!Rc¥ LQc (“Shekel of Israel” in Hebrew) around / Sprig of three pomegranates; YcrQ 2Lcur¥ (“Jerusalem [the] holy” in Hebrew) around. Deutsch 31 (O8/R25); Kadman 2; Hendin 6383; Meshorer 184a; Bromberg 59 and 370–2 (same obv. die); Meshorer, Masada 1311 (same obv. die); Sofaer 2 (same obv. die); Spaer 163 (same obv. die). Toned, minor die wear, small chip at edge on reverse. Good VF. ($5000)

Struck during the Jewish War against Rome, which lasted for at least part of five calendar years, these silver Shekels demonstrate a separation from Roman authority. Unlike Roman coins, they bore no human portrait, in order to keep the commandment that “thou shalt not make a graven image.” Legends were written in the language of Jews, Hebrew; the lettering, however, is an archaic form known as “proto-Hebrew,” a form close to the Phoenician script from which it derived. Important religious imagery was the central design on either side; namely, the Omer cup, which held the “first fruits,” the measure of barley during Passover, and the sprig of three pomegranates, used as decoration on many religiously significant items.

322. JUDAEA, Jewish War. 66-70 CE. AR Shekel (21mm, 14.20 g, 12h). Jerusalem mint. Dated year 2 (67/8 CE). Omer cup; @c (“Y[ear] 2” in Hebrew) above, L!Rc¥ LQc (“Shekel of Israel” in Hebrew) around / Sprig of three pomegranates; YcurQY 2¥Lcur¥ (“Jerusalem the holy” in Hebrew) around. Deutsch 4 (O1/R4); Kadman 8; Hendin 6388; Meshorer 193; Bromberg I 63 (same dies); Shoshana I 20202–3; Sofaer 7–8; Spaer 167–8. Lightly toned, die break on obverse. EF. ($5000)

From the Collection of a London Artist.

323. JUDAEA, Jewish War. 66-70 CE. AR Shekel (22mm, 14.14 g, 12h). Jerusalem mint. Dated year 2 (67/8 CE). Omer cup; @c (“Y[ear] 2” in Hebrew) above, L!Rc¥ LQc (“Shekel of Israel” in Hebrew) around / Sprig of three pomegranates; YcurQY 2¥Lcur¥ (“Jerusalem the holy” in Hebrew) around. Deutsch 16 (O3/R14); Kadman 8; Hendin 6388; Meshorer 193; Bromberg I 63; Shoshana I 20202–3; Sofaer 7–8; Spaer 167–8. Lightly toned, a touch off center. Near EF. ($5000)

324. JUDAEA, Jewish War. 66-70 CE. AR Shekel (22.5mm, 13.96 g, 11h). Jerusalem mint. Dated year 3 (68/9 CE). Omer cup; Gc (“Y[ear] 3” in Hebrew = date) above, L!Rc¥ LQc (“Shekel of Israel” in Hebrew) around / Sprig of three pomegranates; YcurQY 2¥Lcur¥ (“Jerusalem the holy” in Hebrew) around. Deutsch 10 (O2/R9); Kadman 20; Hendin 6390; Meshorer 202; Bromberg I 69; Shoshana I 20207–9; Sofaer 29; Spaer 174. Attractively toned, trace deposits. Near EF. ($5000)

325. JUDAEA, Jewish War. 66-70 CE. Æ Quarter Shekel (22.5mm, 11.54 g, 6h). Jerusalem mint. Dated year 4 (69/70 CE). Two lulav branches / Etrog. Hendin 6397; Meshorer 213. Dark green-brown patina, patches of encrustation, a hint of smoothing on obverse. VF. ($750)

326. JUDAEA, Jewish War. 66-70 CE. Æ Eighth Shekel (19.5mm, 5.70 g, 11h). Jerusalem mint. Dated year 4 (69/70 CE). Lulav bunch flanked by etrogs / Omer cup. Hendin 6398; Meshorer 214. Dark brown surfaces, edge splits. Near EF. ($500)

Year 1 “Abu Jara”

327. JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. Æ (32mm, 34.24 g, 12h). Dated year 1 (132/3 CE). 3„o2C/![¥C]3/ L[!RC]¥ (“Shim‘on, Prince of Israel” in Hebrew) in three lines within palm wreath with ties below, medallion above / Amphora; L!RC¥ ¡L!GL ¡H! [¡3C] (“year one of the redemption of Israel” in Hebrew) around. Mildenberg 5 (O1/R5); Meshorer 220b (same obv. die as illustration); Hendin 6405. Dark green-brown surfaces, area of weak strike. VF. ($3000)

Ex Rosenblum 37D (15 November 2007), lot 51; Numismatica Ars Classica 40 (16 May 2007), lot 293; Pastor Stahlberg Collection (Sternberg VI, 25 November 1976), lot 399, purchased from Joseph Hamburger in 1908.

Though the full extent of its causes are debated, what is certain is that the Bar Kochba Revolt of 132-135 CE was bloody and devastating. Hadrian made a brief visit to Judaea circa 130 CE, during his second great provincial tour of 129-132 CE. Prior to his arrival, rumors spread among the Jews that he intended to rebuild Jerusalem and the great Temple, destroyed during the Jewish War of 66-73 CE, so he was at first warmly welcomed. However, according to the Roman historian Cassius Dio, Hadrian decided to rebuild the city as the Roman veteran colony of Aelia Capitolina, with a temple to Jupiter replacing the one once dedicated to Jehovah. It is also claimed in the Historia Augusta that Hadrian made circumcision a capital offense, although Cassius Dio does not mention this law. A combination of one or both of these factors likely sparked the revolt, which decimated the province of Judaea and darkened Hadrian’s final years.

Led by the military leader Simon ben Kosiba (known as Simon bar Kochba [Son of the Star]), a brave and harshly meticulous general, Dio writes that the Judaean forces literally fought underground, “occupy[ing] the advantageous positions in the country and strengthen[ing] them with mines and walls so that they would have places of refuge when hard pressed and could communicate with one another unobserved underground; and they pierced these subterranean passages from above at intervals to let in air and light.” Though these tactics were effective in causing great expense to the Roman Empire, particularly as “many Romans...perished in this war,” they were ultimately not enough to avert disaster. “Very few of [the Jews] in fact survived. Fifty of their most important outposts and nine hundred and eighty-five of their most famous villages were razed to the ground. Five hundred and eighty thousand men were slain in the various raids and battles, and the number of those that perished by famine, disease, and fire was past finding out.” Throughout the failed rebellion, the city remained under Roman control and served as a base of operations for the Sixth and Tenth Legions. Aelia Capitolina remained the city’s official name through the end of the Roman and Byzantine era, although Christians and Jews continued to call it Jerusalem. Jews were banned from entering the city except for one day a year, Tisha B’Av, when they were allowed to mourn at the Western Wall. The mint of Aelia Capitolina produced bronze coins until the brief reign of Hostilian (251 CE).

As David Hendin notes, Bar Kochba’s historically important coins would mark an end to the minting of Jewish coins in antiquity. Though there was absolutely no financial incentive for the Jews to strike their own coins during the revolt as all of the Bar Kochba coinage was overstruck on a motley mix of coins already in circulation, Judaean coinage from this period played an integral role in the dissemination of political propaganda. As Meshorer notes: “Not only did [Bar Kochba] deface the portraits of despised emperors by this technique [of overstriking], he was also able to depict Jewish symbols and nationalistic inscriptions.” Coins were struck with hopeful slogans, such as: “Jerusalem” and “For the freedom of Jerusalem.” Though these coins were useful for the morale of the rebellion, they still marked a period of extreme economic chaos for the Jewish fighters. They “neither controlled an already established mint, nor possessed a city large enough to support a new one.” The lack of consistency this caused was evident, as “the difference in weight between coins that are ostensibly of the same denomination [could] reach 200%.” This resulted in coins of often unique variety, both material and historical.

328. JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. AR Zuz – Denarius (19.5mm, 3.43 g, 7h). Undated, attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE). Grape bunch on vine tendril / Flagon with handle; palm frond to right. Mildenberg 163 (O21/R105); Meshorer 285; Hendin 6460. Iridescent tone, underlying luster, traces of undertype. Near EF. ($750)

329. PHILISTIA (PALESTINE), Uncertain mint. Mid 5th century-333 BC. AR Drachm (16mm, 3.14 g, 5h). Lion attacking ram couchant right; [b (B in Aramaic above] / Bes standing facing, holding in each hand a lion by its hind legs; all in dotted square within incuse square. Gitler & Tal XVIII.5D; cf. Baldwin’s of St James’s 41, lot 13 (hammer $40,000). Rough find patina. VF. Very rare. ($5000)

330. SOUTHERN LEVANT or ARABIA, Uncertain mint. Late 5th-mid 4th centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (20.5mm, 16.40 g, 9h). Imitating Athens. Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Cf. Van Alfen, Studies, Group SI, 1 (highly similar style; Saba’ in Southern Arabia). For prototype: cf. Kroll 8; cf. HGC 4, 1597. Light iridescent tone, slight weakness to strike, faint scratch in field on reverse. Near EF. Very rare. ($750)

331. ARABIA, Northwestern. Lihyan. 2nd–1st centuries BC. AR Tetradrachm (22.5mm, 15.29 g, 10h). Imitating Athens. Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Huth, Athenian, fig. 5, a = Huth 39. Faintly toned, trace deposits, light porosity, minor marks, small flan flaw on obverse. VF. Rare, and of distinctive style. ($750)

332. PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Xerxes I to Darios II. Circa 485-420 BC. AV Daric (13.5mm, 8.26 g). LydoMilesian standard. Sardes mint. Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding spear and bow / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIb, Group A/B (pl. XIII, 27); Meadows, Administration 321; BMC Arabia pl. XXIV, 26; Sunrise 24. Trace deposits. EF. ($1500)

The Achaemenid series began in the late sixth century BC, deriving from the famous Kroiseid coinage, and lasted until the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great in the 330s BC. The term “daric” dates from the fifth century BC, and was used by the Greeks as a term for Persian coinage, particularly the gold (see Herodotos 7.28). Its name derives from that of the Persian king Darios I, under whom the Persian coinage began. Ian Carradice’s study, “The ‘Regal’ Coinage of the Persian Empire” in: Coinage and Administration in the Athenian and Persian Empires (BAR International Series 343 [Oxford. 1987]) forms the modern basis for our understanding of this interesting coinage.

333. PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Xerxes I to Darios II. Circa 485-420 BC. AV Daric (13mm, 8.39 g). LydoMilesian standard. Sardes mint. Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding spear and bow / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIb, Group A/B (pl. XIII, 27); Meadows, Administration 321; BMC Arabia pl. XXIV, 26; Sunrise 24. Trace deposits. EF. ($1500)

334. PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Xerxes I to Darios II. Circa 485-420 BC. AV Daric (13.5mm, 8.30 g). LydoMilesian standard. Sardes mint. Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding spear and bow / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIb, Group A/B (pl. XIII, 27); Meadows, Administration 321; BMC Arabia pl. XXIV, 26; Sunrise 24. Trace deposits, a little die wear. Good VF. ($1500) Ex Triton XXVI (10 January 2023), lot 410.

335. PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Darios II to Artaxerxes II. Circa 420-375 BC. AV Daric (14mm, 8.31 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneelingrunning stance right, holding spear and bow / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIb, Group C (pl. XIV, 42); cf. Meadows, Administration 323; BMC Arabia pl. XXV, 12; Sunrise 28. Underlying luster. Good VF. ($1500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Review XLII.1 (Winter 2017), no. 452235.

336. PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Darios II to Artaxerxes II. Circa 420-375 BC. AV Daric (14mm, 8.32 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding spear and bow / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIb, Group C (pl. XIV, 42); cf. Meadows, Administration 323; BMC Arabia pl. XXV, 12; Sunrise 28. Trace deposits. Good VF. Well centered on a broad flan. ($1500)

From the Meander Collection.

Impressive Mazaios Double Daric

337. PERSIA, Alexandrine Empire. Mazaios. Satrap of Babylon, circa 331-328 BC. AV Double Daric (20mm, 17.09 g, 3h). Baal seated left, head and torso facing, holding scepter in right hand, grain ear and grape bunch on vine in left, upon which an eagle, wings folded, stands right / Lion left, grasping the back of a bull collapsing left, biting into its neck; all in linear square. F. Holt & O. Bopearachchi, The Alexander Medallion (2011), note 106; ibid. figs. 51–2 var. = Miho Museum, Treasures of Ancient Bactria (2002), 44 a–b var. (rev. type right); CNG 117, lot 322; Heritage 3073, lot 30206. For Mazaios’ Cilician silver prototype, cf. SNG Levante 100–6, and for similar local issues of the same type struck contemporaneously with this issue, cf. SNG BN 352–3. A little off center. VF. ($15,000)

This extraordinary gold issue, unknown until the discovery of two examples in the Mir Zakah II deposit, bears the familiar types used by Mazaios as satrap of Cilicia for his silver staters, but without the usual legend and monograms. Mazaios was appointed satrap of Cilicia about 361 BC, and the region known as ‘Across the River’ (modern Syria, Lebanon, and Israel) was later added to his domain. In 331 BC, as Alexander marched into the heart of the Persian Empire, Mazaios at first led a spirited resistance, then abruptly surrendered Babylon to him and switched sides. Alexander rewarded Mazaios by retaining him as governor, a position he held until his death in 328 BC. Alexander made Babylon one of his most important mints, where a large quantity of regular ‘imperial’ coinage was struck. Babylon also produced a substantial group of local coinages, and it is among these that the present type is to be placed. Persian gold was routinely issued without legend, as were many of Mazaios’ standard double darics of the ‘running king’ type (MIG Type 14 = BMC Persia XX, 1). Perhaps it was an initial emergency issue that was later superseded, or perhaps it was a local variation for a special purpose.

Pedigreed to 1952

338. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 17.20 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Memphis or Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 323-317 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; rose in left field, d5-o below throne. CPE 19; Svoronos –; Zervos Issue 2C, dies 209/d (this coin referenced); Price 3971. Beautiful old cabinet tone, with some iridescence, slightly off center and faint cleaning scratches under tone on reverse. Near EF ($2000)

Ex ANA Convention Sale (E. Gans [12], with H. Grunthal and H. Schulman, 16 August 1952), lot 1186.

Extremely Rare and Pedigreed to 1935

339. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC or king, 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 15.75 g, 1h). Ptolemaic standard. In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 306-300 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin, aegis around neck / ŬE$Å@droU, Athena Alkidemos advancing right, brandishing spear in right hand and wearing shield on extended left arm; small round shield to inner left; to right, helmet, d5, and eagle standing right on thunderbolt. CPE 74; Svoronos 176; Zervos Issue 32 (dies 532/a – this coin referenced); SNG Copenhagen –; Künker 111, lot 6343 = Banque Populaire du Nord FPL April 1987, no. 258 (same dies). Attractive old collection tone, hairline flan crack, minor area of flat strike at edge on reverse. EF. Extremely rare issue, one of only six noted by Zervos, with one additional in CoinArchives; five are in museum collections (Alexandria [Graeco-Roman Museum], Berlin [Staatliche Museen, 2 coins], New York [ANS], and Paris [BN]). ($4000)

Ex Wild Rose Collection; Triton XXII (8 January 2019), lot 403; Santamaria (24 January 1938), lot A168; Richard Cartwright Collection (Münzhandlung Basel 4, 1 October 1935), lot 949. Lot also includes two old collection tickets.

Ptolemy I Soter, the son of the Macedonian nobleman Lagus, was a friend and intimate of Alexander III the Great from boyhood and accompanied him on his great career of conquest, from 333-323 BC. Upon Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Ptolemy was granted the prized satrapy of Egypt, the richest of the formerly Persian provinces. Alone among the Diadochi (”successors”), he was largely content with his sphere of influence and did not risk everything to become master of all Alexander’s conquests. However, he was not above using the great conqueror’s image and reputation to secure his own position. In late 322 BC, he hijacked Alexander’s funeral cortege as it was proceeding back to Macedon and had his embalmed corpse formally interred at Memphis in Egypt. The brazen act caused Perdikkas, regent of the empire, to declare war on Ptolemy and launch a full-scale attack. But Ptolemy cleverly stymied the advance of Perdikkas at the Nile and blockaded his army, leading to a revolt and the regent’s assassination. His position strengthened, Ptolemy went on to rule Egypt for nearly 40 years and founded a dynasty that lasted three centuries.

Ptolemy’s early coinage was patterned on Alexander the Great’s ubiquitous Herakles coinage, and was minted at the royal residence of Memphis and subject cities in the Levant. Circa 320 BC, the Memphis mint introduced a new obverse type with the head of the deified Alexander wearing an elaborate headdress made from the skin of an Indian elephant, celebrating his victories in India. Catherine Lorber also notes the small, snake-like trunk on the headdress resembles the uraeus worn by Egyptian Pharaohs, while the ram’s horn of the GrecoEgyptian god Ammon is shown at Alexander’s temple, poking out from underneath the headdress. Four years later came a new reverse depicting Athena Promachos (”Athena who fights on the front line”) in a fighting stance; the new type likely coincided with the relocation of the main mint from Memphis to the new capital of Alexandreia. Though Ptolemy was effectively king in all but name, all of these issues carried the name of Alexander, preserving the fiction of a unified Macedonian empire. The initial issues were on the Attic standard of a tetradrachm weighing about 17 grams, but in 311 BC this was reduced to a new Ptolemaic standard of about 15.7 grams, perhaps as an emergency measure. If so, Ptolemy soon realized the financial advantages to be gained by reducing the weight of the coinage and making Egypt a closed economic sphere. In 305 BC, Ptolemy pronounced himself king (Basileos) and struck gold coins with his own portrait; silver tetradrachms of the elephant skin-type were still struck until 294 BC, when a new portrait type of further reduced weight was introduced.

340. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC, or king, 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 15.65 g, 12h). Ptolemaic standard. In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Uncertain Mint 3, probably Memphis. Struck circa 306-303 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin, aegis around neck / Athena Alkidemos advancing right; , to inner left; to right, È and eagle standing right on thunderbolt. CPE 89; Svoronos 139; Zervos Issue 67, obv. die 640; SNG Copenhagen 23; BMC 46 (same obv. die); Jameson 1000 (same obv. die); McClean 9769 (same obv. die). Old cabinet tone, a few minor marks. Near EF. ($2000)

Extremely Rare

341. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. 305/4-282 BC. AR Diobol (12mm, 1.17 g, 1h). Uncertain mint 12, in Coele-Syria. Struck circa 294-293 BC. Diademed head right, wearing aegis around neck / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; Å to left. CPE 255 (same dies as illustration); Svoronos –; SNG Copenhagen –; H. Gitler & C. Lorber, “Small silver coins of Ptolemy I” in INJ 14 (2002), 2a–b (same dies). Deeply toned, traces of find patina, light scuff at edge on reverse. Good VF. Extremely rare, only three noted in CPE, none in PCO, and only one additional in CoinArchives (Roma E-109, lot 521); all struck from the same die pair. ($1000)

342. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy II Philadelphos, with Arsinöe II, Ptolemy I, and Berenike I. 285246 BC. AV Half Mnaïeion – ‘Tetradrachm’ (20.5mm, 13.82 g, 12h). Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 272-261/0 BC. Conjoined busts of Ptolemy II and Arsinöe II right; Ptolemy is diademed and draped, Arsinöe is diademed and veiled; ÅdE¬fW@ above, shield to left / Conjoined busts of Ptolemy I and Berenike I; Ptolemy is diademed and draped, Berenike is diademed and veiled; QEW@ above. CPE 314; Svoronos 604; Olivier & Lorber dies 18/50; SNG Copenhagen 133; Adams III 2084; Boston MFA 2275; Dewing 2753-4; Noeske 38. Underlying luster. Good VF. ($4000) From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 109 (12 September 2018), lot 377; CNG Inventory 795745 (July 2007).

Extremely Rare Psi-Marked Dekadrachm

343. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Arsinoe II Philadelphos. Died 270/268 BC. AR Dekadrachm (33mm, 34.33 g, 12h). Alexandreia mint. Struck under Ptolemy II, circa 261/0-253/2 BC. Head right, with ram’s horn, veiled and wearing stephane; lotus-tipped scepter in background, Ç to left / År%5@o˙% f5¬ÅdE¬foU, double cornucopia with grape bunches hanging at sides, bound with fillet. CPE 341 (Ptolemy II); Svoronos 517; Troxell, Arsinoe, Group 3, p. 42 and pl. 4, 4 (same obv. die); SNG Copenhagen –; Triton XXVI, lot 432 (same dies). In NGC encapsulation 2401826-010, graded XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, edge cut. Extremely rare, Troxell records only four specimens, only this and the Triton coin in CoinArchives. ($6000)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 452 (18 September 2019), lot 486.

Arsinoe II, daughter of Ptolemy I and Berenike I, was born in 316 BC. Her early life saw her married off to Lysimachos of Thrace at the age of 15 and then to her half-brother, the brutal Ptolemy Keraunos. She conspired against the latter and was forced to flee circa 280 BC to the protection of Egypt, ruled by her younger full brother, Ptolemy II. Her beauty, charm and intelligence utterly captivated Ptolemy, and, after eliminating his previous wife with an accusation of treason, Arsinoe married her brother, probably about 276 BC. Sibling marriage was traditional among Egyptian royalty but among the Greeks it was known only among deities; thus their union advanced the concept of rulers being worshipped as divinities. Though unscrupulous, Arsinoe proved a capable queen and co-ruler, taking charge of Egypt’s foreign affairs. Her death in 270 or 268 BC was marked by her full deification and a huge outpouring of gold and silver coinage bearing her veiled portrait.

Very Rare First Issue – Illustrated by Troxell – Pedigreed to 1953

344. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Arsinoe II Philadelphos. Died 270/268 BC. AV Mnaïeion – ‘Oktadrachm’ (27mm, 27.79 g, 11h). Alexandreia mint. Struck under Ptolemy II, circa 263/2 or 261/0-255/4 BC. Head right, with ram’s horn, veiled and wearing stephane; lotus-tipped scepter in background, no control letter to left / År%5@o˙% f5¬ÅdE¬foU, double cornucopia, grape bunches hanging at sides, bound with fillet. CPE 369; Svoronos 408; Olivier & Lorber unmarked dies 3/5, 11 = Troxell, Arsinoe, Group 2, p. 42, and pl. 3, 3 (this coin); SNG Copenhagen –; Noeske –. In NGC encapsulation 6057867-001, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, ex-jewelry. Very rare first (unmarked) issue of Arsinoe’s mnaïeia. ($10,000) Ex Heritage 3094 (19 August 2021), lot 33028; Coinhunter (C.E. Bullowa, 12 June 1953), lot 497.

One of Two Known – CPE Plate Coin

345. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Arsinoe II Philadelphos. Died 270/268 BC. AV Mnaïeion – ‘Oktadrachm’ (28mm, 27.79 g, 11h). Alexandreia mint. Struck under Ptolemy II, circa 263/2 or 261/0-255/4 BC. Head right, with ram’s horn, veiled and wearing stephane; lotus-tipped scepter in background, d to left / År%5@o˙% f5¬ÅdE¬foU, double cornucopia, grape bunches hanging at sides, bound with fillet. CPE 380 (this coin illustrated); Svoronos 434; Olivier & Lorber Δ dies 1/1, 14 (this coin); Troxell, Arsinoe, Group 2, p. 42, and pl. 3, 5 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen –; Hunterian 8 (same dies); Noeske –. In NGC encapsulation 6708803-002, graded Ch XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, Fine Style. One of only two known with d control (the other in the Hunterian Museum), this the only example in CoinArchives. ($10,000)

Ex Peh Family Collection (Goldberg 137, 29 January 2024), lot 1046; Goldberg 44 (13 December 2008), lot 3681; Leu 42 (12 May 1987), lot 382.

One of Three Known – CPE Plate Coin – Pedigreed to 1965

346. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Arsinoe II Philadelphos. Died 270/268 BC. AV Mnaïeion – ‘Oktadrachm’ (26mm, 27.76 g, 12h). Alexandreia mint. Struck under Ptolemy II, circa 263/2 or 261/0-255/4 BC. Head right, with ram’s horn, veiled and wearing stephane; lotus-tipped scepter in background, z to left / År%5@o˙% f5¬ÅdE¬foU, double cornucopia, grape bunches hanging at sides, bound with fillet. CPE 385 (this coin illustrated); Svoronos 454; Olivier & Lorber Z dies 1/1, 21 (this coin); Troxell, Arsinoe, Group 2, p. 42, and pl. 3, 8 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen –; Hunterian 9 (same dies); Noeske –. In NGC encapsulation 6055914-001, graded Ch XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, marks. One of only three known with z control, this the only example in CoinArchives. ($10,000)

Ex Heritage 232049 (2 December 2020), lot 61091; Numismatic Fine Arts VI (27 February 1979), lot 429; Numismatic Fine Arts IV (24 March 1977), lot 447; Stack’s (10 June 1970), lot 670; Münzen und Medaillen AG FPL 258 (October 1965), no. 18.

Extremely Rare Control

347. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Arsinoe II Philadelphos. Died 270/268 BC. AV Mnaïeion – ‘Oktadrachm’ (28mm, 27.75 g, 11h). Alexandreia mint. Struck under Ptolemy II, circa 254/3-253/2 BC. Head right, with ram’s horn, veiled and wearing stephane; lotus-tipped scepter in background, ˙ to left / År%5@o˙% f5¬ÅdE¬foU, double cornucopia, grape bunches hanging at sides, bound with fillet. CPE 387; Svoronos 459; Olivier & Lorber H dies 1/4, 29–30; Troxell, Arsinoe, Transitional to Group 3, p. 43, and pl. 6, 1 (same obv. die); SNG Copenhagen –; Benha 2 (same dies); Boston MFA 2267 (same obv. die); Hunterian 10 (same obv. die); Noeske –. In NGC encapsulation 6829237-001, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, Fine Style. Extremely rare with ˙ control, only nine examples noted by Olivier & Lorber, this the only additional example in CoinArchives. ($10,000)

Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 140 (7 November 2023), lot 185.

and

Four Rare

Attractive Mnaïeions of Arsinoe II

348. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy III Euergetes. 246-222 BC. AV Mnaïeion – “Oktadrachm” (26mm, 27.78 g, 12h). Posthumous issue under Ptolemy IV. Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 219-217 BC. Bust of the deified Ptolemy III right, wearing radiate diadem and aegis; trident over left shoulder, middle prong ends in a lotus finial / ∫Å%5¬EW% ∏to¬EÂÅ5oU, radiate and filleted cornucopia; d5 below. CPE 888; Svoronos 1117; Olivier & Lorber 185 (dies 4/15 – this coin); SNG Copenhagen 196; Boston MFA 2283 (same obv. die); Consul Weber 4497 (same dies). In NGC encapsulation 2401248-001, graded AU, Strike: 3/5, Surface: 2/5, die rust. ($7500)

From the Collection of a London Artist. Ex Heritage 3012 (2 January 2011), lot 24510.

Ptolemy IV struck an extensive series of oktadrachms for his father Ptolemy III, portraying him with the divine attributes of Helios (the radiate diadem), Zeus (the aegis), and Poseidon (the trident, the middle prong modified with the addition of the Egyptian lotus tip). The syncretization of this imagery has been discussed by numerous authors who offer diverse interpretations, suggesting that it may assimilate Ptolemy III with Serapis, or associate him with Aion Plutonions (a god of wealth, fertility, and rebirth) or Alexander the Great (as a conqueror of the Orient). The totality of the imagery, moreover, “alludes to Ptolemy’s great victory over the Seleucids in the Third Syrian War, a theme that was especially resonant during the Fourth Syrian War” (CPE, p. 431) when these commemorative issues were struck.

Ex Count de Laval and Prince Waldeck Collections

349. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy VI Philometor. First sole reign, 180-170 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 14.21 g, 12h). Uncertain mint on Cyprus. Dated year 78 of an uncertain era (185/4 BC). Diademed bust of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; o˙ (date) to left. Svoronos 1098; Olivier 75 (D9/R28 – this coin); SNG Copenhagen –; DCA2 1155. Old iridescent tone, light scratch under tone on reverse. Good VF. ($750)

Ex Collection of a Mentor; Count de Laval Collection [Property of a Nobleman] (Glendining, 18 April 1955), lot 691; Prince Waldeck Collection (Münzhandlung Basel 4, 1 October 1935), lot 1037.

Ptolemy VI Philometor (“mother-loving”) inherited the throne at the age of six under a darkening cloud, after his father’s apparent murder by a palace clique. Although his reign would witness wild swings in fortune, he proved one of the more energetic and successful Ptolemaic rulers and the last truly capable man of his dynasty to hold the title of Pharaoh. Although badly defeated by the Seleukid king Antiochos IV Epiphanes during the Sixth Syrian War of 170-168 BC, Roman intervention saved his kingdom and preserved his throne. Exiled in 164 BC after a coup led by his scheming brother, Ptolemy VIII Physcon (”potbelly”), he sought refuge in Rome and eventually managed a triumphant return to power in 163 BC. His second reign was much more successful than the first. Egypt entered a period of stability and prosperity that saw the Roman orator Cato the Elder praise Ptolemy VI as a just and beneficent ruler. Through skillful manipulation of dynastic politics, he stirred up chaos in the Seleukid Empire and occupied a large swath of their territory, winning complete revenge for his humiliation of two decades previous. At the height of his success in 145 BC, he suffered an apparently minor fall from his horse, but rapidly worsened and died three days later. Not until Kleopatra VII would the Ptolemaic realm again be as powerful and influential in world affairs.

350. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Kleopatra VII Thea Neotera. 51-30 BC. Æ (21mm, 7.81 g, 2h). Orthoseia mint. Dated RY 2 (of Kleopatra in Phoenicia, 36/5 BC). Diademed and draped bust right / Baal of Orthoseia driving biga drawn by griffins right; l∫ (date) to left. Svoronos –; Olivier & Aumaître dies D1/R1; HGC 10, 210; RPC I 4501; DCA2 815. Dark green-brown surfaces, slight roughness, small scuff on obverse, area of weak strike on reverse. VF. Excellent portrait, choice for issue. ($1000)

Kleopatra VII & Caesarion

351. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Kleopatra VII Thea Neotera, with Ptolemy XV Caesarion. 51-30 BC. Æ (29.5mm, 18.06 g, 12h). Paphos mint. Struck circa 47 BC. Diademed and draped bust of Kleopatra, as Aphrodite, right; to right, small winged bust of Caesarion, as Eros, looking up at his mother; scepter to left / Double cornucopia bound with fillet; X to right. Svoronos 1874; Weiser –; SNG Copenhagen –; BMC 2; RPC I 3901. Rough dark brown surfaces, light patches of green encrustation, edge splits. VF. Very rare. ($2000)

While ostensibly displaying Aphrodite holding Eros in her arms, this type was in fact a dynastic issue, following in the Ptolemaic tradition that rulers were represented in the guise of gods. Here, the identification of Kleopatra as Aphrodite is not controversial, as the two are often related in classical literature. The choice of this type is relative to its place of the issue, Cyprus, where an important temple to Aphodite was located at Paphos. In 48 BC, Julius Caesar gave Cyprus to Kleopatra, and the fact that Caesarion was his son by the Egyptian queen lends credence to the identification of Eros as Caesarion on this coin. Literary and epigraphic evidence clearly displays the intent of Kleopatra to elevate their son to the status of a co-ruler, and as such, his presence on the coin would be conventional. Nonetheless, other candidates have been suggested, such as either of her sons by Mark Antony, Alexander Helios or Ptolemy Philadelphos. As the coin has no indication of date, it could have been struck later, after Kleopatra gave birth to Antony’s children. Two facts, though, suggest that this isolated issue would not favor either of these children over Caesarion. In 34 BC, when Antony was celebrating his Armenian ‘victory’ at Alexandreia, Caesarion was given a higher status in the event than Antony’s sons. Also, numismatic evidence suggests that Caesarion retained his position as primary heir until Kleopatra’s death (see O. Mørkholm, “Ptolemaic Coins and Chonology” in MN 20 [1975]). It seems appropriate that this exceptional issue would have been struck in commemoration of Caesarion’s birth in 47 BC, on the island that had just been given to his mother, Kleopatra, by his father, Caesar.

352. KINGS of MAURETANIA. Juba II. 25 BC-AD 24. AR Denarius (16.5mm, 2.17 g, 6h). Caesarea mint. Diademed head right / Elephant advancing right. Mazard 135; MAA 75; SNG Copenhagen 577–8. Toned, slight roughness. EF. ($500)

Juba II was born about 50 BC, the son of King Juba of Numidia who lost his kingdom and his life following Caesar’s victory over the Pompeians at Thapsus in 46 BC. The child was brought to Rome to adorn the dictator’s triumph and then remained in the capital, where he received his education and was later granted Roman citizenship. During this time, he became a close friend of Octavian, thirteen years his senior. In 25 BC, Octavian, now Rome’s first emperor under the name of Augustus, granted his friend Juba the North African Kingdom of Mauretania, which had been annexed by the Romans following the death of Bocchus III in 33. About five years later, Juba II married the 20-year-old Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Mark Antony and Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt, who had been brought up by the emperor’s sister, Octavia, following her parents’ suicide in Alexandria in 30 BC. Their rule over Mauretania was benevolent, and quite prosperous, though there were constant border security problems. Juba survived to an advanced age and was eventually succeeded by Ptolemy, his son by Cleopatra Selene, in AD 24.

End of Session 1

Session 2 — Tuesday, May 13, 2025 — 2 PM

ORIENTAL GREEK COINAGE

353. KINGS of PARTHIA. Mithradates I. 165-132 BC. AR Drachm (17.5mm, 3.97 g, 10h). Ekbatana mint. Struck circa 148-138/7 BC. Diademed and draped bust right / Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on omphalos, holding bow; m to outer left. Sellwood 12.1 var. (no monogram); Sunrise 258; Shore –. Bright surfaces, slight doubling on reverse. EF. ($1000)

Mithradates I was renowned for prudence and military ability; with his accession, Parthia’s true expansion began, and eventually culminated in the formation of one of the most successful oriental monarchies. In a series of campaigns following the death of the Seleukid ruler, Antiochos IV, in November/December 164 B.C., Mithradates extended Parthian frontiers in the east and west. He first took advantage of Baktrian weaknesses, caused by prolonged and violent wars between Eukratides I and Demetrios II, and annexed the two strategically important eparchies of Tapuria and Traxiane sometime after 163 B.C. With the eastern frontiers secured, Mithradates turned west and conquered Media Magna and Atropatene. Then, in June/July 141 B.C., his forces overran Mesopotamia and captured Seleucia on the Tigris and Babylon. We next hear of Mithradates in Hyrcania, perhaps preparing for the defence of Parthia’s northern frontiers against steppe invaders. At the same time it appears that his generals extended his campaigns into Elam and ultimately established Parthian suzerainty over the greater part of that province. Mithradates’ last known triumph was against the Seleukid king, Demetrios II, whom he captured and sent off to Media (and later married to his daughter Rhodogune). It is generally believed that Mithradates’ latest dated coinage (S13.5 and S13.10) marks the end of his reign before October 138 B.C. However, information in several cuneiform tablets reveals that he was alive until 132 BC.

354. KINGS of PARTHIA. Mithradates I. 165-132 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 15.85 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Struck circa 141/0 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, within bead-and-reel border / Diademed and beardless young Herakles standing left, holding skyphos in extended right hand and cradling club in lion skin-draped left arm; Q in exergue. Sellwood 13.2; Sunrise 260; Shore 35. Bright surfaces. EF. ($5000)

Rare

355. KINGS of PARTHIA. Mithradates I. 165-132 BC. AR Drachm (19.5mm, 3.83 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Struck circa 141/0 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, within bead-and-reel border / Zeus seated left, holding eagle in extended hand and scepter; Q in exergue. Sellwood 13.6; Sunrise 263; Shore –. Bright surfaces. EF. Rare. ($1000)

Extremely Rare

356. KINGS of PARTHIA. Pakoros I. Circa AD 78-120. AR Drachm (20.5mm, 3.47 g, 12h). Ekbatana mint. Diademed bust left, wearing short beard / Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow; + below bow. Sellwood 75.7; Sunrise 432; Shore 398; PDC 27304 (this coin). Bright surfaces, some roughness and porosity, marks on obverse. VF. Well struck. Extremely rare. ($750)

Ex Todd A. Ballen Collection (Triton XIII, 5 January 2010), lot 760; Triton VIII (11 January 2005), lot 604; Bellaria Collection (Triton VII, 13 January 2004), lot 1335 (part of).

357. KINGS of ELYMAIS. Kamnaskires V. Circa 54/3-33/2 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.48 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Hedyphon mint. Dated SE [2]68 (45/4 BC). Diademed and draped bust left; to right, star above anchor symbol / Diademed and draped bust left; monogram to lower left; [s]$˙ (date) in exergue. van’t Haaff Type 9.1.1-3 var. (date); Alram –; Sunrise – . Iridescent toning, tiny edge splits, roughness on reverse. EF. Rare date. ($500)

Unique Tetradrachm

358. KINGS of PERSIS. Baydād (Bagadat). Early 3rd century BC. AR Tetradrachm (30mm, 17.06 g, 9h). Istakhr (Persepolis) mint. Head right, with short beard, mustache, and earring, wearing kyrbasia with flaps tied behind / Baydād enthroned left, holding scepter and cup; standard to inner left; !3%;! 3 (zy ’lhy’ = of the gods in Aramaic) up left, ¥ !KR†Rp †D3b (bgdt prtrk’ z in Aramaic) down right, 3˚2/%;a 3¥ aKR†Rp †D3b (bgdt prtrk’ zy ’lh/hyy [sic] in Aramaic) flanking scepter. van’t Haaff, Persis, Type 511/514 e-f var. (no double-engraved rev.; same obv. die); K&M 2/1 var. (no doubleengraved rev.); Alram 511 var. (same); Sunrise 557 var. (same). Toned with traces of iridescence, light roughness, double strike on reverse. Good VF. Overstruck on an uncertain mint tetradrachm of Alexander III type, likely an issue of Seleukos I. Unpublished, unique. ($5000)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 123 (23 May 2023), lot 332.

This unpublished and unique coin has a double-engraved reverse legend of the type found on this issue – bgdt prtrk’ zy ’lh/hy (Baydad frataraka of the gods).

359. KINGS of PERSIS. Vādfradād (Autophradates) II. Early-mid 2nd century BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 16.73 g, 9h). Istakhr (Persepolis) mint. Bearded head right, wearing diadem and kyrbasia adorned with eagle / Fire temple of AhuraMazda; above, half-figure of Ahura-Mazda; to left, Vādfradād standing right; to right, eagle standing left on standard; p† zG ;% (pt zy lh in Aramaic) down inner right. van’t Haaff, Persis Type 546a (same obv. die as illustration); K&M 3/1 var. (no legend on rev.; same obv. die); Alram 546 var. (no legend on rev.); DeMorgan, pl. XXVIII, 7 and 10 var. (same); cf. BMC 1 (Darius[?]; for type); Sunrise –; MACW –; Roma XXI, lot 306 (same obv. die); Leu Web Auction 14, lot 648 (same obv. die); Nomos 14, lot 172 (same obv. die); VAuctions 354/Pars Coins 10, lot 111 = VAuctions 350/Pars Coins 7, lot 169 (same obv. die); CNG 111, lot 441 (same obv. die). Iridescent toning, struck with worn reverse die. Near EF. Obverse struck in high relief. ($3000)

Ex Pars Coins inventory PCW-A613 (ND).

360. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Euthydemos I Theos Megas. Circa 225-200/195 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 16.54 g, 12h). Mint A (near Aï Khanoum). Struck circa 225-220/15 BC. Diademed middle-aged head right / Herakles seated left on rock, holding club set on rocks; d to lower right; Å below rock. MPHB A Group I, 122 (this coin referenced); Kritt A8; Bopearachchi 10A; SNG ANS 137; HGC 12, 63. Deeply toned with iridescence, slight doubling, minor flan flaw on reverse. Good VF. Rare. ($750)

Ex Elsen 67 (15 September 2001), lot 312.

361. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Demetrios I Aniketos. Circa 200-185 BC. AR Tetradrachm (33mm, 16.63 g, 12h). Diademed and draped bust right, wearing elephant skin / Herakles standing facing, crowning himself, holding club and lion skin; d to inner left. MPHB Group I, O1/R– (unlisted rev. die); Bopearachchi 1B; SNG ANS 186; HGC 12, 63. Slight iridescence, deposits, light cleaning marks, crystallized surfaces. Near EF ($1500)

The unusual elephant headdress worn by Demetrios on this tetradrachm recalls that of Alexander the Great on his early coinage of Ptolemaic Egypt, likely referring to his conquests in northern India. Demetrios campaigned in India while serving a long apprenticeship under his father, Euthydemos I, as recorded on a dedicatory stone discovered north of Aï Khanoum in Afghanistan. After succeeding to the throne, he launched an invasion of northern India that extended Greek control into modern Pakistan. The historian Strabo claims “more tribes were subdued by [Demetrios] than Alexander.” He apparently made Taxila in the Punjab his capital, and during his reign the Greco-Baktrian kingdom reached its greatest extent. His son Euthydemos II seems to have reigned jointly with him for a short time, but after the end of the regime circa 180 BC the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom fragmented, with his ministers and/or relations Apollodotos, Agathokles, Antimachos, and Panteleon claiming portions of it.

362. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Eukratides I Megas. Circa 170-145 BC. AR Tetradrachm (35.5mm, 17.00 g, 12h). Helmeted, diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / The Dioskouroi, holding couched spears and palm fronds, on horses rearing right; à in lower right field. Bopearachchi 6X; SNG ANS 472; HGC 12, 131. Light iridescence, traces of underlying luster, traces of deposits, porosity, a couple of flan flaws, hairlines, double struck on obverse. EF. ($1500)

363. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Eukratides I Megas. Circa 170-145 BC. AR Tetradrachm (33mm, 16.38 g, 12h). Diademed and helmeted heroic bust left, seen from behind, brandishing spear in right hand / The Dioskouroi, holding couched spears and palm fronds, on horses rearing right; D in lower right field. Bopearachchi 8B; SNG ANS 485; HGC 12, 132. Toned, porosity, tiny edge split. Good VF. ($3000)

Ex Elsen 70 (15 June 2002), lot 377; Elsen 46 (21 September 1996), lot 369.

Impressive Dynastic Tetradrachm

364. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Eukratides I Megas. Circa 170-145 BC. AR Tetradrachm (32mm, 16.99 g, 12h). Dynastic pedigree issue. ∫å%5GEU% ÂE˝Å% EUkrÅt5d˙% around, bust of Eukratides right, wearing helmet adorned with bull’s horn and ear; all within bead-and-reel border / ˙G5okGEoU% above, kÅ5 GÅod5k˙% in exergue, conjoined draped busts of Heliokles and Laodike, wearing tainia, right; D to left; all within bead-and-reel border. Bopearachchi 13A; SNG ANS 526-7; HGC 12, 133. In NGC encapsulation 6066349-003, graded AU★, Strike: 5/5, Surface 4/5, Fine Style. ($5000)

Ex Paramount Collection (Heritage 3096, 25 March 2021), lot 30047; Leu 83 (6 May 2002), lot 436; Classical Numismatic Group XXX (11 June 1994), lot 227 (reverse of coin on front cover and enlargement on p. 5).

True to his self-granted title, Eukratides Megas was perhaps the greatest of the Greco-Baktrian kings. His origins are obscure; he seems to have been the son of one Heliokles and a woman named Laodike, who may have been related to the Diodotid or Seleukid royal houses. This tincture of blue blood enabled him to attain a leading position in the army or civil service of the Greco-Baktrian realm, which had by circa 170 BC broken into several sub-kingdoms ruled by Antimachos I and II, Apollodotus I, and Demetrios II. Eukratides revolted against Demetrios and, despite being heavily outnumbered, succeeded in seizing his throne. Then, methodically, he defeated the other Baktrian rulers and annexed their realms, ultimately assuming the title Megas (“Greatest”). Only Menander I Soter, who controlled northern India, seems to have held out against him. Often depicted on his coins wearing a broad-brimmed helmet, his image spread far and wide, and the splendor of his reign was noticed by the Hellenistic states far to the west. The second century AD historian Justin wrote a brief, garbled account of his reign, noting that he “carried out several wars with great spirit,” but that he ultimately was murdered by one of his own sons while on campaign: “He was killed on his march by his son, with whom he had shared his throne, and who was so far from concealing the murder... he drove his chariot through his blood, and ordered his body to be cast out unburied.” Which of his three sons (Eukratides II, Plato and Heliokles I) carried out the patricide remains a mystery.

365. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Eukratides II Soter. Circa 145-140 BC. AR Tetradrachm (32mm, 16.95 g, 12h). Diademed and draped bust right / Apollo standing left, holding arrow and bow set on ground; N to inner left. Bopearachchi 3B; SNG ANS 625-6; HGC 12, 162. Iridescent toning, deposits, porosity, reverse double strike. Near EF. ($500)

366. BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Lysias Aniketos. Circa 130-125 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 2.44 g, 12h). Helmeted, diademed, and draped bust right / Herakles standing facing, crowning himself with wreath and holding club in arm draped with lion skin; ™ to inner left. Senior H.2.8D; Bopearachchi 4A; SNG ANS –; HGC 12, 360. Iridescent toning, traces of underlying luster, hint of deposits and porosity, slight double strike, struck with worn obverse die. EF. ($500)

367. BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Epander Nikephoros. Circa 80/75 BC. Æ (22x22mm, 9.61 g, 12h). Square module. Nike advancing right / Zebu standing right; S to lower right. Bopearachchi 2A; SNG ANS 1257; HGC 12, 413. Dark green patina, edge encrustation, smoothing and cleaning marks. Good VF. Rare. ($500)

From the Fellows Collection.

368. BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Hippostratos Soter. Circa 65-55 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30mm, 9.55 g, 1h). Diademed and draped bust right / Hippostratos, in military attire, on horse rearing right on ground line; m (mam in Kharosthi) to left; O to right; 7 (pra in Kharosthi) in exergue. Bopearachchi 5E; SNG ANS –; HGC 12, 450. Iridescent toning slight porosity and hairlines. Near EF. Rare. ($500)

From the Fellows Collection. Ex Klaus Grigo Collection (Gorny & Mosch 297, 9 October 2023), lot 446.

CENTRAL ASIAN COINAGE

369. KHWAREZMIA. Biwarsar II. Late 4th-first quarter of 5th centuries AD. AR Reduced Tetradrachm (29mm, 4.83 g, 12h). Diademed bearded bust right, wearing headdress with frontal crescent containing three pellets, all within a beadand-reel border / King on horseback right; 5 to left. Vainberg Б2 VI; Zeno 105031. Deeply toned with traces of iridescence, areas of find patina. VF. Rare. ($750)

370. KHWAREZMIA. Biwarsar II. Late 4th-first quarter of 5th centuries AD. AR Reduced Tetradrachm (28mm, 4.57 g, 12h). Diademed bearded bust right, wearing headdress with frontal crescent containing three pellets, all within a beadand-reel border / King on horseback right; 5 to left. Vainberg Б2 VII; Zeno 105031. Toned, deposits, light roughness, minor marks. VF. Very rare. ($750)

371. KHWAREZMIA. Tutuhas(?). Last quarter of 5th-early 6th centuries AD. AR Reduced Tetradrachm (31.5mm, 7.87 g, 12h). Diademed bearded bust right, wearing headdress with frontal crescent containing three pellets, all within a beadand-reel border / King on horseback right; 5 to left. Vainberg Б I; Zeno 173645. Iridescent toning, areas of find patina, light roughness, marks. VF. Very rare. ($500)

372. KHWAREZMIA. Tutuhas(?). Last quarter of 5th-early 6th centuries AD. AR Reduced Tetradrachm (29mm, 6.11 g, 12h). Diademed bearded bust right, wearing headdress with frontal crescent containing three pellets, all within a beadand-reel border / King on horseback right; 5 to left. Vainberg Б I; Zeno 173645. Deeply toned with traces of iridescence, areas of find patina. VF. Very rare. ($500) 371

373. INDIA, Kushan Empire. Kanishka I. Circa AD 127-151. AV Dinar (20mm, 7.96 g, 12h). Main mint in Baktria (Balkh?). Late phase. Kanishka standing left, holding goad and scepter, sacrificing over altar to left; flame at shoulder / Mao (Mithra) standing left, extending hand in benediction and holding scepter; 9 to left. MK 70 (dies 28/16); ANS Kushan 379; Donum Burns –. EF. ($1500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 100 (7 October 2015), lot 1665.

374. INDIA, Kushan Empire. Huvishka. Circa AD 151-190. AV Dinar (20mm, 8.03 g, 12h). Main mint in Baktria (Balkh?). Late phase. Nimbate, diademed, and crowned half-length bust left on clouds, holding mace-scepter and filleted spear / Ardoxsho, wearing stephane, standing facing, head right, extending cornucopia with both hands; 7 to right. MK 286 (dies 12/42); ANS Kushan 749 = Adams III, lot 2123 (same obv. die); Donum Burns 263; BM inv. 1879,0501.46 (same dies). Lightly toned, traces of double strike, reverse struck with rusty die, small edge mark. Near EF. ($1500)

375. INDIA, Kushan Empire. Huvishka. Circa AD 152-192. AV Dinar (20mm, 7.99 g, 12h). Subsidiary mint in Gandhara (Peshawar?). Early phase. Crowned and diademed bust left on clouds, holding mace-scepter and goad; flames over shoulder / Mao (Mithra), diademed, lunar “horns” at shoulders, standing facing, head left, extending hand in benediction, cradling filleted and globe-tipped scepter, and holding scepter; & to left. MK 296/2 (dies 31/42); ANS Kushan 756; Donum Burns 269–70. Lightly toned, traces of deposits, minor doubling and die rust on obverse. EF ($1500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 105 (10 May 2017), lot 546; Heritage 3032 (10 April 2014), lot 23392.

Ex Allotte de la Fuÿe, Grandprey, and Dayet Collections – Pedigreed to 1925

376. INDIA, Kushan Empire. Huvishka. Circa AD 151-190. AV Dinar (21mm, 7.92 g, 12h). Subsidiary mint in Gandhara (Peshawar?). Late phase. Nimbate, diademed, and crowned half-length bust left on clouds, holding mace-scepter and filleted spear / Mao, nimbate, lunar “horns” at shoulders, standing facing, head left, holding diadem and sword; & to left. MK 353/4 (dies 2/4 – this coin); ANS Kushan –; Donum Burns –. Toned, ex jewelry, cleaning marks. VF. ($1500)

Ex Général de Grandprey Collection (Ciani, 20 February 1935), lot 248 (purchased by Allotte de la Fuÿe for FF 260); ‘Baron’ Maurice Dayet Collection (‘Collection d’un Diplomate’, Platt, 27 June 1925), lot 179 (purchased by Grandprey for FF 165).

377. INDIA, Kushan Empire. Vasudeva I. Circa AD 190-230. AV Dinar (22mm, 7.72 g, 12h). Main mint in Baktria (Balkh?). Late phase. Vasudeva standing left, holding filleted standard, sacrificing over altar to left; filleted trident to left; 0 to right / Ithyphallic Siva standing facing, flames at shoulders, holding a garland or diadem and trident; behind, the bull Nandi standing left; : to upper left. MK 640A var. (dies 1/– [unlisted rev. die]; Vasudeva II); ANS Kushan 1091-3; Donum Burns 451 (same obv. die). Lightly toned, struck with a worn obverse die. Good VF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Charles E. Weber Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 64, 24 September 2003), lot 559 (his tickets included).

378. INDIA, Gupta Empire. First Dynasty. Skandagupta Kramaditya. Circa AD 455-467. AV Dinar (20mm, 9.17 g, 12h). Archer Type, Class II, Variety A.1. Skandragupta standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding filleted standard; behind to left, Garuda standard; A$ (skandra in Brahmi) down inner right / Ardoxsho, seated facing cross-legged on lotus, holding diadem and cornucopia; ( to upper left. Kumar Class II Variety A.1, 836-7; BKB 201; BMC Guptas 426; Altekar Variety B; Bayana 2. Lightly toned, traces of deposits, a couple of light scrapes, die wear on obverse. Near EF. ($1500)

Ex Chand Collection.

379. INDIA, Gupta Empire. First Dynasty. Skandagupta Kramaditya. Circa AD 455-467. AV Dinar (21mm, 9.01 g, 12h). Archer Type, Class II, Variety A.1. Skandragupta standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding filleted standard; behind to left, Garuda standard; A$ (skandra in Brahmi) down inner right / Ardoxsho, seated facing cross-legged on lotus, holding diadem and cornucopia; ( to upper left. Kumar Class II Variety A.1, 836-7; BKB 201; BMC Guptas 426; Altekar Variety B; Bayana 2. Lightly toned. VF. ($1500)

Ex Chand Collection.

380. SASANIAN KINGS. Ardaxšīr (Ardashir) I. AD 223/4-240. AR Obol (23mm, 0.50 g, 3h). Mint B (“Hamadan”). Phase 2c, circa AD 226/7-228/30. Bust right, wearing diadem (type G) and Parthian-style tiara decorated with star / Fire altar (flames 2b) with diadems (type R); no attendants. SNS type IIc(3)/3a(2b); cf. Sunrise 697. Iridescent toning, spot of flat strike, traces of deposits. Near EF. Extremely rare and exceptional for issue. ($500)

Ex Pars Coins inventory PCW-S1928 (ND).

381. SASANIAN KINGS. Šābuhr (Shahpur) I. AD 240-272. AV Dinar (22mm, 7.32 g, 3h). Mint I (“Ctesiphon”).

Phase 1b, circa AD 244-252/3. Bust right, wearing diadem and mural crown with korymbos and ribbons / Fire altar; flanked by two attendants wearing mural crowns, each without korymbos; pellet to left of right attendant. SNS type IIc/1a, style A, Group h; cf. Saeedi AV9 (for type); Sunrise –; CNG 66, lot 854 (same dies). Lightly toned, deposits in devices. EF. ($2500)

The Sasanian Empire reached its greatest size under Šābuhr (Shahpur) I, who is perhaps most famous for defeating two Roman emperors, Philip I and Valerian, actually capturing the latter. The newfound wealth of the Sasanians was reflected in an extraordinary mintage of gold dinars, likely utilizing gold plundered from Roman cities and collected as tribute or ransom. The reverse type, which is the standard type on all Sasanian coins, served a dual purpose. It made clear the paramount place of religion in the new empire, and served as a direct link to the ancient Persian religion, as the altar was modeled after the great altar in the ancient Persian palace at Persepolis.

382. SASANIAN KINGS. Šābuhr (Shahpur) I. AD 240-272. AV Dinar (24mm, 7.27 g, 3h). Mint I (“Ctesiphon”). Phase 1b, circa AD 244-252/3. Bust right, wearing diadem and mural crown with korymbos and ribbons; pellet between korymbos and merlon / Fire altar; flanked by two attendants wearing mural crowns, each without korymbos. SNS type IIc/1a, style A, Group h; cf. Saeedi AV9 (for type); Sunrise –; cf. CNG 66, lot 854 (for type). Lightly toned, slight double strike, marks, minor die rust, areas of weakness. Near EF. ($2500)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 120 (11 May 2022), lot 600.

383. SASANIAN KINGS. Vahrām (Bahram) II, with Queen and Prince 4. AD 276-293. AR Drachm (28.5mm, 4.36 g, 3h). Style A. ‘Ctesiphon’ mint. Jugate busts of Vahrām (Bahram), wearing winged crown with korymbos, and his queen, wearing kolah with boar’s head, right, vis-a-vis bust of Prince 4, wearing kolah with eagle’s head, left / Fire altar; flanked by two attendants facing outward, each wearing winged crown with korymbos; > to left of flames. SNS type VIa(1)/2(1a), Style A; Sunrise –. Bright surfaces, light roughness, hairline die break on reverse. EF ($500)

384. SASANIAN KINGS. Ardaxšīr (Ardashir) II. AD 379-383. AV Dinar (21.5mm, 7.28 g, 3h). Mint I (“Kabul”). RM Z†Cj†R1 4 EYYZZM (mzdysn bgy ’rtḥštr MR in Pahlavi), bust right, wearing plain crown with korymbos / Fire altar with ribbons; 1YYM Y1YYM (MRK’n MRK in blundered Pahlavi) to left and right of flames. SNS III type Ib/2 and pl. 23, A45; Saeedi AV59; Sunrise 871 = New York Sale XXXVII, lot 531; Triton VII, lot 624. Toned, die rust, some doubling, slight smoothing and tooling, edge marks. EF. Well struck. Very rare. ($5000)

Ex Triton XXVII (9 January 2024), lot 446.

385. SASANIAN KINGS. Pērōz (Fīrūz) I. AD 457/9-484. AR Drachm (27mm, 3.94 g, 3h). Local issue of a Type 3. BYŠ (Bishapur) mint. Struck circa AD 477-484. Bust left, wearing crown with two wings, frontal crescent, and korymbos set on crescent, ribbon over each shoulder / Fire altar with ribbons; flanked by two attendants, star and crescent flanking flames; M (m in Pahlavi) on left, £ (BYŠ in Pahlavi) on right. SNS –, but cf. IIIb/1e (for standard type); SNS Schaaf 404; Saaedi –; Göbl –; De Morgan –; Sunrise –; Zeno –; CNG E-547, lot 529 (same obv. die); CNG 124, lot 417 (same obv. die). Iridescent toning, deposits, roughness cleaning marks, areas of weakness. Good VF. Extremely rare, one of three currently recorded. ($1000)

Extremely Rare and Exceptional

386. SASANIAN KINGS. Kavād (Kavādh) I. First reign, AD 488-497. AR Obol (13mm, 0.50 g, 3h). ART? (Ardaxšīrxvarrah) mint. Struck circa AD 458-465. Bust right, wearing mural crown with frontal crescent, korymbos set on crescent, and rear merlon / Fire altar with ribbons; flanked by two attendants; star and crescent flanking flames. SNS type I/1 and pl. 105, A3; Sunrise 957; Zeno 315323 (this coin). Bright surfaces, light deposits. EF. Extremely rare and exceptional for issue. ($500)

387. SASANIAN KINGS. Vistahm (Bistām). AD 591/2-597. AR Drachm (32mm, 4.14 g, 3h). APL mint. Dated RY 4 (AD 594/5). Bust right, wearing mural crown with frontal crescent and pellet-in-crescent set on crescent / Fire altar with ribbons; flanked by two attendants; star and crescent flanking flames. SC Tehran –; SNS Schaaf –; Sunrise –; Zeno 260593 (this coin). Iridescent toning, deposits, slight doubling. EF. Very rare. ($500)

388. KUSHANO-SASANIANS. temp. Pērōz (Fīrūz) I – II. Circa AD 255-310. AV Dinar (27.5mm, 7.74 g, 12h). Imitating Kushan king Vasudeva I. Uncertain mint in Baktria. Late series. Vasudeva standing left, holding trident, sacrificing over altar to left; filleted trident to left; • to right on altar; · between legs; ˘ below arm; 0 to right / Ithyphallic Siva standing facing, holding a garland or diadem and trident; behind, the bull Nandi standing left; to upper left, • and 6; ˘ below Nandi’s head. MK 688; ANS Kushan 1702; Donum Burns –. Toned, deposits in devices, double struck, tiny edge split. Near EF. ($500)

389. KUSHANO-SASANIANS. Vahrām (Bahram) I. Circa AD 330-365. AV Dinar (35mm, 7.82 g, 12h). Boxlo (Balkh) mint. Struck under Kidarite king Kidara, circa AD 350-365. Vahram standing left on ground line, wearing lotus crown with ribbons and surmounted by pomegranate with ribbons, flames at shoulders, sacrificing at altar and holding trident; to left, trident standard above altar, middle prong surmounted by crescent; to right, ) above tulip / Siva standing facing, holding diadem and trident; behind, the bull Nandi standing left. Cribb, Kidarites 5B; ANS Kushan 2430; cf. MK 727-30 (for type); Donum Burns –; cf. Adams III 2175. Typical rough strike on reverse. EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XXIII (14 January 2020), lot 571.

ROMAN PROVINCIAL COINAGE

Ex Nanteuil Collection – Pedigreed to 1925

390. MACEDON, Roman Republican period. Roman embassy. Circa 148-147 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.84 g, 3h). Amphipolis or Thessalonica mint. Diademed and draped bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder, in boss of a Macedonian shield / Club; above, Leg and hand holding olive branch left; below ÂÅ˚Edo@W@ above q; all within oak wreath, thunderbolt to outer left. MacKay, Macedonian, Series 1, 3c (O1/R3) = Nanteuil 833 (this coin); AMNG III/1, p. 63, 194. Deep cabinet toning, minor marks. EF. ($4000)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 133 (21 November 2022), lot 42; Numismatica Genevensis SA VI (30 November 2010), lot 55; Leu 42 (12 May 1987), lot 207; Henri de Nanteuil Collection (publ. 1925).

Extremely Rare – The Finest Known

391. CORINTHIA, Corinth. Lucius Verus. AD 161-169. Æ (27mm, 14.06 g, 5h). Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder / Hexastyle temple of Melikertes–Palaimon, with domed roof decorated with two dolphins; within, Melikertes–Palaimon reclining on dolphin right; pine trees flanking temple. RPC IV.1 9783; BCD Korinth 754; BMC; – NCP p.11. Dark brown patina, slight roughness. VF. Extremely rare, only two recorded in RPC. This coin superior to both specimen, the finest known. ($750)

From the CLA Collection, purchased from Tom Cederlind, July 2010.

392. ARCADIA, Thelpusa. Julia Domna. Augusta, AD 193-217. Æ Assarion (23mm, 8.35 g, 12h). Struck AD 198-209. I ΔOMNAN CЄBACTH N, draped bust left, cornucopia over left shoulder / ΘЄΛΠO YCIωN, Tyche standing facing, turreted, holding patera in right hand, long scepter in left. Unpublished. Earthen brown surfaces. Good VF. Unique. ($500)

Unpublished Date

393. KINGS of PONTUS. Polemo II, with Queen Tryphaena. AD 38-64. AR Drachm (18mm, 3.65 g, 6h). Dated RY 16 of Polemo II (AD 53/4). Diademed head of Polemo right / Diademed and draped bust of Tryphaena right; ЄTOYC ςI (date) around. RG 33 (RY 16 unrecorded); RPC I –. Unpublished date. Lightly toned, porosity, edge scratches. VF. Extremely rare and presently unique. ($750)

Dates RY 12-15 and 17-18 were previously known, so a date of this year was to be expected in the series.

394. BITHYNIA, Koinon of Bithynia. Hadrian. AD 117-138. AR Cistophorus (26mm, 10.88 g, 6h). Nicomedia mint. Struck AD 128-138. Laureate head right / Octastyle temple set on podium with three steps, ROM S P AVG across frieze, pellet in pediment. Metcalf, Cistophori, type B1, 3 var. (O2/R– [unlisted rev. die]); RPC III 968.13 (this coin); RSC 240b. Lightly toned, trace deposits, die break on reverse. VF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 72 (14 June 2006), lot 1481.

395. MYSIA, Pergamum. C. Septimius T. f. Proconsul, 57-55 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 12.42 g, 1h). Cistophoric type. Menogenes, magistrate. Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath / Two serpents entwined around bow and bowcase; C • SEPTVMI • T • F/PRO • COS in two lines above; civic monogram to left; serpent-entwined thyrsus to right; MHNOΓЄNHC. LRC VII, 122 (O5/R22); Stumpf 38-9; Pinder –. Light iridescence with underlying luster. Choice EF. Rare variety, only four in CoinArchives. ($750)

From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Roma E-Live Auction 6 (25 March 2023), lot 15; Roma E-Live Auction 4 (29 November 2018), lot 494.

Among the Finest Known

396. IONIA, Ephesus. Augustus, with Julia Augusta (Livia). 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Chalkous (20mm, 7.08 g, 12h). Asklas, archiereus and Nikostratos, magistrate. Conjoined laureate head of Augustus and draped bust of Livia right / Stag standing right; above, quiver right. Karwiese, MvE 5, 40 (V18/R27); RPC I 2585; BMC 199. Green patina, minor pits and scratches. Good VF. Beautiful in hand, among the finest known. Rare. ($500)

RPC Online Feature Coin – Unique

397. LYDIA, Tripolis. Commodus. As Caesar, AD 166-177. Æ (37mm, 23.53 g, 7h). Struck circa AD 176-177. Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Dionysus standing facing, head right, raising right hand over his head, being supported by satyr to right, holding bunch of grapes in his left hand; to left, panther jumping left, looking right. Kurth –; RPC IV.2 Online 17452.1 (this coin). Dark green patina with earthen highlights, deposits, scratches. Good VF. Unique. ($1000)

From the D.K. Collection. Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 28 (9 December 2023), lot 2281; Savoca 133 (15 May 2022), lot 193 (hammer €2200).

Ex Niggeler & Trau Collections – Pedigreed to 1935

398. CARIA, Mylasa. Hadrian. AD 117-138. AR Cistophorus (29mm, 10.93 g, 6h). Struck circa AD 128-132. Bareheaded bust right, drapery on left shoulder / Cult statue of Zeus Labraundos standing facing, holding double-headed axe in right hand and spear in left, fillets falling to ground from wrists. Akarca 16 var. (bust); Metcalf, Cistophori 39, 186a (O4/ R5) = RPC III 1371.1 (this coin); RSC 276a. Cabinet toning, minor marks and scratches, traces of overstrike on an uncertain cistophorus of Augustus(?). Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Tony Hardy Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 69, 8 June 2005), lot 1605; Walter Niggeler Collection (Part 1, Leu & Münzen und Medaillen AG, 3 December 1965), lot 1259; Franz Trau Collection (Gilhofer & Ranschburg-A. Hess, 22 May 1935), lot 1101.

399. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Septimius Severus, with Julia Domna. AD 193-211. Æ (35mm, 16.84 g, 6h). Leon, son of Alcaios, prytanis. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius seen from behind vis-à-vis draped bust of Domna; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Zeus Panamaros, draped, on horseback right, holding transverse scepter in left hand; at feet right, lighted altar. RPC V.2 Online 73638; SNG Copenhagen 503; SNG von Aulock 2669. For c/ms: Howgego 188; 536. Dark brown patina, flan adjustment marks. EF. ($500)

Damnatio of Geta

400. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Septimius Severus, with Geta as Caesar. AD 193-211. Æ (36mm, 28.94 g, 6h). Damnatio Memoriae. Philon, prytanis. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius, seen from behind, vis-à-vis [laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Zeus Panamaros, draped, on horseback right, holding transverse scepter in left hand; at feet right, lighted altar. RPC V.2 Online 73901; SNG von Aulock 8162. For c/ms: Howgego 188; 536. Red-brown surfaces, light porosity, slight die shift on reverse. VF. Rare. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s Damnatio Memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. ($500)

Upon Septimius’ passing in AD 211, his sons Caracalla and Geta assumed joint rule of the empire. Their joint rule was a failure; the Imperial Palace was separated into two sections and they threatened to divide the empire between them. During the Festival of Saturnalia, December 211, Caracalla tried unsuccessfully to have his brother assassinated. But a week later, at an arranged meeting in their mother’s quarters, Geta was murdered by Caracalla’s centurions.

Caracalla immediately ordered a damnatio memoriae of his brother’s image: statues were removed, paintings were destroyed or, like the Severan Tondo erased, and coins were recalled to have his image carved out. This damnatio was especially apparent on the provincial coinage of Pergamum in Mysia and Stratonicaea in Caria. It is estimated that approximately 95% of the dual bust types at Stratonicea have had the portrait of Geta erased, many of them having a countermark of Roma or Caracalla stamped over his bust.

Unpublished Reverse Legend

401. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (42mm, 28.62 g, 12h). Damnatio Memoriae. Zosimos II, grandson of Posittos, prytanis. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 198-202. AY MAP AYP ANTΩNЄINOC Λ CЄΠ ΓЄTAC KAICAP, [bareheaded and draped bust of Geta] vis-à-vis laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from behind; c/m: Helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse / ΠPY ZΩCIMOY TOY ΠPOCICTOY CTPATONIKЄΩN, Hecate standing facing, head left, wearing calathus, holding patera in right hand and torch in left; at feet left, dog standing left, looking right. Cf. CNG 126, lot 452 (same obv. die and magistrate). Unpublished with this reverse legend. Red-brown surfaces, minor marks and edge flaws, double struck on obverse, triple struck on reverse. VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. Unique. ($500)

402. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (35mm, 17.00 g, 1h). Damnatio Memoriae. Flavius Leon, son of Lainas, archon. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 205-209. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from behind vis-à-vis [bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Hecate standing facing, head left, wearing calathus, holding patera in right hand and torch in left; at feet left, dog standing left, looking right. RPC V.2 Online 73955; Peus E-420, lot 6544 (same dies). For c/ms: Howgego 188, 536. Brown surfaces, minor marks and pitting, slightly convex flan. VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. Very rare, only four recorded in RPC. ($500)

403. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (37mm, 23.04 g, 6h). Damnatio Memoriae. Philon, prytanis. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from behind vis-à-vis [bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/m: ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Hecate standing facing, head left, wearing calathus, holding patera in right hand and torch in left; at feet left, lighted altar. RPC V.2 Online 73717; SNG von Aulock 2687-8. For c/m: Howgego 536. Red-brown surfaces, flan adjustment marks, metal flaws, doubling on reverse. VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. Rare. ($500)

404. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (37mm, 18.86 g, 6h). Damnatio Memoriae. Philon, prytanis. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from behind vis-à-vis [bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Hecate standing facing, head left, wearing calathus, holding patera in right hand and torch in left; at feet left, lighted altar. RPC V.2 Online 73717; SNG von Aulock 2687-8. For c/ms: Howgego 188; 536. Red-brown surfaces, edge flaws, flan adjustment marks. VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. Rare. ($500)

405. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (40mm, 28.93 g, 12h). Damnatio Memoriae. Zosimos II, grandson of Posittos, prytanis. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 198-202. AY MAP AYP ANTΩNЄINOC Λ CЄΠ ΓЄTAC KAICAP, [bareheaded and draped bust of Geta] vis-à-vis laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from behind; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / ΠPY ZΩCIMOY ΔIC ΠPOCITTOY CTPATON ЄIKЄΩN, Zeus Panamaros, draped, on horseback right, holding transverse scepter in left hand; at feet right, lighted altar. Cf. RPC V.2 Online 73695/73671 (for obv./rev. type). Unpublished. For c/ms: Howgego 188, 536. Red-brown surfaces, traces of find patina. Good VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. Unique. ($750)

406. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (37mm, 25.31 g, 12h). Damnatio Memoriae. Iason, son of Kleoboulos, grammateus. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 205-209. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from behind vis-à-vis [bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/m: ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Zeus Panamaros, draped, on horseback right, holding transverse scepter in left hand; at feet right, lighted altar. RPC V.2 Online 74178; SNG von Aulock 2685. For c/m: Howgego 536. Red-brown surfaces, light porosity. VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. Rare. ($500)

407. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (38mm, 18.55 g, 5h). Damnatio Memoriae. Flavius Leon, son of Lainas, grammateus. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 205-209. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from behind vis-à-vis [bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Zeus Panamaros, draped, on horseback right, holding transverse scepter in left hand; at feet right, lighted altar. RPC V.2 Online 73879; SNG von Aulock 8163. For c/ms: Howgego 188, 536. Red-brown surfaces, traces of find patina, minor porosity, flan crack. VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211. ($500)

Cistophoric Tetradrachm of the Famed Statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero

The Sole Example in Private Hands

408. PHRYGIA, Apameia. M. Cicero M. f. Proconsul, 51-50 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 12.34 g, 12h). Cistophoric type. Theopropos, son of Apollonios, magistrate. Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath / Two serpents entwined around bow and bowcase; M • CICERO • M • F/PRO • COS in two lines above; AΠA to left; [two flutes to right]; ΘEOΠPOΠOΣ AΠOΛΛΩNIOY in two lines below. LRC XI, 470–1 var. (unlisted dies); Stumpf 89; Pinder 200 var. (without M • F). Toned, some roughness. VF. Extremely rare, one of three known, the only one in private hands. ($10,000)

From the Kalevala Collection.

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) was perhaps the most brilliant and influential of all Roman men of letters from the late Republic, the rediscovery of whose writings in the 14th century is often credited with jump-starting the literary Renaissance. Thanks to his secretary Tiro, Cicero’s voluminous speeches, letters, and essays survived his murder at the hands of Mark Antony’s men in 43 BC to form the basis for subsequent studies of Latin as a written language. A student of Archias and Philo, his fame as an orator and lawyer representing celebrity clients in sensational cases allowed his political career to skip many minor magistracies of the Cursus Honorum, including the office of Moneyer. At the age of 30, he was one of the youngest men ever elected to the Roman Senate and was soon appointed to Sicily where he began his career as a lawyer, demonstrating his skill as an already seasoned orator. He was elected Consul for 63 BC and served as provincial governor, or proconsul, of Roman Cilicia in 51-50 BC. Although he took the up the post reluctantly, Cicero earned plaudits for his careful management of the public purse and returned monies embezzled by previous governorships, making him very popular with the people. Though an aging inveterate civilian, he strapped on a cuirass to lead two understrength legions against a Parthian raiding party, joining Cassius’ forces and eventually defeating the Parthians near Antigonea. This lead to an acclamation as Imperator by his soldiers; this small issue of cistophori was likely struck as their bonus, his name in Latin letters reminding the legionaries who was paying them. Upon his return to Rome in January 49 BC, he was still dutifully waiting outside the city boundaries for his expected triumphal parade when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon and Civil War exploded, opening the final chapter of Cicero’s long and eventful public career.

Unlike other Roman giants of this period, obtaining a coin with Cicero’s name is exceedingly difficult. Cicero struck only cistophori at the mints of Apameia and Laodicea, both extremely rare. Two Apamaian specimens can be found in Berlin and Paris; this is the only example to be offered for sale.

409. PHRYGIA, Apameia. Caracalla, with Plautilla. AD 198-217. Æ (22mm, 6.20 g, 6h). Artemas III, agonothetes. Struck AD 202-205. Laureate and cuirassed bust of Caracalla, seen from the front vis-à-vis draped bust of Plautilla / Eagle standing left, head right, with wings displayed, holding open wreath in its claws. Mairat, Apamée 16; RPC V.2 Online 630. Earthen brown patina. Good VF. Very rare. ($500)

410. PHRYGIA, Temenothyrae. Gallienus. AD 253-268. Æ (30.5mm, 13.70 g, 6h). Kleoboulos, first archon. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Male hero or deity, wearing chlamys and holding labrys over left shoulder, on horseback right. Metcalf, Temenothyrae 12; von Aulock, Phrygiens –; RPC X Online 63298 (this coin cited); SNG von Aulock 4009. Dark brown patina with earthen highlights, small die break. Good VF. Rare. ($500)

Ex Group CEM (Classical Numismatic Group 90, 23 May 2012), lot 1067; Sternberg XI (20 November 1981), lot 324.

411. CILICIA, Aegeae. Domitian, with Domitia. AD 81-96. Æ (25.5mm, 12.81 g, 12h). Isidoros, magistrate. Dated CY 135 (AD 88/9). Laureate head of Domitian right vis-à-vis draped bust of Domitia left / Two aplusters within laurel wreath; ЄΛP (date) between. Haymann 23b; RPC II 1773; SNG BN 2322; SNG Levante 1708. Dark green patina, minor pitting. Good VF. Rare. ($500)

412. CILICIA, Aegeae. Valerian I. AD 253-260. Æ (30.5mm, 19.76 g, 6h). Struck CY 300 (AD 253/4). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; to right, serpent-entwined staff / Head of Medusa facing, at center of Zodiac wheel. Haymann 239; RPC X Online 60652; SNG BN –; SNG Levante –. Green patina with earthen highlights, porosity. Near VF. Very rare. This coin shares the same obverse die with other reverse types that are dated to CY 300. A wonderful Zodiac wheel. ($750)

Aegeae was a famed healing center in antiquity, known for its temple of Asclepius and hospitals. Asclepius and Hygieia were prominent figures on the coinage of the city; here, Asclepius’ serpent-staff is seen on the obverse of this coin.

Rare Zodiac Wheel

The City Gates of Isaura

413. CILICIA, Isaura. Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. Æ (30mm, 12.58 g, 6h). Laureate head right / City gate with three towers; within; Tyche seated left, wearing calathus, holding grain ears in right hand, cornucopia in left; at feet right and behind, prow. RPC V.3 Online 74813; SNG BN 490; SNG Levante 259. Dark brown patina, slight roughness. Near EF. ($1500)

414. CILICIA, Mallus. Antinoüs. Died AD 130. Æ (25mm, 9.90 g, 12h). Bareheaded bust right / Tripod supporting globe; serpent entwined around central leg; to right, omphalos. RPC III 3327 corr. (rev. description); SNG BN –; SNG Levante –; Blum –. Green patina, light roughness, minor smoothing. VF. Very rare, only four recorded in RPC. ($500)

Severan Tridrachm

415. CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia. Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. AR Tridrachm (23.5mm, 6.41 g, 12h). Dated RY 17 (AD 208/9). Laureate head right / Half-length female bust left (Artemis?), holding scepter in right hand and patera with fruit in left; ЄT IZ (date) below. Ganschow, Münzen 442; RPC V.3 Online 66499.2 (this coin); Sydenham, Caesarea –. Toned with luster, delamination flaws. VF. Very rare, only two recorded in Ganschow and RPC. ($500)

Ex Berk BBS 178 (15 March 2011), lot 134; Berk BBS 167 (3 December 2009), lot 423.

Unpublished

416. CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia. Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. AR Tridrachm (23mm, 9.99 g, 12h). Dated RY 19 (January-4 February, AD 211). AY KAI Λ CЄΠTI CЄOYHPOC AYΓ, laureate head right / MHTPO KAI CAPIAC NЄΩ, Nike advancing right, holding wreath in raised right hand, palm frond over left shoulder; ЄT IΘ (date) across lower field. Unpublished. Toned, minor marks. VF. Extremely rare, this issue struck for less than two months preceding Septimius’ death on February 4, 211. ($500)

Purchased by the consignor from Munthandel G. Henzen.

417. CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia. Diadumenian. As Caesar, AD 217-218. AR Didrachm (22mm, 4.32 g, 11h). Dated RY 1 (AD 217). M OΠЄΛΛIOC ANTΩNINOC, bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / MHTPOΠO KAICAPIA, Mt. Argaeus set on garlanded altar surmounted by star; ЄT A (date) in exergue. Ganschow, Münzen 670c var. (obv. legend); RPC V.3 Online 66622; Sydenham, Caesarea 509 var. (legends). Toned, traces of find patina. VF. Extremely rare, unpublished obverse legend variation. ($750)

Illustrated in Sutherland – Pedigreed to 1925

418. ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Cistophorus (26mm, 11.98 g, 1h). Ephesus mint(?). Struck circa 25-20 BC. Bare head right / AVGVSTVS, capricorn right, head left, cornucopia on its back; all within laurel wreath. Sutherland Group VIα 199 (O3/R3 – this coin, rev. illustrated); RPC 2213 (Cistophoric mint); RSC 16. Deep cabinet toning, minor marks. Good VF. ($2000)

From The Meander Collection. Ex Peus 433 (1 November 2022), lot 1596; H. C. Levis Collection (Ars Classica XI, 18 June 1925), lot 201.

Illustrated in Sutherland – Pedigreed to 1914

419. ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Cistophorus (27mm, 11.87 g, 11h). Ephesus mint(?). Struck circa 25-20 BC. Bare head right / AVGV STVS, six grain ears bound together. Sutherland Group VIβ 316 (O90/R41 –this coin, rev. illustrated); RPC I 2214 (cistophoric mint); RSC 32b. Deep cabinet toning, minor marks and die breaks. Good VF. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Numismatica Genevensis SA 16 (14 November 2022), lot 53; Surrere (30 March 1914), lot 282.

420. ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Cistophorus (24mm, 11.94 g, 1h). Pergamum mint(?). Struck circa 19-18 BC. Bare head right / Hexastyle Temple of Rome and Augustus set on five-tiered base; pediment surmounted by acroteria; ROM ET AVGVST on entablature. Sutherland Group VIIβ, 513-7 var. (O12/R– [unrecorded rev. die]); RPC I 2219 (Cistophoric mint); RSC 86. Minor marks, find patina remaining, edge filing. VF. ($500)

421. ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Claudius, with Agrippina Junior. AD 41-54. AR Cistophorus (27mm, 10.15 g, 6h). Ephesus mint(?). Group II, AD 51. Laureate head of Claudius and draped bust of Agrippina left, jugate / Cult statue of Diana (Artemis) Ephesia standing facing, wearing calathus, fillets hanging from wrists. RPC I 2224 (Cistophoric mint); RSC 1. Toned with light iridescence, patch of luster, trace deposits, scratches and scrapes. VF. ($1000)

422. ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Nero. As Caesar, AD 50-54. AR Cistophorus (26mm, 11.25 g, 6h). Ephesus(?) mint. Struck under Claudius, AD 51. Bareheaded and draped bust left / COS DES/ PRINC/ IVVENT in three lines on round shield; all within laurel wreath. RPC I 2225; RSC 82 corr. (didrachm, Caesarea); BMCRE 236 (Claudius); BN 307 (Pergamum). Light cabinet tone, slight roughness, banker’s mark on obverse. VF. ($750)

Ex Peter Corcoran Collection (Roma XXV, 22 September 2022), lot 664; New York Sale 54 (11 January 2022), lot 221; Classical Numismatic Group 57 (4 April 2001), lot 1088.

Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, later the Emperor Nero, was born on 15 December AD 37 in the Italian resort town of Antium (modern Anzio). His mother, Agrippina Minor, was the sister of Emperor Gaius ‘Caligula,’ while his father, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, was the son of Antonia Major, a niece of Augustus, so the infant Lucius was steeped in Julio-Claudian royalty on both sides. His father had a reputation for cruelty and debauchery; when told of Lucius’ birth, he is said to have joked that no offspring of himself and Agrippina could be a benefit to the Roman people. In AD 40 the family suffered twin calamities: the elder Ahenobarbus died of edema, while Agrippina was accused of treason and exiled to an island off the Italian coast. Young Lucius was sent to live with his paternal aunt, Domitia Lepidina. In January of AD 41, Caligula was assassinated and the new emperor, Agrippina’s uncle Claudius, rescinded her exile and allowed her and Lucius to return to Rome. Agrippina quickly married a wealthy ex-consul, Gaius Sallustius Crispus, who conveniently died a few years later and left his estate to his stepson. She was thus well positioned when Claudius’ wife Messalina was executed for treason in AD 48. On New Years Day of AD 49, Agrippina married her uncle and became Empress of Rome. She quickly took charge of the household and induced Claudius to adopt her son, renaming him Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus and leapfrogging Claudius’ own son, Britannicus, in the succession hierarchy. Upon his 13th birthday, Nero was named Prince of Youth (PRINCEPS IVVENTVTIS), designated a future Consul (COS DES), and betrothed to Claudius’ daughter, Octavia. A large emission of coinage was struck to mark the occasion at Rome and select provincial mints, including this silver cistophorus mostly likely minted at Ephesus in AD 51. His youthful portrait on this handsome issue gives little evidence of his future proclivities for tyranny, decadence and corpulence, which as yet lay a decade in the future.

423. KINGS of ARMENIA MINOR. Aristobulus. 54-71/72 CE. Æ Oktachalkon (25mm, 11.65 g, 12h). Citing Nero as emperor. Chalcis(?) mint. Dated RY 13 (66/7 CE). Diademed and draped bust of Aristobulus left; ET • IΓ (date) in legend / NEPΩ/NI • KΛAY/ ΔIO • KAICA/ PI CEBACTΩ/ ΓEPMANI/KΩ in six lines within wreath. Kovacs 299; Meshorer 366 corr. (date); Hendin 6285; RPC I 3839; Sofaer 171. Earthen brown patina, slight porosity. VF. A superb specimen. ($750)

Aristobulus was the son of Herod of Chalkis and the great-grandson of Herod the Great. Josephus serves as our only literary source for the reign of Aristobulus, informing us that he was appointed king of Armenia Minor by Nero in AD 54 (Ant. XX.158). He married Salome (daughter of Herod II and widow of Philip the Tetrarch), who has traditionally been identified as the young woman who demanded the head of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1–12; Mark 6:14–29). Aristobulus’ long reign would suggest he was a loyal client of Rome, as does the evidence we can glean from his coinage.

Interestingly, coins of Aristobulus were only struck for regnal years 13 and 17 (AD 66/7 and AD 70/1), which coincide with the outbreak and conclusion of the Jewish War. This seems to indicate that Aristobulus’ coins were issued in the context of the revolt as a way for the Herodian ruler to reaffirm his faithfulness to Rome.

424. KINGS of ARMENIA MINOR. Aristobulus, with Salome. 54-71/72 CE. Æ Tetrachalkon (20mm, 6.82 g, 12h). Chalcis(?) mint. Dated RY 13 (66/7 CE). Diademed and draped bust of Aristobulus left; ET IΓ (date) in legend / Diademed and draped bust of Salome left. Kovacs 300; Meshorer 365 corr. (date); Hendin 6286; RPC I 3840; Sofaer 170. Earthen red-brown patina, spot of verdigris. VF. ($1000)

Salome is described in the Gospels (Matthew 14 and Mark 6) only as the daughter of Herodias, who asked Herod Antipas for the head of John the Baptist in return for her daughter’s risqué dance for the king. Salome’s name is supplied by Josephus in Antiquities 18.5, where he also informs us that she grew up to marry her great-uncle Philip the Tetrarch and, after Philip’s death, her cousin Aristobulus, who is featured on the obverse of this coin and with whom Salome had three sons. Aristobulus was the son of Herod V of Chalkis and great grandson of Herod I, and was appointed king of Armenia Minor in the first year of Nero’s reign.

The present issue was struck in 66/7 CE (year 13 of Aristobulus’ reign), the first year of the Jewish war and around 40 years since the execution of John the Baptist, which has been tentatively dated to some time between 25 and 29 CE. Hendin (5th ed., p. 275) suggests that Aristobulus struck this issue for propagandistic and political purposes, in the first year of the war, as a show of loyalty to Rome and his patron Nero.

When RPC was published, citing three known examples of this type, the date was off the flan on two pieces and the one example with partial date had been tentatively read as date Α or Η (RPC p. 570). Frank Kovacs subsequently discovered an example with a clear date 13 (Hendin p. 275, pl. 24), and Kovacs’ opinion was that other reported dates were most likely mis-readings of that date. The publication of additional specimens has since confirmed Kovacs’ opinion, and it is now clear that all coins of this type are dated year 13.

The Famed Salome

425. SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Antioch. Mark Antony & Cleopatra VII of Egypt. 36 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 13.80 g, 12h). Struck circa 36-34 BC. Diademed bust of Cleopatra right, wearing earring, necklace, and embroidered dress / Bare head of Antony right. McAlee 174; Prieur 27; RPC I 4094; HGC 9, 1361. Toned, porosity, surface cracks, edge flaw, banker’s mark. VF. Clear portraits and well centered. ($3000)

These remarkable silver tetradrachms were probably struck at Antioch during the Parthian / Armenian campaign of 36-34 BC to honor perhaps the most famous “power couple” of all time. The talented die engraver has taken particular care to give Cleopatra a powerful, almost masculine profile to complement Antony’s pugnacious portrait. Ancient historians note that Cleopatra was not incomparably beautiful (although none suggest she was anything less than pleasing to gaze upon), but her remarkable mind, her musical voice, and the vast wealth of her kingdom made her irresistible to two of the most powerful men of the age: Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. The titles display Cleopatra’s dominance in the relationship, depicting her on the obverse and touting her as “Queen Cleopatra, new (or “young”) goddess,” while Antony remains only a mortal “victorious general and Triumvir.”

426. SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Antioch. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 15.37 g, 12h). Dated year 29 of the Actian Era and Cos. XII (October-December 3 BC). Laureate head right / ETOVΣ ΘΚ (Actian era date) NIKHΣ, Tyche seated right on rocky outcropping, holding palm frond in right hand; below, half-length figure of river-god Orontes swimming right; in right field, i (=ΥΠΑTOY) and IB (consular date) above | (=ANTIOXIEΩN?). McAlee 183; RPC I 4154; Prieur 53. Lightly toned, minor marks. VF. Rare, Prieur records three specimens, several more in CoinArchives. ($500)

427. SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Antioch. Nero. AD 54-68. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.19 g, 12h). Dated RY 10 and year 112 of the Caesarean Era (AD 64). Laureate bust right, wearing aegis / ETOVΣ BIP • I (dates), eagle standing right on thunderbolt, with wings displayed; palm frond to right. McAlee 265a; RPC I 4188; Prieur 89. Iridescent cabinet toning, minor scratches. Near EF. ($500)

From The Meander Collection. Ex Giovanni Chiarot Collection (Tradart 21, 15 February 2018), lot 114; Sternberg V (28 November 1975), lot 47.

Unique Double Portrait Tetradrachm

428. SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Laodicea ad Mare. Septimius Severus, with Julia Domna. AD 193-211. BI Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 11.26 g, 12h). Struck circa AD 205-207. AYT • KAI CЄOYHPOC •• CЄB, laureate head of Septimius right / • MHTHP • KACTP ΔOMNAN CЄB •, draped bust of Domna right. Cf. Prieur 1115/1114 (for obv./rev., but same engraver as rev. of 1113); otherwise, unpublished. Lustrous, some roughness, metal flaws, slight double strike on reverse. Near EF. Unique. ($3000)

RPC records only one issue with Septimius and Domna from Laodicea (CNG 117, lot 428), which is clearly from the same engraver as the present coin. The reverse legend is slightly different. The obverse type on the published specimen is draped and cuirassed, the laureate head only obverse is previously unknown paired with Julia Domna.

Extremely Rare Herod Philip

429. JUDAEA, Herodians. Herod IV Philip. 4 BCE-34 CE. Æ (18mm, 6.26 g, 12h). Caesarea Philippi (Panias) mint. Dated RY 5 (1/2 CE). Bare head of Philip right; L E (date) across lower field / Tetrastyle temple (the Augusteum of Panias) set on podium with two steps. Meshorer 96; Hendin 6251; RPC I 4939; Sofaer –. Dark brown surfaces, edge marks. VF. Extremely rare. ($1500)

Herod Philip was the first Jewish ruler to place his portrait on coins. Hendin (p. 257) notes: “Philip was able to immortalize his face on his coins largely because so few Jews lived in the territories over which he ruled. Jews would have taken this act as an insult and violation of the Mosaic Law against ‘graven images.’”

The “Great King” Agrippa I – Proclaimed by Claudian Edict

430. JUDAEA, Herodians. Agrippa I, with Herod of Chalcis and Claudius. 37-43 CE. Æ (25mm, 16.36 g, 6h). Caesarea Maritima mint. Dated RY 8 of Agrippa (43/4 CE). Claudius, togate, standing left, sacrificing from patera over altar to left, between Agrippa I and Herod of Chalcis, each crowning the emperor with a wreath; [L H (date) in exergue] / [OPKIA BAΣ ME] AΓPIΠΠA ΠΡ ΣEΒ KAIΣ[AP AK ΣYNKΛHTON, K ΔHM POM ΦIΛI K ΣYNM] XI [AY] (A vow and treaty of friendship and alliance between the Great King Agrippa and Augustus Caesar, the Senate and the People of Rome) in two concentric circles divided by wreath; clasped right hands in center; c/m: crude head left within oval incuse. Burnett, Agrippa 4982; Meshorer 124; Hendin 6278a; RPC I 4982. For c/m: Howgego 156. Red-brown surfaces, porosity, slightly off center. coin: Fine; c/m: fair. Rare and of great historical importance. ($1000)

Agrippa I had a close relationship with both Gaius (Caligula) and Claudius, in part helping to secure the rule of the latter in the uncertain days following his unexpected rise to the purple. Indeed, his relationship with Claudius was so close that Josephus (Ant. xix. 5.1) records that among the new emperor’s first acts was publishing an edict guaranteeing Agrippa’s kingdom (with the title “Great King”) and granting the territory of Chalcis to Agrippa’s elder brother Herod.

This remarkable and rare issue not only explicitly refers to the alliance on the reverse, even using Agrippa’s new title “Great King,” but depicts the oath taking ceremony that occurred in the Roman Forum and is discussed in historical sources:

He also made a league with this Agrippa, confirmed by oaths, in the middle of the Forum in the city of Rome. (Josephus, Ant. xix.5.1)

He struck his treaties with foreign princes in the Forum, sacrificing a pig and reciting the ancient formula of the fetial priests. (Suetonius, Claud. 25.5)

For the extremely rare counterpart issue of Herod of Chalcis with a similar obverse, albeit with the position of the brothers switched, see Meshorer 361.

431. JUDAEA, Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem). Caracalla. 198-217 CE. BI Tetradachm (27mm, 11.01 g, 11h). Struck 215-217 CE. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Eagle standing facing on filleted thyrsus, head and tail left, with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak; vine leaf between legs. Meshorer, Aelia 95; Prieur 1617; Sofaer 82-3. Toned with underlying luster, some roughness. VF. ($500)

432. JUDAEA, Marisa. Aulus Gabinius. Proconsul, 57-54 BCE. Æ (20mm, 5.08 g, 12h). Dated CY 3 (57/6 BCE). Helmeted head right / Serpent-entwined palm frond; to left, l˝ (date) above ˝&; ;>& to right. Qedar, Coins, C-1; Gitler & Kushnir-Stein 6 (same dies); Hendin (4th edition) 874a; Sofaer 2-3; DCA2 995. Earthen brown patina. VF. Very rare, exceptional for the type. ($500)

433. EGYPT, Alexandria. Claudius. AD 41-54. Æ Diobol (24mm, 7.35 g, 11h). Dated RY 2 (AD 41/2). Laureate head right; to right, star / AVTOKPA, Nike advancing left, holding wreath in right hand, palm frond cradled in left arm; L B (date) across field. Köln 68; Dattari (Savio) 131; K&G 12.9; RPC I 5121; Emmett 83.2. Red-brown patina. Good VF. Rare. ($500)

From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection. Ex Henry Clay Lindgren Collection, purchased from Frank Kovacs, 18 June 2001.

434. EGYPT, Alexandria. Claudius. AD 41-54. Æ Diobol (24mm, 9.77 g, 12h). Dated RY 2 (AD 41/2). Laureate head right; to right, star / AYTOKPA, hippopotamus standing right; L B (date) in exergue. Köln 70-1; Dattari (Savio) 162-4; K&G 12.10; RPC I 5124; Emmett 82.2. Brown patina with green deposits, cleaning scratches. VF. ($500)

From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection. Ex Künker 89 (8 March 2004), lot 1737.

435. EGYPT, Alexandria. Claudius. AD 41-54. Æ Dichalkon (15mm, 2.77 g, 11h). Dated RY 10 (AD 49/50). Laureate head right / Frog seated right; L I (date) above. Köln 96 & 3448; Dattari (Savio) 171; K&G 12.68; RPC I 5179.8 (this coin); Emmett 100.10. Dark green patina with lighter green and red deposits, some roughness, light smoothing. Good VF. ($500)

From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection. Ex Naville Numismatics 82 (18 June 2023), lot 297 (hammer £950); Ibrahim Sharif Collection. The frog is a representation of Heqet, an Egyptian goddess of fertility, who often took the form of a frog. To the Egyptians, the frog was an ancient symbol of fertility and birth, related to the annual flooding of the Nile, their appearance welcomed the annual planting season. Heqet was the wife of Khnum, who formed the bodies of new children on his potter’s wheel. Heqet amulets were often worn by women wishing to conceive.

Extremely Rare Diobol

436. EGYPT, Alexandria. Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Diobol (25mm, 10.07 g, 12h). Dated RY 10 (AD 63/4). Laureate head right / AYTO KPA, draped bust of Serapis right, wearing taenia and ornate calathus; L I (date) to right. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&G –; RPC I 5276A; Emmett –. Green and brown patina. VF. Extremely rare. ($500)

From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection, purchased from Nilus Coins, 11 January 2007.

After studying the two specimens in Dresden and Stockholm, E. Christiansen (in The Roman Coins of Alexandria [Aahrus UP, 1988]) determined that they were both imitating the known tetradrachms of the same type and year. Further specimens have since come to market which match the obverse die to other diobols of the same year, providing evidence to the type’s authenticity.

Second Known

437. EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian, with Domitia. AD 81-96. Æ Hemidrachm (28mm, 14.38 g, 12h). Dated RY 11 (AD 91/2). Head of Domitian left, wreathed with grain ears / Domitia, as Euthenia, enthroned left, holding grain ears in right hand, long scepter in left, resting elbow on back of throne. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 433 var. (arrangement of date); K&G 24.129; RPC II 2605; Emmett 262.11. Red-brown surfaces, light roughness. VF. Extremely rare, the second known. ($500)

438. EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian. AD 81-96. Æ Obol (17mm, 3.14 g, 12h). Dated RY 11 (AD 91/2). Laureate head right / Elephant advancing right, holding wreath in trunk; L IA (date) above. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&G 24.169; RPC II 2663 corr. (wreath not described); Emmett 314.11 (R5). Green patina, minor deposits. Good VF. Extremely rare, only two recorded in RPC, one of which is in CoinArchives. The present coin is the only specimen where the wreath in the elephant’s trunk is clear. ($500)

439. EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Drachm (32mm, 20.12 g, 11h). Dated RY 17 (AD 132/3). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Serapis, holding long scepter in left hand and raising hand, standing right, facing Hadrian standing left, holding long scepter in left hand and resting hand on stele inscribed AΔP/IA/NON in three lines; all within distyle temple, pellet in pediment; L IZ (date) in exergue. Köln 1085-6; Dattari (Savio) 1944-5; K&G 32.553; RPC III 5844; Emmett 1042.17. Brown patina with green highlights, slight roughness. Good VF. ($500)

Extremely Rare

440. EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Drachm (31.5mm, 19.06 g, 11h). Dated RY 19 (AD 134/5). Laueate head left / Pylon (entryway) of an Egyptian temple with a wide door or gate; in the center of the pylon above the gate, a facing statue of Isis wearing headdress and holding long scepter in right hand; [L] Є N [NЄ] A KΔ (date) around. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 1971 var. (scepter in left); K&G 32.669; RPC III 6039; Emmett 996.19. Dark brown surfaces, porosity and roughness on obverse, smoothing and details enhanced on reverse. Near VF. Extremely rare, only four recorded in RPC. ($750)

Ex Ted Snook Collection, purchased from Pegasi, 31 October 2008.

441. EGYPT, Alexandria. Antinoüs. Died AD 130. Æ Drachm (33mm, 22.18 g, 12h). Dated RY 19 of Hadrian (AD 134/5). Draped bust right, wearing hem-hem crown / Antinoüs, cloaked and holding caduceus cradled in his right arm, on horseback right; L I Θ (date) to right and below horse. Köln 1276; Dattari (Savio) 8004; K&G 34a.1; RPC III 6062; Emmett 1346.19; Blum 9. Brown-green patina with light deposits, minor porosity, some details enhanced. VF. ($2000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 75 (23 May 2007), lot 880.

One of the most remarkable cults of the ancient world was that which grew up around Antinoüs, a handsome youth from Claudiopolis in Bithynia who attracted the attention of the emperor Hadrian and became his constant companion. Hadrian apparently encountered Antinous during a visit to Bithynia circa AD 123 and brought him back to Rome for higher education. He became one of the emperor’s pages and, by AD 128, an important part of his traveling retinue. During the emperor’s tour of Egypt in October AD 130, Antinoüs fell into the Nile and drowned, resulting in suspicions of suicide or ritual murder. The distraught Hadrian had his favorite immediately deified, and the worship of Antinoüs became an important facet of the imperial cult in the eastern Roman Empire.

Great Sothic Cycle: A New Eon Begins

442. EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (33mm, 24.35 g, 12h). Dated RY 8 (AD 144/5). Laureate head right / Sun in Leo – Lion leaping right; above, radiate and draped bust of Helios (Sun) right and eight-rayed star; [L H] (date) below. Köln 1495-6; Dattari (Savio) 2968; K&G 35.278; RPC IV.4 858; Emmett 1530.8. Red-brown surfaces, light porosity, cleaning marks. VF. ($1000)

The Great Sothic Cycle was a calendrical cycle based on the heliacal rising in July of the star Sirius (known to the Greeks as Sothis) and lasting approximately 1460 years. According to ancient Egyptian mythology, in a Golden Age, the beginning of the flooding of the Nile coincided exactly with the rising of Sirius, which was reckoned as the New Year. Only once every 1460 years did Sirius rise at exactly the same time. Thus, the coincidence of this along with the concurrent beginning of the flooding of the Nile gave the event major cosmological significance by heralding not just the beginning of a new year, but the beginning of a new eon. This event also was thought to herald the appearance of the phoenix, a mythological bird which was reborn every 500 to 1000 years out of its own ashes. According to one version of the myth, each new phoenix embalmed its old ashes in an egg of myrrh, which it then deposited in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis. So important was the advent of the new Great Sothic Cycle, both to the realignment of the heavens and its signaling of the annual flooding of the Nile, that the Egyptians celebrated it in a five-day festival, which emphasized the important cosmological significance.

In the third year of the reign of Antoninus Pius (AD 139/40), a new Great Sothic Cycle began. To mark this event, the mint of Alexandria struck an extensive series of coinage, especially in large bronze drachms, each related in some astrological way to the reordering of the heavens during the advent of the new Great Sothic Cycle. This celebration would continue throughout Pius’ reign, with an immense output of coinage during the eighth year of his reign in Egypt, which included this coin type, part of the Zodiac series.

443. EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (34mm, 23.77 g, 12h). Dated RY 17 (AD 153/4). Laureate bust left, drapery on left shoulder / Laureate and draped bust of Zeus left, L I Z (date) across field. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 2918; K&G 35.618; RPC IV.4 1589; Emmett 1691.17 (R4). Dark brown patina with earthen deposits, minor roughness. VF. Rare. ($500)

Ex Curtis Collection – Pedigreed to 1958

444. EGYPT, Alexandria. Commodus. AD 177-192. BI Tetradrachm (23mm, 11.91 g, 12h). Dated RY 29 (AD 188/9). Laureate head right / Pharos of Alexandria; to right corbita under sail right over waves; L KΘ (date) in exergue. Köln 2242-3; Dattari (Savio) 3903; K&G 41.113; RPC IV.4 3539; Curtis 826 (this coin); Emmett 2542.29. Brown patina, roughness. VF. ($500)

Ex Olympus Coins FPL 5 (Winter 1982/3), no. 130; Col. James W. Curtis Collection (H. Schulman, 17 June 1958), lot 253 (part of).

Two Unique Diobols of Caracalla

445. EGYPT, Alexandria. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ Diobol (25mm, 12.23 g, 12h). Dated RY 22 (AD 213/4). Laureate head right / Griffin seated right, wearing kalathos, with left forepaw on wheel; L KB (date) in exergue. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&G –; RPC V.3 Online 78178.1 (this coin); Emmett –. Dark brown patina with light earthen highlights, minor porosity. Near VF. Unique and the RPC feature coin. ($1000)

From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection, purchased from Schick Coins, 11 February 2015.

446. EGYPT, Alexandria. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ Diobol (24mm, 8.69 g, 12h). Dated RY 22 (AD 213/4). Laureate head right / Tyche standing facing, head left, wearing kalathos, holding rudder in right hand and cornucopia in left; L KB (date) across field. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&G –; RPC V.3 Online 78122.1 (this coin); Emmett –. Dark brown patina, porosity. Near VF. Unique and the RPC feature coin. ($500)

From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 373 (20 April 2016), lot 310.

ROMAN REPUBLICAN COINAGE

447. Anonymous. Circa 270 BC. Æ Aes Grave As (66mm, 326.0 g, 12h). Libral cast series. Rome mint. Diademed head of Apollo right; i (mark of value) above; all on raised disk / Diademed head of Apollo left; i (mark of value) above; all on raised disk. Crawford 18/1; Sydenham 15; HN Italy 279; ICC 33; Haeberlin pl. 34, 1-10; BMC Italy –; Kestner –; RBW 20. Beautiful green patina with patches of red, small casting voids. Good VF. Impressive cast in high relief giving a sculptural appearance. Rare. ($5000)

From the D. K. Collection.

448. Anonymous. Circa 225-217 BC. Æ Aes Grave As (66mm, 261.06 g, 12h). Rome mint. Head of bearded Janus; –(mark of value) below; all on a raised disk / Prow of galley right; i (mark of value) above; all on a raised disk. Crawford 35/1; ICC 74; Sydenham 71; HN Italy 337; RBW 83. Green patina with earthen red and green deposits, a few minor casting pits. Good VF. ($1500)

From the Meander Collection.

449. Anonymous. Circa 225-217 BC. Æ Aes Grave As (61mm, 258.57 g, 12h). Rome mint. Head of bearded Janus; no mark of value; all on a raised disk / Prow of galley right; i (mark of value) above; all on a raised disk. Crawford 35/1; ICC 75; Sydenham 72; HN Italy 337; RBW 84–5. Green patina with earthen red deposits, a few minor casting pits. Good VF. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection.

450. Anonymous. Circa 225-212 BC. AR Didrachm – Quadrigatus (22mm, 6.64 g, 5h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Janus, two small annulets at top of head, curved truncation / Jupiter, hurling thunderbolt and holding scepter, in galloping quadriga driven right by Victory; rOÂa in relief on tablet. Crawford 28/3; Sydenham 64; HN Italy 334; RSC 23; RBW 65–6. Toned with hints of iridescence, minor marks, traces of find patina. Good VF. ($500)

451. Anonymous. Circa 214 BC. AR Didrachm – Quadrigatus (19mm, 6.63 g, 6h). Uncertain mint in Sicily. Laureate head of Janus, with slightly curved truncation / Jupiter, hurling thunderbolt and holding scepter, in galloping quadriga driven right by Victory; grain ear below; rOÂ& in linear border in exergue. Crawford 42/1; Hersh, Quadrigatus 5 (O2/R3); Sydenham 66; RBW 137; RSC 24a. Toned, minor die wear. Near EF. Rare. ($750)

Ex Terner Collection, purchased from Freeman & Sear.

452. L. Furius Purpurio. 179-170 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.50 g, 9h). PVR (first) series. Rome mint. Helmeted head of Roma right; x (mark of value) to left / The Dioscuri, each holding spear, on horseback riding right; V below. Crawford 155/1; Sydenham 330; Furia 7; RBW 683. Iridescent cabinet toning, some patchy find patina, minor porosity, flan crack. Good VF. Very rare. Finer than any recorded in CoinArchives. ($1500)

From the 1930’s collection of Robert W. Hubel of Michigan, purchased from John G. Watson, April 1929.

453. L. Censorinus. 82 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.70 g, 8h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Marsyas standing left, raising hand and holding wineskin over shoulder; to right, column surmounted by statue of Minerva(?) standing right. Crawford 363/1d; Sydenham 737; Marcia 24; RBW 1372. Deep cabinet toning, minor marks, off center on reverse. Near EF. ($500)

The Roman tradition concerning the mythical figure of Marsyas is quite different from the Greek one, in which he challenges the god Apollo to a musical contest and loses, and is flayed alive for his hubris. The Romans counted him as a companion to Bacchus and a symbol of free living, freedom of speech and political liberty. A statue of Marsyas stood in the Roman Forum near the Comitium, and frequently served as a posting place for political pamphlets and attacks on public officials. The statue is depicted on the reverse of this denarius issued by L. Censorinus in 82 BC.

454. C. Mamilius Limetanus. 82 BC. AR Serrate Denarius (20mm, 3.92 g, 3h). Rome mint. Draped bust of Mercury right, wearing winged petasus; to left, Í above caduceus / Ulysses walking right, holding staff and extending hand toward his dog, Argus. Crawford 362/1; Sydenham 741; Mamilia 6; RBW 1370 var. (control). Lightly toned, minor marks, slight weakness on reverse. Near EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 78 (14 May 2008), lot 1602; Freeman & Sear 13 (25 August 2006), lot 337.

The obverse and reverse of this coin refer to the lineage of the gens Mamilia, who claimed their descent from Mamilia, the daughter of Telegonus, the son of Ulysses and Circe, and a descendant of Mercury. The reverse scene depicts the moment when, returning home from his long wanderings in the guise of a beggar so as to surprise and kill the many suitors of his wife Penelope, Ulysses’ aged dog Argus recognizes him:

Soon as he perceived Long-lost Ulysses nigh, down fell his ears Clapped close, and with his tail glad sign he gave Of gratulation, impotent to rise, And to approach his master as of old. Ulysses, noting him, wiped off a tear Unmarked.

. . . Then his destiny released Old Argus, soon as he had lived to see Ulysses in the twentieth year restored. (Hom. Od. 17.290 [Cowper’s translation]).

At last, seeing his master after so many years, the old dog dies.

455. Cn. Lentulus. 76-75 BC. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.97 g, 12h). Mint in Spain(?). Diademed and draped bust of Genius Populi Romani right, scepter over shoulder / Scepter with wreath, globe, and rudder. Crawford 393/1b; Sydenham 752a; Cornelia 55; RBW 1433. Attractive iridescent toning, areas of slight weakness, underlying luster. Near EF. ($500)

Ex Ried Redlich Collection (Nomos 30, 6 November 2023), lot 1395, purchased from Palladium Numismatics, 10 December 1995.

456. C. Hosidius C.f. Geta. 64 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.93 g, 6h). Rome mint. Diademed and draped bust of Diana right, with bow and quiver over shoulder / Calydonian Boar standing right, pierced by spear and harried by hound below. Crawford 407/2; Sydenham 903; Hosidia 1; RBW 1456. Iridescent toning, a few light marks, surface crack on obverse. Near EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Benito Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 114, 13 May 2020), lot 586.

The reverse of this type features the Calydonian Boar, a symbol of Hercules linked to his conquest over the Erymanthian boar, one of his twelve labors.

457. L. Roscius Fabatus. 59 BC. AR Serrate Denarius (18mm, 4.02 g, 6h). Rome mint. Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin headdress; curved sword to left / Female standing right, feeding serpent to right; curved scabbard to left. Crawford 412/1 (symbol 90); Sydenham 915; Roscia 3; RBW –. Lightly toned with underlying luster, minor marks and scratches. EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Tony Hardy Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 61, 25 September 2002), lot 1441.

458. Q. Servilius Caepio (M. Junius) Brutus. 54 BC. AR Denarius (19.5mm, 4.15 g, 8h). Rome mint. Bare head of L. Junius Brutus right / Bare head of C. Servilius Ahala right. Crawford 433/2; Sydenham 907; Junia 30; RBW 1543. Deeply toned, minor encrustations. Good VF. ($500)

This early coin of Marcus Junius Brutus, struck during his term as moneyer in 54 BC, refers to his illustrious ancestry, which included L. Junius Brutus, one of the legendary first consuls of the nascent Roman Republic, and C. Servilius Ahala, who slew the prospective tyrant Spurius Maelius. Celebrating his connection to the tyrannicide Ahala proved eerily prophetic 10 years later, when, because of his name and reputation for integrity, Brutus was recruited by conspirators against Julius Caesar and became the figurehead leader of the assassins.

459. Moneyer issues of Imperatorial Rome. L. Plautius Plancus. 47 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.60 g, 6h). Rome mint. Facing mask of Medusa with disheveled hair, without serpents / Victory (or winged Aurora) flying right, head slightly left, holding reins and conducting four rearing horses of the sun. Crawford 453/1c; CRI 29a; Sydenham 959b; Plautia 14; RBW 1585. Attractive old collection toning. Good VF. ($1000)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 94 (18 September 2013), lot 981; Tony Hardy Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 61, 25 September 2002), lot 1517.

Certainly this type is one of the most attractive of all Roman Republican issues, although it is notoriously difficult to obtain an example that is well struck on both sides, as is this superb specimen. The reverse type, remarkably, can be tied to a specific ancient work of art, a painting by the 4th century BC artist Nikomachos of Thebes, apparently in the possession of the Munatii and possibly the personal property of the moneyer, L. Plautius Plancus. Plautius was the brother of Lucius Munatius Plancus, who famously survived the precarious times by constantly switching sides. When the Second Triumvirate was formed in 43 BC, he reputedly demonstrated his loyalty by offering up his brother Plautius for proscription and execution. Munatius apparently inherited the painting as it is recorded that he dedicated it to the Capitol at his Gallic Triumph of the same year, raising the question of his motivation in surrendering his brother’s life.

460. Moneyer issues of Imperatorial Rome. Mn. Cordius Rufus. 46 BC. AR Sestertius (12mm, 0.85 g, 1h). Rome mint. Diademed head of Venus right / Cupid advancing right, holding wreath and palm frond. Crawford 463/5b; CRI 67; Sydenham 980b; Cordia 7; RBW 1609. Toned, some patchy find patina, porosity, a few light scratches. Good Fine. Extremely rare. ($750)

From the 1930’s collection of Robert W. Hubel of Michigan, purchased from Michele Baranowsky, April 1937.

461. The Pompeians. M. Porcius Cato. Spring 47- Spring 46 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.70 g, 12h). Utica mint. Draped bust of female (Roma?) right / Victory seated right, holding palm frond and wreath. Crawford 462/1b; CRI 46b; Sydenham 1053a; Porcia 10a; RBW –. Toned, small area of flat strike on the periphery. EF. Struck from artistic dies. ($1000)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 105 (10 May 2017), lot 724; Stack’s (22 April 2009), lot 1302; Classical Numismatic Group 79 (17 September 2008), lot 999.

462. The Pompeians. Sextus Pompey. 42-38 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.30 g, 6h). Massilia (Marseilles) mint; Q. Nasidius, commander of the fleet. Bare head of Pompey the Great right; trident to right; below, dolphin right / Galley with bank of rowers right, under full sail, helmsman steering rudder, hortator standing on prow; star to upper left. Crawford 483/2; CRI 235; Sydenham 1350; RSC 20 (Pompey the Great); RBW 1698. Lightly toned, porosity, minor marks and scratches. Good VF. ($1500)

Sextus Pompey came of age during the ascendancy of his father, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great), as the leading general of Rome and the most powerful man in the Republic. After Pompey’s defeat by Julius Caesar at Pharsalus in August of 48 BC, and his treacherous murder in Egypt later that year, Sextus joined the Pompeian resistance to Caesar in Spain. Caesar’s assassination on March 15, 44 BC brought a brief revival of Senatorial control, during which Sextus relocated to Massalia in southern Gaul. In April of 43 BC, the Senate appointed him commander of the Roman fleet. Although the promotion was rescinded three months later, Sextus wasted no time in seizing Sicily and spent the next months building an impregnable power base on the island even as Rome fell under the sway of Caesar’s political heirs, the Triumvirs Antony, Octavian and Lepidus.

This denarius belongs to the brief interval between Caesar’s murder and Sextus’ appointment as Praefect of the Fleet, during his sojourn at the Gallic port city of Massilia. The obverse portrait is clearly recognizable as Pompey the Great, although the legend identifies him as “son of Neptune” (an epithet won by Magnus after his defeat of the Cilician Pirates, and later claimed by Sextus himself) and provides him appropriate attributes - a dolphin and trident. The warship on the reverse appears to be a hemiola, a fast ramming vessel with two banks of oars totaling 52 a side. Interestingly, Sextus himself is not named; instead the moneyer is identified as Quintus Nasidius, a loyal Pompeian commander of naval forces who backed Sextus in his early career, only to later defect to Mark Antony.

Pedigreed to 1929

463. The Pompeians. Sextus Pompey. 42-38 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.88 g, 11h). Massilia (Marseilles) mint; Q. Nasidius, commander of the fleet. Bare head of Pompey the Great right; trident to right; below, dolphin right / Galley with bank of rowers right, under full sail, helmsman steering rudder, hortator standing on prow; star to upper left. Crawford 483/2; CRI 235; Sydenham 1350; RSC 20 (Pompey the Great); RBW 1698. Deep cabinet toning, banker’s mark, slightly off center. VF. ($1000)

Ex L. Hamburger (29 May 1929), lot 515.

464. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.90 g, 9h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Underlying luster, off center. EF. ($1000)

Julius Caesar and his armies assembled on the banks of the Rubicon River on 10 January 49 BC, ready to invade Italy. Since large quantities of denarii were necessary to pay Caesar’s military expenses, the mint traveled with them. This issue was ordered, not by a moneyer, as was usual, but by Julius Caesar himself. The obverse clearly depicts the triumph of good over evil, numismatic propaganda designed to encourage Caesar’s soldiers during the long, intense campaign. The reverse, depicting priestly emblems, tells of Caesar’s office as Pontifex Maximus, high priest. In all likelihood, this type was used by Caesar’s military forces at least until the decisive battle of Pharsalus.

465. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (21.5mm, 3.79 g, 3h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Toned with underlying luster, areas of soft strike. EF. Struck on a broad flan. ($1000)

466. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.80 g, 12h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Deep cabinet tone, extensive scratches. Near EF. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Künker 204 (12 March 2012), lot 481.

467. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.53 g, 1h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Thick find patina, trace deposits, cleaning marks. EF. ($1000)

468. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 4.02 g, 3h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Lightly toned with underlying luster. Good VF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex CNG inventory 757864 (June 2005).

469. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.70 g, 11h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Iridescent toning, scrapes. VF. ($750)

470. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. Late 46-early 45 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.77 g, 7h). Military mint traveling with Caesar in Spain. Draped bust of Venus left, wearing stephane; small Cupid at point of bust; lituus to left, scepter to right / Trophy of Gallic arms, holding a shield and carnyx in each hand; on left, kneeling bearded male captive seated left, looking right; on right, seated female captive right, resting head in hand. Crawford 468/2; CRI 59; Sydenham 1015; RSC 14; RBW 1640. Iridescent tone, minor marks. Near EF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Stack’s Bowers Galleries (13 January 2023), lot 20134; MDC Monaco 8 (20 October 2021), lot 107; Julien and Louis Poinssot Collection (S. Bourgey, 3 June 2021), lot 31.

471. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. January-February 44 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.75 g, 6h). Rome mint; M. Mettius, moneyer. Laureate head right; lituus and simpulum to left / Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory and scepter, resting her left elbow on shield set on celestial globe to right; i to left. Crawford 480/3; Alföldi Type III, 48 (A27/R20); CRI 100; Sydenham 1056; RSC 34; RBW 1678 var. (control). Toned with iridescence, minor marks and scratches, area of weak strike. Near EF. ($4000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Heritage 3109 (17 August 2023), lot 23195.

Rare Julius Caesar Brockage

472. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April 44 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.99 g). Obverse brockage. Rome mint. C. Cossutius Maridianus, moneyer. Laureate and veiled head right; apex and lituus flanking neck / Incuse and reverse of obverse. Crawford 480/19; Alföldi Type XVII; CRI 112; Sydenham 1069; RSC 8; RBW 1687. Toned, with hints of luster, slight roughness, scratches, test punches on obverse. VF. ($1500)

473. The Triumvirs. Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Autumn 34 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.76 g, 12h). Alexandria mint(?). Bare head of Mark Antony right; Armenian tiara to left / Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra right; at point of bust, prow right. Crawford 543/1 note; CRI 345; Sydenham 1210 var. (rev. legend); RSC 1c; RBW –. Lightly toned, porosity, scratches, off center on reverse. Near VF. ($1000)

The consensus of opinion on the date and mint of this coin was relatively uniform until the publication by R. Newman, “A Dialogue of Power in the Coinage of Antony and Octavian” in AJN 2 (1990), pp. 37-64. Sear (CRI) follows Newman in calling it an issue from Alexandria struck for Antony’s Armenian triumph of the autumn of 34 BC, when the “celebrated and enigmatic” (per Sear) “Donations of Alexandria” took place. Newman states the minting of this coin “must have taken place in 34, the year of Antony’s Alexandrian triumph, since it would otherwise be without context.” The legends on this coin could be translated as “[coin] of Antony, with Armenia being Conquered, for Cleopatra, Queen of Kings and of her Sons, being Kings.” The Armenian crown behind Antony represents his victorious Roman army, the prow beneath Cleopatra (which appears on no other Roman coin of hers) stands for the mighty Egyptian fleet; combined they symbolize the full array of forces that Antony would soon marshal against Octavian.

474. The Triumvirs. Mark Antony. Autumn 32-spring 31 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.43 g, 12h). Legionary type. Patrae(?) mint. Praetorian galley right / Aquila between two signa; Leg xi across lower field. Crawford 544/25; CRI 362; Sydenham 1229; RSC 39; RBW –. Area of weakness at the periphery, minor pitting. Good VF. ($500)

475. The Triumvirs. Mark Antony. Autumn 32-spring 31 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.41 g, 6h). Legionary type. Patrae(?) mint. Praetorian galley right / Aquila between two signa; Leg xxi across field. Crawford 544/37; CRI 381; Sydenham 1244; RSC 58; RBW –. Iridescent toning, flan crack. Near EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex CNG inventory 716701 (October 1999).

476. The Triumvirs. Octavian. Autumn 30-summer 29 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 4.02 g, 9h). Uncertain mint in Italy (Rome?). Laureate head of Octavian, as Apollo, right / Rostral column ornamented with two anchors and six beaks of galleys, surmounted by a statue of Octavian, holding spear and parazonium. CRI 423; RIC I 271; RSC 124. Lightly toned, minor marks. Good VF. ($1000)

Purchased by the consignor from Baldwin’s. Ex Künker 136 (10 March 2008), lot 895; Lanz 76 (18 May 1996), lot 360.

Nicopolis’ Boundary Marked

477. The Triumvirs. Octavian. Autumn 30-summer 29 BC. AR Denarius (18.5mm, 3.73 g, 5h). Uncertain mint in Italy (Rome?). Laureate head of Apollo of Actium right, with features resembling Octavian / Octavian, as city founder, holding whip and plow-handle, plowing right with yoke of oxen. CRI 424; RIC I 272; RSC 117. Lightly toned with underlying luster and iridescence, scattered light marks. Good VF. ($750)

This issue refers to the foundation of Nicopolis in Epirus by Octavian during the Actian campaign. This scene, in which the founder is plowing with oxen, refers to the Roman custom of fixing a boundary for a new city by marking it with a pomerium, or sacred furrow.

ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE

478. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.86 g, 5h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck 15 BC. Bare head right / IMP • X in exergue, bull butting right, left forefoot raised, lashing his tail. RIC I 167a; Lyon 19; RSC 137. Toned, a few shallow scratches, hairlines. Near EF. ($750)

Ex Roma XX (29 October 2020), lot 522; Classical Numismatic Review XXVI.2 (Winter 2001-2002), no. 56.

479. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.84 g, 6h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck 15 BC. Bare head right / IMP • X in exergue, bull butting right, left forefoot raised, lashing his tail. RIC I 167a; Lyon 19; RSC 137. Iridescent toning, a few scratches under tone on obverse. Near EF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex J. Schulman FPL 213 (Spring/Summer 1978), no. 123.

480. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (19.5mm, 3.69 g, 10h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck AD 13-14. Laureate head right / Livia, as Pax, seated right, holding scepter and olive branch. RIC I 220; Lyon 94; RSC 223. Toned, scratches. Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Tradart (17 November 1994), lot 148; Tradart (8 November 1992), lot 162.

Pedigreed to 1933

481. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.76 g, 6h). Uncertain eastern mint. Struck circa 12 BC. Youthful, bare head right; all within oak wreath / Candelabrum, ornamented with rams’ heads; all within a floral wreath entwined with two bucrania and three pateras. RIC I 540; RSC 2 (Caius Caesar). Attractive deep old cabinet toning, small flat spot on edge. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex M. Ratto 5 (6 December 1933), lot 111.

Intriguing Ancient Alteration – Pedigreed to 1914

482. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.72 g, 6h). Uncertain eastern mint. Struck circa 12 BC. Youthful, bare head right; all within oak wreath / Candelabrum, ornamented with rams’ heads; all within a floral wreath entwined with two bucrania and three pateras. RIC I 540; RSC 2 (Caius Caesar); CNG E-549, lot 439 (same dies). Deeply toned. VF. It is common knowledge that when in mourning Roman men would grow a beard. It is likely that the beard was added to this coin in antiquity, perhaps by a soldier, as a sign of Augustus’ respect and mourning upon the recent death of Agrippa. ($1000)

Ex Leu 10 (29 May 1974), lot 34; Prof. Dr. Helferich Collection (S. Rosenberg [38], 9 March 1914), lot 253.

Prideaux observes that this is a much discussed issue, primarily about the identity of the person depicted on the obverse. The young head cannot be that of C. Caesar, as Sutherland, Robertson, Giard, and others have argued. It can only be Augustus, as the oak wreath was his personal signature.

Prideaux notes that two important questions need to be examined: (1) why is he portrayed with such a young face and (2) what is the meaning of this unusual reverse? On the first point, the engraver wasn’t working in a regular mint, with mint approved bust models, and wasn’t accustomed to drawing Augustus’ face. Therefore, he drew a generic profile adding the oak wreath to identify, beyond any doubt, the portrait. On the second point, it seems clear that, based on the symbolism, there is not only a religious, but a funeral theme. It is interesting to note that the sadness of the funeral-themed reverse is counterbalanced by a young portrait and the oak wreath, corona civica aurea, which was given to the citizen who saved another citizen’s life. Some have assigned this issue to the Ludi Saeculares of 17 BC, but while they were religious in nature, they were not funereal.

There is no reason for such a special type to have been issued in Rome or Lugdunum. Prideaux notes one striking event in the period after 17 BC that supports his theory. In 12 BC, Augustus’ chosen heir, Agrippa, died suddenly in Pannonia. We know that the news was taken hard in Rome, just months after Agrippa and his family had been officially made the heirs of the Empire (cf. C. Marius Tromentina’s issues in 13 BC). This event especially reverberated among the legions; they had lost a much admired and multi-victorious general in the middle of a difficult war.

Prideaux proposes that this candelabrum issue was struck in Pannonia to pay the now leaderless, and perhaps restless, Pannonian legions, without having to wait for a monetary delivery from the regular mint in very distant Lugdunum. A local celator, not versed in the portrait of Augustus, produced the dies. The themes reminded the soldiers of Augustus’ corona civica, while paying tribute to their beloved chief with a funeral set. The gold and silver issues (RIC 539-40) should be considered as a special Pannonian military mint issue of 12 BC. This helps explain many of the puzzling details of this issue.

483. Tiberius. AD 14-37. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.56 g, 4h). “Tribute Penny” type. Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Group 6, AD 36-37. Laureate head right; long, parallel ribbons / Livia (as Pax) seated right on chair, feet on footstool, holding scepter and olive branch; ornate chair legs, single line below. RIC I 29; Lyon 153; Calicó 305c. Marks, edge marks. Good VF. Bold portrait. ($3000)

484. Tiberius & Germanicus Gemellus. AD 19-37/8 and 19-23/4, respectively. Æ Sestertius (33.5mm, 25.22 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Tiberius, AD 22-23. Crossed cornucopias, each surmounted by bareheaded bust of boy, vis-à-vis; vertical w inged caduceus between / Legend around large S • C. RIC I 42 (Tiberius). Brown surfaces, flan flaws, pitting, some smoothing on reverse. VF. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Michael Weller Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 67, 22 September 2004), lot 1289; Christie’s Rome (30 April 1992), lot 198.

This issue, commemorating the birth of twin sons to Drusus Caesar and his wife Livia Drusilla (Livilla), was part of the series issued under Tiberius in AD 22-23 to promote the imperial virtue and dynastic solidity of the emperor’s family. Although Germanicus Gemellus died very young, his brother Tiberius Gemellus lived into his adulthood, with the expectation that he would be heir to his grandfather following the premature death of his father, Drusus. In the later years of the emperor’s life, however, Gaius (Caligula) was often seen in close company with the emperor, while Tiberius Gemellus’ status was shrouded in obscurity. Thus after the death of the emperor, Caligula, assisted by the Praetorian Prefect, Macro, quickly moved to take the purple. Upon the reading of the deceased emperor’s will it was discovered that Tiberius intended for both Tiberius Gemellus and his cousin Gaius to be jointly elevated, and, moreover, that Gemellus was to be the senior partner. Under unknown authority, Caligula quickly had the will vacated, and, shortly thereafter, his cousin murdered.

485. Antonia Minor. Augusta, AD 37 and 41. Æ Dupondius (30mm, 16.46 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Claudius, AD 42-43. Draped bust right / Claudius, veiled and togate, standing left, holding simpulum and volumen. RIC I 104 (Claudius); von Kaenel Type 74. Brown and green patina, light roughness, area of minor smoothing on reverse. Good VF. Attractive portrait. ($750)

Ex Conti Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 121, 7 October 2022), lot 787; Artemide XLIX (28 April 2018), lot 177; Astarte VII (10 October 2001), lot 425.

Antonia was the daughter of Mark Antony and Octavia, sister of Augustus, and was raised in the household of her illustrious uncle. In 16 BC she was married to Nero Claudius Drusus, the stepson of Augustus, to whom she bore the great general Germanicus and his brother, future emperor Claudius. Her reputation as a model of matronly virtues kept her afloat, and alive, during the turbulent reigns of the early Julio-Claudian emperors. It was her testimony against her own daughter, Livilla, that saved Tiberius from the conspiracy of his ambitious Praetorian Prefect, Sejanus. Her “reward” was to oversee the execution of Livilla by starvation. Antonia was vocal in her criticism of Caligula’s debauchery; his reaction was to force her to commit suicide at the age of 73 in AD 37. Antonia was never fond of her surviving son, Claudius, but after he became emperor in AD 41, he nevertheless honored her with the posthumous title of Augusta and the striking of coins in gold, silver and bronze coins bearing her image.

486. Agrippina Senior. Died AD 33. Æ Sestertius (36mm, 27.84 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Gaius (Caligula), AD 37-41. Draped bust right, hair falling in queue down her neck / Carpentum drawn left by two mules, the cover supported by standing figures at the corners, and with ornamented side; six spokes in wheel. RIC I 55 (Gaius); Trillmich Group III. Brown patina, area of corrosion on obverse, minor strike doubling on reverse, edge scrapes. Near EF. ($1500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 98 (12 December 2016), lot 1059; Stack’s Bowers Galleries (9 January 2015), lot 233; Christie’s New York (9 December 1991), lot 13.

487. Agrippina Senior Died AD 33. Æ Sestertius (36.5mm, 26.84 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Claudius, AD 42-43. Draped bust right / Legend around large S • C. RIC I 102 (Claudius); Trillmich Group II; von Kaenel Type 78. Brown surfaces, smoothing. Near EF. ($1000)

Ex Roma E-Sale 81 (25 February 2021), lot 1059; Lanz 163 (7 December 2016), lot 289.

488. Claudius. AD 41-54. AV Aureus (19.5mm, 7.71 g, 6h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck AD 50-51. Laureate head right / Pax-Nemesis advancing right, holding out fold of drapery below chin and holding winged caduceus pointing down at serpent gliding right with head erect. RIC I 51 (Rome); von Kaenel Type 40 (unlisted dies); Lyon 73 (unlisted dies); Calicó 371. Minor marks, hairlines, edge marks. VF. ($3000)

Ex Roma XVI (26 September 2018), lot 672.

489. Claudius, with Agrippina Junior. AD 41-54. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.56 g, 5h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck AD 50-51. Laureate head of Claudius right / Draped bust of Agrippina right, wearing wreath of grain ears. RIC I 80; von Kaenel Type 50 (unlisted dies); Lyon 82 (unlisted dies); Calicó 396. Some marks, hairlines, edge marks. VF. ($3000)

490. Claudius. AD 41-54. Æ As (29mm, 10.89 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 42-43. Bare head left / Libertas standing right, holding pileus and extending left hand. RIC I 113; von Kaenel Type 77. Brown patina. Near EF. Pleasing portrait, detailed reverse. ($600)

Ex Bertolami Fine Arts 67 (11 July 2019), lot 376 .

Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 84 (20 May 2015), lot 921 (obverse encrustation removed since).

The decursio was a military training exercise which acquired ceremonial pageantry. The decursio Troiae was an equestrian event and may have been connected to the earlier Republican transvectio equitum, a ceremony Augustus reinstituted. A similar decursio appears on the base of the Column of Antoninus Pius.

491. Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Sestertius (34.5mm, 26.77 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 64. Laureate head left / Nero on horseback riding right, holding spear; behind him, soldier on horseback riding right, holding vexillum. RIC I 171; WCN 114. Appealing green patina, minor encrustation, area of smoothing on obverse. Good VF. ($1500)

Temple of Vesta

492. Nero. AD 54-68. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.54 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 65-66. Laureate head right / Hexastyle temple of Vesta with domed roof, set on podium of four steps; within, statue of Vesta seated left, holding patera and scepter. RIC I 62; RSC 335. Toned, shallow scratches on reverse. Good VF. ($1500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Gilbert Steinberg Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica/Spink Tasei, 16 November 1994), lot 251; Sternberg XXII (20 November 1989), lot 265.

Central to the prosperity of the Roman state was the Temple of Vesta, one of the oldest and most sacred temples in Rome. Its distinctive, circular architecture was reminiscent of the fact that the worship of Vesta, goddess of the hearth, originally took place in the privacy of the home. Never officially consecrated, the temple housed the sacred, undying fire, upon which the fate of Rome lay and, within the inner sanctum, “sacred things that may not be divulged” purportedly including the Palladium, brought from Troy by Aeneas, as well as important state documents. Tended to by the Vestal Virgins, whose purity and dedication was seen to guard the city from danger, it was said that if the fire were to be extinguished it would be interpreted as “an omen that portends the destruction of the city.” Ironically perhaps, the temple was destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt on numerous occasions, including after the great fire of AD 64, supposedly started by Nero himself. Historical accounts, including that of Ovid, state that there had previously been no cult statue within the temple and earlier coins depicting the temple appear to corroborate this, such as the denarius of Q. Cassius Longinus and the rare dupondius of Augustus. Although it is possible that the newly built temple did contain a statue, such as is depicted here, Philip Hill suggests that the more likely explanation is that this reverse shows the Aedicula Vestae on the Palatine Hill, a small shrine erected near the house of Augustus in 12 BC which, although also destroyed and rebuilt after the great fire, incorporated a new shrine of Vesta within it.

Pedigreed to 1950

493. Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Sestertius (36.5mm, 27.77 g, 6h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck circa AD 65. Laureate head right, globe at point of neck / Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory and resting hand on parazonium, foot on helmet; shields to right. RIC I 442; WCN 421; Lyon 112. Attractive green patina. Good VF. Struck on a broad flan. ($1500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Henry Platt Hall (Part II, Glendining, 16 November 1950), lot 1084; Gen. W. Yorke Moore Collection.

The Temple of Janus

494. Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Sestertius (36.5mm, 25.18 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 67. IMP NERO CLAVD

CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P XIII P P, laureate bust right, wearing aegis / PACE P R TERRA MARIQ PARTA IANVM

CLVSIT, S C across field, Temple of Janus with garland hung across closed double doors to left and latticed windows to right. RIC I 354 var. (bust type); WCN 171 var. (same); BMCRE p. 215, note †; BN 429 var. (same); Elkins, Monuments Figure 77. Brown patina, flan flaws, brassy highlights. Near EF. An interesting architectural reverse type with the closed doors of the Temple of Janus, sending the signal to the Roman people that there was no war. ($5000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Long Valley River Collection (Roma XX, 29 October 2020), lot 560; Artemide Aste (2 September 2004), lot 156.

The Temple of Janus was one of Rome’s most ancient centers of worship. It was said that Romulus had built it after he made peace with the Sabines, and that it was king Numa who decreed that its doors should be opened during times of war and shut during times of peace. In all of Roman history until the reign of Nero, the temple doors had been shut perhaps five or six times – once under king Numa (who originated the tradition), once at the end of the Second Punic War, three times under Augustus, and, according to Ovid, once under Tiberius.

In AD 65, when peace had been generally established in the Empire, Nero understandably requested the closing of the temple’s doors. He marked the event with great celebrations and trumpeted his policy of peace by issuing a large and impressive series of coins. The inscription on this issue announces “the doors of Janus have been closed after peace has been procured for the Roman People on the land and on the sea.” The doors of the temple probably remained closed for less than a year, being opened again with the onset of strife in Judaea in 68.

Expressive Galba Portrait

495. Galba. AD 68-69. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.41 g, 7h). Uncertain mint in Gaul (Narbo?). Struck circa April-late autumn AD 68. Laureate head right / Concordia standing left, holding branch and cornucopia. RIC I 120; RSC 38. Deeply toned, scratches under tone, edge filed. Good VF. Expressive portrait. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Leu 30 (28 April 1982), lot 316.

Though reigning scarcely seven months, Servius Sulpicius Galba has the honor of inspiring Rome’s portrait artists to reach heights never again equaled or surpassed. Achieving the throne at age 70, Galba was a wizened Roman aristocrat whose sagging, craggy countenance could not have been more different than that of his predecessor, the bloated and dissolute Nero. Indeed, Galba seems to have deliberately promoted himself as a steely martinet who would restore Rome to proper Republican austerity.

496. Galba. AD 68-69. Æ Sestertius (34.5mm, 26.65 g, 6h). Rome mint, 4th officina. Struck circa June-August AD 68. Laureate and draped bust right / S P Q R/ OB/ CIV SER in three lines within oak wreath. RIC I 262; ACG – (A49/P– [unlisted rev. die]). Tan surfaces, some red, remnants of find patina, smoothing. VF. ($750)

Ex Archer M. Huntington Collection, ANS 1001.1.22927.

497. Galba. AD 68-69. Æ Sestertius (36.5mm, 26.84 g, 7h). Rome mint, 3rd officina. Struck circa October AD 68. Laureate and draped bust right / Libertas standing left, holding pileus and vindicta. RIC I 388; ACG – (A148/P– [unlisted rev. die]). Brown patina, minor roughness. Good VF. Well centered on a broad medallic flan. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Künker 280 (26 September 2016), lot 534; G. Hirsch 111 (12 June 1978), lot 2044.

498. Galba. AD 68-69. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 26.30- g, 6h). Rome mint, 1st officina. Struck circa November AD 68. SER • GALBA • IMP • CAES • AVG • TR • P •, laureate head right / LIBERTAS AVGVSTA, S C across field, Libertas, draped, standing left, holding pileus in right hand and vindicta in left. RIC I 442; ACG – (A57/P– [unlisted rev. die]); BMCRE 67; BN –. Brown patina, minor smoothing. Near EF. A fantastic example and rare. ($5000)

Galba Adlocutio Sestertius – Among the Finest Known

499. Galba. AD 68-69. Æ Sestertius (35mm, 25.47 g, 6h). Rome mint, 7th officina. Struck circa December AD 68. SER SVLPI GALBA IMP CAESAR AVG P M TR P, laureate head right, globe at point of neck / ADLOCVTIO/ S C in two lines in exergue, Galba, bareheaded in military dress, standing right on low platform on left, haranguing troops; to left on platform is an officer also standing right; to right on ground line, two soldiers standing left, the one in front holding oblong shield and signum, the one behind an oblong shield and spear; between them are seen the head and front legs of a horse; in the background are two soldiers standing right, carrying two spears and vexillum; to far right, an aquila. RIC I 463; ACG 365 (A122/P – [unlisted rev. die]); cf. BMCRE 249-51; BN 235 var. (bust type). Green patina. Near EF. An amazing reverse composition. Among the finest known. ($20,000)

By AD 68, Servius Sulpicius Galba had governed Hispania for nearly eight years with a single Roman legion, VI Victrix, under his command. In April of that year, with Nero’s regime crumbling, Galba appeared before his soldiers and proclaimed himself a vir militaris representing the Senate and People of Rome, marking his break with Nero and taking the first steps that would lead to his brief, chaotic reign as emperor. The scene is reproduced on this remarkable sestertius, an artistic tour de force, struck at the mint of Rome in December of 68. Although Adlocutio scenes depicting the emperor addressing soldiers had appeared on Roman coins before, notably on sestertii of Caligula and Nero, this piece represents a sharp departure from prevailing artistic norms. The four visible soldiers and a single horse are arrayed, not as identical units in ordered ranks, but in a variety of individualized postures and kits, along with standards, banners and weaponry, all layered to to suggest a huge mass of restless Roman soldiery. Galba faces them on a raised platform dressed as a soldier himself, his facial features distinctive despite the small scale. The composition has been aptly termed a masterpiece of numismatic art that has seldom, if ever, been equaled in the centuries since.

500. Otho. AD 69. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.53 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck 15 January-8 March. Bare head right / Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond. RIC I 16; Muona Group 1, Type 2B, Portrait Type A; RSC 24. Slightly off center, minor die break on obverse. VF. Bold portrait. ($1500)

Marcus Salvius Otho was a minor functionary in the court of Nero, known more for his enthusiastic participation in the emperor’s revels than for any real competency. His one mistake was in introducing his beautiful wife Poppaea Sabina to his master. Very soon, Otho got the governorship of the remote province of Lusitania, and Nero got Poppaea. With Nero’s downfall, Otho aligned himself with his fellow governor Galba, fully expecting to be named the elderly emperor’s successor. When Galba designated Piso as his successor, the disappointed Otho joined the conspiracy that led to Galba’s assassination. Otho himself would perish three months later, by his own hand as the armies of Vitellius approached Rome.

Rare Issue for Lucius Vitellius

501. Vitellius, with Vitellius the Elder. AD 69. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.19 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa late April-20 December. Laureate head of Vitellius right / Laureate and draped bust of Lucius Vitellius right; eagle-tipped scepter to right. RIC I 77; RSC 3a (Lucius Vitellius). Toned, some faint hairlines. VF. Rare. ($1000)

The last of Nero’s immediate three successors, Vitellius was declared emperor by his troops while campaigning in lower Germania in January, AD 69. His reign was short lived however, as Vespasian was hailed emperor in Judaea only a few months later. Vitellius’ troops gave little resistance as Vespasian entered Italy. As Vespasian’s army approached Rome, Vitellius attempted to abdicate but was prevented by the Praetorians and his backers, who rioted and burned down the Temple of Jupiter. Vitellius was ultimately dragged out of his hiding place and brutally murdered, his body thrown down the Gemonian Stairs. The reverse of this coin depicts L. Vitellius. A prominent politician serving under three successive emperors, Vitellius the Elder was appointed governor of Syria in AD 35 and was responsible for deposing Pontius Pilate the following year. Under Claudius, he served as governor of Rome while the emperor campaigned in Britain.

Judaea Capta Aureus

502. Vespasian. AD 69-79. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.33 g, 7h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint. Struck circa 21 December AD 69-early 70. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right / IVDAEA in exergue, trophy; to right, Judaea, veiled and draped, seated right on ground in attitude of mourning, knees drawn up, head resting on left hand, which is propped on knees, right arm on lap. RIC II.1 1; Hendin 6492; Calicó 643; BMCRE 31-4; BN 20-2; Biaggi 324. In NGC encapsulation 5770518-001, graded XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, Graffiti, marks. ($20,000)

The main Judaea Capta coinage was a series of imperial issues struck in gold, silver, and bronze, and provincial issues struck in silver and bronze, to celebrate the Roman defeat of Judaea, the capture of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the Jewish Second Temple during the First Jewish War (66-73 CE). Generally, the reverse of this coinage shows a Jewish female seated in an attitude of mourning beneath a palm tree. Sometimes a bound male captive, or the figure of the victorious emperor or Victory, is found standing on the other side amid weapons, shields, and helmets. While some gold and silver coins bear no legend on the reverse, most issues are inscribed IVDAEA CAPTA, IVDAEA DEVICTA, or simply IVDAEA. The imperial coins were struck for only Vespasian and Titus. Provincial drachms were minted in Asia Minor for Titus (who oversaw the capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple). The provincial bronze coinage for Titus and Domitian (who did not participate in any of the actions, but was included by familial association) was struck in Judaea by the Roman administration at Caesarea Maritima and even by the Romanized Jewish ruler, Agrippa II, who was a friend of Titus and his supporter during the war.

503. Vespasian. AD 69-79. AV Aureus (18mm, 7.32 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck January-June AD 70. Laureate head right / Pax seated left, holding olive branch and winged caduceus. RIC II.1 28; Calicó 607. Lustrous, minor marks. Good VF. ($4000)

Ex Heritage 3109 (17 August 2023), lot 32221.

Stunning “Judaea Capta” Sestertius – Ex Bromberg Collection

504. Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (31mm, 19.71 g, 6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint. Struck AD 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head right / IVDAEA CAPTA, S C in exergue, palm tree; to left, Vespasian standing right, left foot on helmet, holding spear in right hand, cradling parazonium in left arm; to right, Judaea, veiled and draped, seated right on cuirass, in attitude of mourning. RIC II.1 167; Hendin 6534; Brin 45; BMCRE 543-6; BN 497-8. In NGC encapsulation 4790084-001, graded AU★, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Fine Style. ($10,000)

Ex Heritage 3075 (15 August 2019), lot 32048; Roma XVI (26 September 2018), lot 696, purchased from B&H Kreindler; Goldberg 98 (6 June 2017), lot 1696; Brody Family Collection (Part I, The New York Sale XXXIX, 10 January 2017), lot 236 (front cover coin); Abraham Bromberg Collection (Part II, Superior, 10 December 1992), lot 611.

“Judaea Capta” Commemorative

505. Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (33mm, 25.57 g, 6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint. Struck AD 71. Laureate head right / IVDAEA CAPTA, S C in exergue, palm tree; to left, Vespasian standing right, with left foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium; to right, Judaea seated right on cuirass, in attitude of mourning. RIC II.1 167; Hendin 6534. Green-brown patina, smoothed. Good VF. ($1500)

506. Vespasian. AD 69-79. AV Aureus (20mm, 7.31 g, 11h). Rome mint. Struck AD 73. IMP CAESAR VESP AVG CENSOR, laureate head right / VES TA above, Temple of Vesta: round-domed, tetrastyle temple with four steps leading up to it; statue of Vesta within, statue to left and right of temple. RIC II.1 516; Calicó 693; BMCRE p. 21, note 107; BN –; Adda –; Biaggi –; Jameson –; Mazzini dopo 580 (same obv. die); cf. Elkins, Monuments Figure 88 (for rev. type). In NGC encapsulation 6057935-002, graded Ch XF, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5. Rare with this obverse legend. Interesting architectural reverse type. ($10,000)

Ex Künker 347 (22 March 2021), lot 1078; Künker 288 (13 March 2017), lot 475.

The reverse of this aureus depicts the circular Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum, a small portion of which was re-erected in 1930 and still stands today. The round floor plan with the conical roof were patterned on the round huts in which primeval denizens of Rome first lived. At the center of the temple was the Sacred Fire of Vesta, tended by the six-member order of Vestal Virgins. The Virgins were under oath never to let the fire die lest a terrible fate befall Rome, a difficult charge given the central vent in the roof. Over nine centuries, the shrine was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The version seen here was rebuilt and rededicated by Vespasian after the temple had been damaged in Nero’s fire of AD 64.

507. Vespasian. AD 69-79. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.57 g, 11h). Rome mint. Struck AD 73. Laureate head right / S P Q R within oak wreath. RIC II.1 547; RSC 516. Beautiful deep toning, a few minor marks under tone. Near EF ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Kampmann (18 May 1981), 232.

508. Vespasian. AD 69-79. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.29 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 74. IMP CAESAR VESPΛSIΛNVS ΛVG, laureate head right / FORTVNΛ ΛVGVST, Fortuna standing left on low wreathed base decorated with rams’ heads, holding rudder in right hand and cornucopia in left. RIC II 699; Calicó 631; BMCRE 275 (same dies); BN 246-8; Biaggi 3201; Mazzini 172. In NGC encapsulation 3987327-001, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($10,000)

509. Divus Vespasian. Died AD 79. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.13 g, 7h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint. Struck under Titus, AD 80-81. Laureate head right / Victory advancing left, with both hands placing round shield on trophy; Judaea, in attitude of mourning, seated left at base of trophy. RIC II.1 363 (Titus); Hendin 6612; Calicó 628. In NGC encapsulation 6558502-003, graded XF, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 1/5, damage. ($3000)

510. Titus. As Caesar, AD 69-79. AV Aureus (18mm, 7.38 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Vespasian, AD 72-73. T CAES IMP VE SP PON TR POT, laureate head right / VIC AVG across field, Victory, draped, wings pointed upward, standing right on globe, holding wreath in extended right hand and palm frond over shoulder in left. RIC II.1 367 (Vespasian); Calicó 798a (same rev. die as illustration); BMCRE (Vespasian) 81 (same rev. die); BN 71-2 (Vespasian); Adda 69 (same rev. die). In NGC encapsulation 6155922-003, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, scratches. ($7500)

Ex Molard Collection (Nomos 15, 22 October 2017), lot 231.

Flavius Titus Vespasianus was born in AD 41, as son of the successful general Vespasian. Titus had the honor of being raised and educated at court alongside the emperor Claudius’ son, Britannicus. He grew into an intelligent, handsome, and charming young man who became his father’s second in command for the Judaean campaign of AD 66-69. When Nero’s regime collapsed, Titus played a key role in the negotiations with other provincial governors that led to Vespasian’s acclamation as emperor. While Vespasian marched on Rome to confront his rivals, Titus took over direction of the Judaean war. He led his legions with dash, verve and personal courage, thus becoming an idol to his men. The Judaean campaign culminated in the brutal storming of Jerusalem in AD 70. Titus was granted a Triumph and the victory was celebrated with a widespread issue of coinage for Vespasian, Titus and his brother Domitian, both “Judaea Capta” types and simple Victory issues. These types include this Victory aureus of Titus as Caesar, struck cira AD 72-73. Though still theoretically subordinate to his father, Titus is shown wearing the laurel wreath usually reserved only for the emperor, visually signaling his status as virtual co-ruler with Vespasian.

Rare Judaea Capta Aureus – Ex Kollek Collection

511. Titus. AD 79-81. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.35 g, 6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint. Struck under Vespasian, AD 72-73. T CAES IMP VESP PON TR POT, laureate head right / Palm tree with five palm fronds: to left, Titus, in military dress, standing right, holding spear in right hand and parazonium in left, foot on helmet; to right, Judaea, veiled and draped, seated right in attitude of mourning, knees drawn up, head resting on left hand, left arm propped on knee. RIC II.1 368 (Vespasian); Hendin 6496; Calicó 721b; BMCRE 83-4 (Vespasian); BN 74 (Vespasian); Biaggi 389; Bromberg 618. In NGC encapsulation 6158666-003, graded Ch VF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, Fine Style, edge cut. ($20,000)

Ex Triton XXV (11 January 2022), lot 847; Harry N. Sneh Collection (Gemini IX, 9 January 2012), lot 303; Teddy Kollek Collection (Leu 86, 5 May 2003), lot 807.

The Roman Empire used coins to convey powerful messages. The anepigraphic reverse on this coin depicts the utter destitution of Judaea following the brutal suppression of the Jewish revolt. Matthew Henry in his commentary of Isaiah 3 noted that “The prophet, in this chapter, goes on to foretel the desolations that were coming upon Judah and Jerusalem for their sins, both that by the Babylonians and that which completed their ruin by the Romans.”

See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, the hero and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor, skilled crafstman and clever enchanter (Isaiah 3:1-3).

And her gates shall lament and mourn; ravaged, she shall sit upon the ground (Isaiah 3:26).

From the Meander Collection. Ex Artemide Aste XL (31 May 2014), lot 211.

Ex CGB Internet Auction (7 September 2021),

512. Titus. AD 79-81. Æ Sestertius (32mm, 20.12 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 80-81. Laureate head left / Divus Vespasian and Titus standing facing each other, together holding globe over rudder between them. RIC II.1 162. Green patina, chipping at edge. VF. ($750)

513. Domitian. As Caesar, AD 69-81. AV Aureus (18mm, 7.35 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Vespasian, AD 76-77. Laureate head right / Cornucopia. RIC II.1 918 (Vespasian); Calicó 817. Contact marks, hairlines, scrape on reverse, edge marks. Good VF. ($3000)

lot 125.

Ex Mazzini Collection – Published in 1957

514. Domitian. AD 81-96. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.41 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck 14 September-31 December AD 87. Laureate head right / Minerva standing left, holding thunderbolt and spear, shield at side to right. RIC II.1 519; RSC 223a; Mazzini 223 (this coin). Appealing old cabinet tone, minor deposits. Near EF. Struck on a broad flan. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Giuseppe Mazzini Collection (publ. 1957).

Pedigreed to 1920

515. Domitian. AD 81-96. Æ As (28mm, 12.17 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 87. Laureate head right / Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia. RIC II.1 544. Glossy dark green patina, slight pitting. Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex René Baron Collection (Tradart, 18 December 2014), lot 281; Platt (19 April 1920), lot 99.

516. Domitian. AD 81-96. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 22.24 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 95-18 September 96. Laureate head right / Jupiter seated left, holding Victory and scepter. RIC II.1 794. Brown patina, hairline flan crack, areas of light porosity, some marks, edge bruise, scrape on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica Autumn Sale 95 (26 October 1995), lot 577.

517. Nerva. AD 96-98. AR Denarius (18.5mm, 3.67 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 96. Laureate head right / Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. RIC II 1; RSC 3. Beautiful iridescent cabinet toning, irregular flan. EF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Elsen 145 (18 September 2020), lot 353; Sternberg XVI (15 November 1985), lot 274.

518. Nerva. AD 96-98. Æ Sestertius (35mm, 27.12 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 96. Laureate head right / Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia. RIC II 60; Banti 19. Dark brown patina, slightly rough surfaces. Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Dr. Walter Stoecklin (†1975) Collection (Nomos 14, 17 May 2017), lot 351, purchased from Bank Leu in Zurich.

519. Trajan. AD 98-117. Æ Sestertius (33.5mm, 24.44 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 104/5-107. Laureate bust right, wearing aegis / Trajan on horseback riding right, thrusting spear at Dacian soldier falling down in front of horse. RIC II 534 var. (bust type); Woytek 203cB; Banti 209. Attractive green patina, earthen deposits. Near EF. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Yves Gunzenreiner Collection (Leu Numismatik AG 1, 25 October 2017), lot 196.

520. Trajan. AD 98-117. Æ Dupondius (28mm, 13.51 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck winter AD 114-early 116. Radiate and draped bust right / Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopia. RIC II 674; Woytek 535v. Mottled green and brown patina, glossy surfaces. EF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Tradart (18 December 2014), lot 303.

521. Matidia. Augusta, AD 112-119. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.13 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Trajan, September AD 112-117. Draped bust right, wearing double stephane / Matidia (as Pietas) standing left, placing hands on heads of two children, Sabina and Matidia, who stand on either side, raising hands to her. RIC II 759 (Trajan); Woytek 729-1; RSC 10. Toned, minor scratches and hairlines. VF. ($750)

Ex Pegasi Auctions XXX (21 May 2014), lot 486.

Matidia, daughter of Marciana and niece of Trajan, proved to be the lynchpin that held together the imperial succession for the next three generations. Matidia was married three times in succession to important Roman Senators, all of whom predeceased her. Vibia Sabina, her daughter by her first husband, was married to the future emperor Hadrian. By her third husband, she bore Rupilia Faustina, who went on to become mother to Faustina the Elder, future wife of Antoninus Pius; she was also the grandmother of Marcus Aurelius and also his wife Faustina the Younger, and thus great-grandmother (on both sides) to Commodus. Matidia died in AD 119; her son-in-law Hadrian delivered the funeral oration and arranged for her deification.

519

520

522. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Sestertius (32.5mm, 25.21 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 119-circa mid 120. Laureate bust right with bare chest, slight drapery / Roma seated left on cuirass, left foot on greave, right foot on helmet, holding Victory and spear; shield to right. RIC II.3 254; Banti 603. Brown patina. Good VF. Wonderful portrait. ($1000)

Ex Naville Numismatics 37 (28 January 2018), lot 601.

523. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Sestertius (33.5mm, 23.86 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 119-circa mid 120. Laureate bust right with bare chest, slight drapery / Roma seated left on cuirass, left foot on greave, right foot on helmet, holding Victory and spear; shield to right. RIC II.3 254; Banti 603 (same rev. die). Beautiful light green patina, minor earthen deposits, a couple of scrapes on reverse, hairline flan crack, some chipping at edge, edge knock. EF. A wonderful portrait. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Giovanni Chiarot Medal Cabinet (Tradart 21, 15 February 2018), lot 125.

524. Hadrian. AD 117-138. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.42 g, 7h). Rome mint. Struck April-August AD 121. Laureate and cuirassed bust right, cropped of its pteryges / Bonus Eventus standing left, holding patera over lighted altar on left, and also holding bunch of grain ears. RIC II.3 357; RSC 1073b var. (bust type). Attractive deep old iridescent toning, minor flan flaw on reverse. Superb EF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex The Numismatic Auction 1 (13 December 1982), lot 332; Leu 10 (29 May 1974), lot 144.

525. Hadrian. AD 117-138. AV Aureus (18.5mm, 7.21 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 124-125. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate bust right, slight drapery / COS above, III in exergue, she-wolf standing left, suckling the Twins (Romulus and Remus). RIC II.3 709; Strack 195α; Calicó 1233; BMCRE 448-50; Adda 131; Biaggi 598; Jameson –; Mazzini 422; Heritage 3101, lot 32120 (same dies). Underlying luster, faint hairlines, minor marks. EF. Portrait of artistic merit. ($7500)

According to Vergil (Aeneid, Book 2), Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus and the Trojan Anchises, fled with some remnants of the inhabitants of Troy as it fell to the Greeks, taking with him his son, Ascanius, his elderly father, Anchises, and the Palladium, or ancient sacred statue of Athena. The Trojans eventually made their way west to resettle in Italy. There they intermarried with the local inhabitants and founded the town of Lavinium, and thereby became the nucleus of the future Roman people. One of the descendants of Aeneas’ son Ascanius (known now as Iulus) was Rhea Silvia. Impregnated by the god Mars, she gave birth to the twins, Romulus and Remus. Exposed by their great-uncle, Amulius, the twins were suckled by a she-wolf, until they were eventually rescued. Romulus later founded the city of Rome, and consequently the image of the she-wolf and the twins became the symbol of the city

526. Hadrian. AD 117-138. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.23 g, 7h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 126-127. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / Pudicitia, veiled, standing left, holding veil and other arm across body. RIC II.3 846; RSC 392. Attractive iridescent toning. Superb EF. Struck with very fresh dies. Amazing details. ($500)

Ex Mazzini Collection – Published in 1957

527. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ As (27.5mm, 10.66 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 129-130. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Clementia standing left, holding patera and scepter. RIC II.3 1197; Mazzini 225 (this coin). Brown and green patina, minor roughness. Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Giuseppe Mazzini Collection (publ. 1957).

ADVENTVI AVG IVDAEAE

528. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Sestertius (31.5mm, 27.57 g, 6h). “Travel series” issue (“Provinces cycle”) – Adventus type. Rome mint. Struck circa AD 130-133. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, laureate and draped bust right / A[DVEN]T VI AVG IVDAEAE •, S C in exergue, Hadrian standing right, raising right hand and holding volumen in left, facing Judaea standing left, holding patera in right hand and acerra in left; at her feet, one small child stands to her left and right; between them, lighted altar; victim (bull) at foot of altar. RIC II.3 1768; Banti 42; Hendin 6635; BMCRE 1659-60. Green patina, pitting, marks, chipping at edge. VF. Rare. ($5000)

Hadrian made a brief visit to Judaea circa AD 130, during his second great provincial tour of AD 129-132. Prior to his arrival, rumors spread among the Jews that he intended to rebuild Jerusalem and the great Temple, destroyed during the Jewish War of AD 66-73, so he was at first warmly welcomed. However, Hadrian decided to rebuild the city as the Roman veteran colony of Aelia Capitolina, with a temple to Jupiter replacing the one once dedicated to Jehovah. This ultimately sparked the bloody Bar Kokhba Revolt of AD 132-135, which devastated the province and darkened Hadrian’s final years. The rare coinage issued to mark his visit, with the legend ADVENTVI AVG IVDAEA (”the Emperor Enters Judaea”), depicts Hadrian being greeted by a female personification of the province and two children. Judaea was renamed Syria Palaestina (referring to the region’s earlier residents, the Philistines) in response to the Bar Kochba conflict, though precisely when this occurred is not known.

Illustrated in Banti – Pedigreed to 1912

529. Aelius. Caesar, AD 136-138. Æ Sestertius (31mm, 27.77 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Hadrian, AD 137. Bare head right / Concordia seated left, holding patera and resting arm on cornucopia set on throne. RIC II.3 2650; Banti 2 (this coin cited and illustrated). Appealing dark brown patina, a few minor flan flaws. Good VF. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Distinguished Collection of Roman Bronze Coins (Dix Noonan Webb 139, 15 February 2017), lot 85, purchased from Seaby, March 1938; R. Ratto (8 February 1928), lot 2852; Naville II (12 June 1922), lot 780; J. Hirsch XXXI (6 May 1912), lot 1342.

L. Ceionius Commodus, grandson and son of the consuls of AD 78 and 106, brother of Faustina Senior, was born about AD 104. He was praetor in AD 130, and in AD 136 he celebrated his first consulship. That same year Hadrian adopted L. Ceionius Commodus, who took the name of Lucius Aelius Caesar. On 1 January AD 137, he began his second consulship and it was at this time that he began to participate in the coinage. Unfortunately, Aelius predeceased Hadrian, dying of a massive hemorrhage on New Year’s Day AD 138. Hadrian subsequently adopted Antoninus Pius as his new heir, on the condition that Pius likewise adopt Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, the latter being the son of Aelius and Domitia Lucilla.

Exceptional Antoninus Pius Sestertius

530. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Sestertius (33mm, 23.54 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 154-155. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / Libertas standing left, holding pileus and vindicta. RIC III 929 var. (bust type); Banti 228. Light green patina, trace deposits, small edge chip on reverse. Near EF. Exceptional. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Triton XVII (6 January 2014), lot 703 (hammer $3750).

531. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. AV Aureus (18mm, 7.21 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 156-157. Laureate head right / Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond. RIC III 266b; Calicó 1675. VF. ($2500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 40 (with Numismatica Ars Classica, 4 December 1996), lot 1514.

532. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. AV Aureus (18.5mm, 7.12 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 157-158. Bare head right / Salus standing right, feeding out of patera serpent held in her arms. RIC III 279b; Calicó 1683. Minor marks. Good VF. ($2000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 106 (13 September 2017), lot 760.

Calicó Plate Coin

533. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. AV Aureus (18mm, 6.78 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 158-159. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / Antoninus Pius, veiled and togate, standing left, sacrificing out of patera over tripod-altar and holding volumen at side. RIC III 294d var. (bust type); Calicó 1715a (this coin illustrated). In NGC encapsulation 453032-001, graded Ch XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, Fine Style. ($3000)

From the Collection of a London Artist.

Ex Mazzini Collection – Published in 1957

534. Diva Faustina Senior. Died AD 140/1. Æ Sestertius (32mm, 23.85 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Antoninus Pius, circa AD 150-late 150s. Draped bust right, wearing hair bound in pearls on top of her head / Aeternitas seated left, holding phoenix on globe and scepter. RIC III 1103A (Pius); Banti 7 var. (arrangement of obv. legend); Mazzini 15 (this coin). Brown-green patina, some verdigris on reverse. Good VF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Giuseppe Mazzini Collection (publ. 1957).

535. Marcus Aurelius. As Caesar, AD 139-161. Æ Sestertius (31mm, 27.80 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Antoninus Pius, AD 145-147. Bareheaded bust right, slight drapery on neck and shoulder / Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm frond set on ground and cornucopia. RIC III 1242a (Pius); Banti 111. Attractive brown patina, small pit on obverse. Near EF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection.

536. Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. AV Aureus (18mm, 6.80 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AD 163. Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Salus, draped, standing left, holding scepter in left hand, and feeding out of patera in right hand a snaked coiled around and rising from altar to left. RIC III 77; MIR 18, 54-2/17; Calicó 1915. Lightly toned, underlying luster. Good VF. ($4000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XIX (5 January 2016), lot 567.

To the Romans, Salus was the personification of health and the equivalent of the Greek goddess, Hygieia, daughter of the Greek god of healing, Aesculapius. Consequently, her presence on Roman imperial coinage may be taken as the possible indication of the recovery of the ruler from some bout of illness or indisposition. From youth, Marcus Aurelius was troubled by poor health, as indicated by the number of times Salus is invoked on his coinage. The rediscovery of his youthful letters to his tutor Fronto, which are filled with complaints of chills, fevers, chest colds, and gastric troubles, has led some historians to subtitle the Antonine era an “age of hypochondria.” However, these health concerns took a deadly turn in AD 163, when the Roman armies returning from an eastern campaign brought with them a deadly plague, perhaps smallpox, that swept the classical world and carried off perhaps a third of its population. The appearance of Salus on this aureus of Marcus Aurelius is thus likely a divine appeal to protect the emperor and his dynasty from this rapidly spreading contagion.

537. Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. Æ Medallion (39.5mm, 53.49 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 164-165. • M • ΛVREL ΛNTONINVS ΛVG ΛRME NIΛCVS P M IMP II TR P XIX COS III, laureate and cuirassed bust right / Woman on the left, standing right under a tree, her legs crossed, in the act of feeding a snake wrapped around the statue of Salus set on table; on the table to left, a vase; on stretcher of table, a bird perched left. Cf. Gnecchi II, p. 37, 80; cf. MIR 18, 1025-1/36; Banti 545. Dark green-brown patina, smoothed, some deposits, scrapes on reverse. Near EF. Very rare. ($4000)

538. Lucius Verus. AD 161-169. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.30 g, 1h). Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AD 161. Laureate head right / Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius, togate, standing vis-à-vis, clasping hands, each holding a volumen. RIC III 451; MIR 18, 15-12/30; Calicó 2112. Significant luster remains. Good VF. ($4000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex CNG inventory 91934 (April 1996).

Hadrian, childless and without either a successor or heir, chose Lucius Ceionius Commodus as his adopted son in AD 136, and renamed him as Lucius Aelius Caesar. Aelius was sent to the Roman province of Pannonia to serve as governor, where he unexpectedly died in AD 138. Hadrian now made his second choice for his heir, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Antoninus. Hadrian actually wanted Marcus Aurelius to succeed him on the throne, but realized that Aurelius was far too young, so instead he went with the highly respected Antoninus. As a condition of his adoption, and to ensure an orderly line of succession, Antoninus Pius adopted both his nephew, Marcus Aurelius, and Aelius Caesar’s son, Lucius. The relatively young Lucius would change his name to Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus, but he would later drop Commodus and add Verus after ascending to the throne, along with his adoptive brother and co-ruler Marcus Aurelius.

Very Rare Marcus Aurelius Medallion

Ex Vierordt Collection – Pedigreed to 1923

539. Lucius Verus. AD 161-169. Æ As (25mm, 11.02 g, 11h). Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AD 161. Laureate and cuirassed bust right / Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus standing vis-à-vis, clasping right hands. RIC III 1290 (this coin cited); MIR 18, 16-19/35. Glossy dark brown patina, some pitting on reverse. Near EF. ($500)

Ex Sternberg XXVIII (30 October 1995), lot 146; George Bauer Collection (Glendining, 23 January 1963), lot 1321; M. L. Vierordt Collection (J. Schulman [139], 5 March 1923), lot 1679 .

Verus Recovers Armenia

540. Lucius Verus. AD 161-169. Æ Sestertius (32mm, 22.48 g, 11h). Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AD 164. Laureate head right / Victory standing right, holding trophy; to right, Armenia seated right in attitude of mourning. RIC III 1410 (Aurelius); MIR 18, 86-16/30; Banti 195. Green and brown patina, small flan flaw on obverse. EF. Sharp portrait. ($2000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Roma X (27 September 2015), lot 806.

As with most conflicts between Rome and Parthia, the great Eastern War of AD 161-166 was sparked by events in Armenia, the buffer between the two states. In AD 161, the Parthian king Vologases IV marched into Armenia and evicted its pro-Roman king, replacing him with his kinsman Pacorus. The Roman governor of Cappadocia marched into Armenia with a legion (perhaps the supposed ‘lost legion’ IX Hispana), but the Parthian general Chosroes surrounded the Romans and slaughtered them to a man, the worst military disaster to befall the Empire in nearly a century. The newly installed co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus responded by raising a massive expeditionary force and sending it east under Verus’ titulary command, but in reality directed by the general Avidius Cassius. After many months of preparations, the Romans invaded Armenia in 163, captured the capital of Artaxata and installed Sohaemus, a Roman citizen and Senator, on the throne. The Senate voted both Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius the title of Armeniacus, which Verus bears on this sestertius issued to mark the victory.

541. Lucius Verus. AD 161-169. AV Aureus (19.5mm, 7.24 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AD 167. Laureate and cuirassed bust right / Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond. RIC III 573; MIR 18, 149-12/35; Calicó 2198 (same dies as illustration). Lightly toned, minor marks, traces of deposits. Good VF. ($3000)

Ex Roma E-Live 1 (25 July 2018), lot 667; Numismatica Ars Classica 106 (9 May 2018), lot 1561.

542. Commodus. As Caesar, AD 166-177. Æ Sestertius (30.5mm, 26.84 g, 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, AD 177. Laureate head right / DE SARMATIS in exergue, heap of offensive and defensive weapons: cuirass, shields, arms, trumpets, signum. RIC III 1576 (Aurelius); MIR 18, 400-16/30; Banti 40. Brown patina, flan crack. VF. Rare. ($500)

Rare and Exceptional

543. Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ Sestertius (31mm, 27.21 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 184. Laureate head right / Hercules, naked, standing facing, head right, resting hand on club set on ground and holding bow, lion skin on arm. RIC III 399b; MIR 18, 616-6/30; Banti 248. Handsome green-brown patina, area of slight weakness of strike on reverse. EF. Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. ($3000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 100 (29 May 2017), lot 539.

544. Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ Sestertius (31.5mm, 25.74 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 184. Laureate head right / Pax seated left on throne, holding olive branch and cornucopia. RIC III 405; MIR 18, 622-6/30; Banti 259. Green patina, slight chipping, some faint smoothing, area of cleaning marks. EF. ($1500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 125 (23 June 2021), lot 728; Numismatica Ars Classica 78 (26 May 2014), lot 2309.

Excellent Portrait

545. Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ Sestertius (27mm, 22.26 g, 11h). Rome mint. Struck AD 189. Laureate head right / Fortuna standing left, foot on prow, holding caduceus and cornucopia. RIC III 524; MIR 18, 771-6/30; Banti 78. Attractive green patina. EF. Excellent portrait. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex René Baron Collection (Tradart, 18 December 2014), lot 351, purchased from Crédit de la Bourse, 12 July 1990; Münzen und Medaillen AG FPL 483 (November/December 1985), no. 93; Schweizerische Kreditanstalt 3 (19 April 1985), lot 614; V. C. Vecchi & Sons 11 (8 October 1984), lot 365.

546. Didius Julianus. AD 193. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.07 g, 7h). Rome mint. Laureate head right / Didius Julianus standing left, holding globe and volumen. RIC IV 3; RSC 15. Toned, minor deposits. VF. ($1000)

Ex Thomas Bentley Cederlind Estate (Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 372, 6 April 2016), lot 460; Rauch Summer Auction (13 September 2010), lot 794.

Didius Julianus was born to a wealthy family in AD 137, probably in Milan. He had a prominent government career, including several provincial governorships, in the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Though successful, he did not earn the respect of his fellow senators, who regarded him as a sensualist and a spendthrift. When the Emperor Pertinax was killed by the Praetorians after only a threemonth reign on March 28, AD 193, no ready successor was at hand. Pertinax’s father-in-law, Flavius Sulpicianus, entered the Praetorian camp and tried to get the troops to proclaim him emperor, but he was met with little enthusiasm. Sensing an opportunity, Didius Julianus rushed to the camp and began to make cash promises to the soldiers from outside the wall. Soon the scene became an auction, with Sulpicianus and Julianus striving to outbid each other for the favor of the troops. When Sulpicianus reached 20,000 sesterces per soldier, Didius Julianus upped the bid by a whopping 5,000 sesterces, signaling with hand gestures. The emperorship was sold. Julianus was allowed into the camp and the Praetorians proclaimed him emperor. Confronted by the Praetorian swords, the Senate approved his elevation, but could not hide its disgust. Disturbances broke out throughout the city, and a crowd at the Colosseum loudly called for Pescennius Niger, governor of Syria, to march on Rome. Niger was not the only alternative. Two other provincial governors also declared themselves emperor: Clodius Albinus in Britain, and Septimius Severus in Pannonia. Severus, closest to Rome, immediately marshaled his troops and invaded Italy. Julianus at first tried negotiations, then sent assassins to kill Severus, to no avail. Julianus next tried to fortify Rome but the results were ineffective and ludicrous. With Julianus’ authority in Rome rapidly deteriorating, Severus sent messages to the Praetorians, who renounced their allegiance to Julianus. Seeing their cue, the Senators proclaimed Severus emperor and passed a death sentence on Julianus. On June 1, AD 193, a Praetorian officer found the cringing Julianus hiding in the palace and dispatched him, ending his pathetic 65-day reign.

The reverse of this attractive silver denarius depicts Julianus with the grandiose title “Rector Orbis,” or ruler of the world. In reality, his authority never extended far beyond the immediate environs of Rome.

Mint State Julia Domna Aureus

547. Julia Domna. Augusta, AD 193-217. AV Aureus (20mm, 7.22 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 193-196. IVLIA • DO MNA • AVG, draped bust right / VENER I • VICTR, Venus Victrix, with drapery falling below hips, standing with back turned, head right, resting left arm on low column, holding apple in extended right hand and in left, palm frond sloped upward to left. RIC IV 536 (Septimius); Calicó 2641; BMCRE 48 (Wars of Succession); Adda 412; Biaggi 1155; Jameson 173; CNG 115, lot 688 (same obv. die); Heritage 3071, lot 34108 (same rev. die). Lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 6155756-001, graded MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. ($10,000)

Ex Burgan (15 January 2021), lot 110.

Julia Domna was of Syrian-Arab ancestry, the daughter of the hereditary high priest of Elagabal at Emesa, a wealthy caravan city in the Syrian desert. Beautiful, cultured, and highly educated, she was made even more of a prize by a horoscope that proclaimed she would marry a king. Septimius Severus probably encountered her family while serving as a general in Syria in the AD 180s. When he learned of the horoscope, the recently widowed Severus, then serving as governor of Gaul in Lugdunum, immediately wrote to Julia’s father and secured her hand in marriage. She gave him two sons, Bassianus (later renamed Antoninus and known to history as Caracalla) in AD 188, and Geta the following year. Upon Severus’ ascension as Roman Emperor in AD 193, Julia was named Augusta and became his closest advisor and confidant. She frequently accompanied Severus and their sons on military campaigns, for which the soldiers granted her the title Mater Castrorum (“mother of the camp”). Her love of art, learning, and philosophy fostered a cultural revival in Rome, with Julia serving as patroness of a diverse salon circle.

Julia Domna’s coinage was more vast and diverse than any previous Roman empress, beginning soon after her acclamation as Augusta in AD 193. One of her first issues was this charming gold aureus type, the obverse of which bears her graceful portrait wearing an early version of her famous wavy, center-parted coiffeur. The reverse depicts her patron deity, Venus Victrix (“Victorious Venus”), a variant of the love goddess that confers victory in battle, and perhaps a subtle allusion to the civil war still underway against Pescennius Niger. The depiction of Venus standing half-draped with her back coyly turned to the viewer recalls issues of Titus and his daughter, Julia Titi, struck 120 years earlier. In this version, Venus holds her traditional apple and a palm branch instead of the helmet and spear seen on the Flavian issues.

548. Julia Domna. Augusta, AD 193-217. Æ Sestertius (30mm, 25.50 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 198-200. Draped bust right / Vesta seated left, holding palladium and transverse scepter. RIC III 843 (Septimius); Banti 50. Dark green-brown patina with touches of red, slight weakness. Near EF. Very scarce, especially so in high grade. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Heritage 3064 (20 April 2018), lot 30315; Classical Numismatic Group 50 (23 June 1999), lot 1586; Astarte 1 (11 May 1998), lot 276; Sternberg XXIX (30 October 1995), lot 486.

549. Caracalla. AD 198-217. AR Denarius (18.5mm, 3.28 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 199-201. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from front / Felicitas standing left, holding long caduceus and cornucopia. RIC IV 35 var. (bust type); RSC 61a var. (same); cf. Numismatik Naumann 49, lot 600 and Pecunem 20, lot 695 (for bust type). Lightly toned. VF. Obverse struck with a die likely intended for aurei. Unpublished. ($500)

550. Caracalla, with Septimius Severus and Julia Domna. AD 198-217. AR Denarius (18mm, 2.86 g, 6h). Dynastic issue. Rome mint. Struck AD 201-202. Laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right / Jugate busts right of Severus, radiate and draped, and Domna, diademed and draped, set on crescent. RIC IV 125a; RSC 5a. Toned, light porosity, minor flan crack. Good VF. ($1000)

Without an heir to take up the throne, the possibility of a civil war erupting after the death of an emperor was an enormous threat to public safety. This issue celebrates the harmony – even the eternity – of the dynasty, depicting both father and son. In furtherance of this theme, Julia Domna was associated with Luna Lucifera, “the light-bearing Moon”, while Septimius Severus associated himself with Sol, god of the Sun, a natural and immortal pair.

551. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ As (23.5mm, 11.81 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 204. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Triumphal arch with three arcades surmounted by statues of a chariot flanked by horsemen. RIC IV 419; BMCRE p. 344 †; cf. Elkins, Monuments, pp. 97-8 (for discussion). Dark brown and earthen surfaces, light roughness. VF. Extremely rare, all references cite a single specimen (in Paris), only four in CoinArchives. All struck from the same reverse die. ($750)

Very Rare Caracalla Aureus

552. Caracalla. AD 198-217. AV Aureus (20mm, 6.39 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck 1 January-8 April AD 217. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate and cuirassed bust right / P M TR P XX COS IIII P P, Jupiter, naked but for cloak over left shoulder, standing facing, head left, holding thunderbolt in right hand and vertical scepter in left. RIC IV 285b; Calicó 2755 (same dies as illustration); BMCRE p. 463, note 180; Adda –; Biaggi –; Jameson –; Mazzini –. In NGC encapsulation 5788895-002, graded Ch XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, light marks. Very rare and missing from most collections. This is one of four examples in CoinArchives. ($7500)

Ex MDC Monaco 10 (13 October 2022), lot 66; Maison Palombo 20 (22 January 2022), lot 67.

553. Geta. AD 209-211. Æ As (25.5mm, 12.18 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 211. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / Fortuna seated left on throne with wheel beneath, holding rudder set on globe and cornucopia. RIC IV 175b; BMCRE 276. Attractive green patina, faint cleaning scratches. Near EF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Geoffrey Cope Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica 144, with Classical Numismatic Group & Numismatica Genevensis SA, 8 May 2024), lot 1129; Friend of the Romans Collection (Münzen und Medaillen AG 92, 22 November 2002), lot 144; Numismatica Ars Classica 18 (29 March 2000), lot 613; Rauch 58 (28 October 1996), lot 449.

554. Gordian I. AD 238. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.18 g, 7h). Rome mint. Struck 1-22 April. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Gordian I, togate, standing left, holding branch in raised hand, wearing parazonium on hip and resting hand on its hilt. RIC IV 1; BMCRE 1-3; RSC 2. Lightly toned. Choice EF. ($3000)

Gordian I and his son Gordian II share the dubious distinction of having the shortest reigns of any “legitimate” Roman emperors, together ruling a mere 22 days. Despite their brief production run, coins of Gordian I and II are notable for their excellent portraiture. The elder Gordian appears as a distinguished older gentleman with thin, hawkish features, while Gordian II is shown as a younger, plumper and prematurely balding man with a slight beard. This may indicate that official effigies of both were already at the Rome mint when their rebellion against Maximinus I broke out in Carthage, suggesting the whole episode was not as spontaneous as contemporary historians claimed.

555. Gordian II. AD 238. AR Denarius (20mm, 2.64 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck 1-22 April. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Virtus, helmeted and in military attire, standing left, resting hand on shield set on ground to left and holding reversed spear. RIC IV 3; BMCRE 30; RSC 14. Patches of find patina, edge slightly upturned, minor marks. EF. ($2000)

556. Gordian II. AD 238. Æ Sestertius (29mm, 18.77 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck 1-22 April. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Virtus, helmeted and wearing military attire, standing left, resting hand on shield set on ground to left and holding spear. RIC IV 8; BMCRE 31-2; Banti 7. Dark brown-green surfaces, cleaning abrasions, a couple of edge splits. Near VF. ($750)

557. Balbinus. AD 238. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.55 g, 5h). Rome mint. 1st emission. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Providentia, standing left, holding cornucopia and wand over globe set on ground to left. RIC IV 7; BMCRE 33; RSC 23. EF. An attractive coin in hand. ($500)

Pedigreed to 1955

558. Balbinus. AD 238. Æ Sestertius (30mm, 23.11 g, 12h). Rome mint. 1st emission. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Concordia seated left on throne, holding patera and double cornucopia. RIC IV 22; BMCRE 18-20; Banti 1. Dark brown patina with some green, a few minor cleaning marks, slight die shift on reverse. Good VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 114 (6 May 2019), lot 1645; Prof. Giorgio Giorgi Collection (R. Ratto, 26 January 1955), lot 994.

559. Pupienus. AD 238. Æ Sestertius (31mm, 23.41 g, 6h). Rome mint. 1st emission. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Pax seated left, holding olive branch and transverse scepter. RIC IV 22a; BMCRE 48-9; Banti 6. Green patina, marks and scratches. VF. ($500)

From the Meander Collection.

Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus, who ruled jointly with Balbinus during the “Year of the Six Emperors” in AD 238, was probably born in the AD 160s. By AD 217 he had risen to the consulship and he served a second time in AD 234. He became Urban Prefect of Rome in the late 230s and cracked down harshly on criminals and vagrants. Along with the rest of the Senate, he fully supported the rebellion of Gordian I and II against the brutal regime of Maximinus I in March of AD 238. When the Gordians came to grief scarcely 21 days after their acclamation, the Senate appointed Pupienus and another senator, Balbinus, as joint emperors. The two men were a study in contrasts, with Pupienus a lean, stern disciplinarian and Balbinus a well-fed, easygoing aristocrat. They also detested one another. Due to his severity as Urban Prefect, Pupienus’s elevation was unpopular among the masses of Rome, who forced the Senate to name the 13-year-old nephew of Gordian II, Gordian III, as Caesar. Pupienus proceeded to northern Italy to raise troops against Maximinus, but he soon learned that the dreaded Maximinus was dead: his own troops had mutinied and murdered him. Thanking the gods for their miraculous intervention, Pupienus proceeded back to Rome amid general rejoicing. Balbinus, however, greatly resented his partner’s enhanced prestige and feared Pupienus’s loyal German bodyguards. The two emperors were still bickering when, in early July, a detachment of Praetorians, who had disliked the Senatorial emperors from the outset, stormed the palace and murdered them. So ended the Senate’s last real chance to name its own rulers.

560. Gordian III. As Caesar, AD 238. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.41 g, 11h). Rome mint. 1st emission of Balbinus & Pupienus. Bareheaded and draped bust right / Emblems of the pontificate: lituus, secespita, guttus, simpulum, and aspergillum. RIC IV 1; BMCRE 62-3 (Balbinus & Pupienus); RSC 182 var. (no patera). Toned. In NGC encapsulation 4884952-001, graded AU★, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Fine Style. ($500)

Ex Heritage 3082 (21 January 2020), lot 33250.

561. Gordian III. AD 238-244. Æ Sestertius (30mm, 20.07 g, 2h). Rome mint, 1st officina. 2nd emission, AD 239. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Abundantia standing right, emptying cornucopia held in both hands. RIC IV 274a; Banti 1. Dark olive green-brown patina, slight die shift on reverse. Near EF. An early strike. Portions of the die engraver’s centering circle still visible on the reverse. ($500)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Goldberg 80 (3 June 2014), lot 3543.

562. Gordian III. AD 238-244. AV Aureus (20mm, 5.03 g, 6h). Rome mint, 6th officina. 7th emission, AD 240. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Gordian III, in military dress, on horseback left, raising hand and holding transverse scepter. RIC IV 80; Calicó 3220. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 2159489-004, graded AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, scuffs, brushed. Very rare. ($3000)

Ex Leu Numismatik AG 13 (27 May 2023), lot 339; Numismatik Naumann 122 (6 November 2022), lot 816; Numismatik Naumann 120 (2 September 2022), lot 600; Numismatik Naumann 118 (3 July 2022), lot 825; Numismatik Naumann 116 (1 May 2022), lot 1001; Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 19 (26 February 2022), lot 2848; Leu Numismatik AG 10 (24 October 2021), lot 2343; Berk BBS 209 (5 December 2019), lot 27; Classical Numismatic Group 111 (29 May 2019), lot 778.

563. Philip I. AD 244-249. Æ Sestertius (30.5mm, 18.81 g, 12h). Rome mint, 5th officina. 4th emission, AD 245. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Liberalitas standing left, holding abacus and cornucopia. RIC IV 180a; Banti 23. Dark green patina with earthen deposits, cleaning/smoothing scratches. Near EF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 92 (23 May 2016), lot 646; Numismatica Ars Classica 59 (4 April 2011), lot 1108.

564. Trajan Decius. AD 249-251. AV Aureus (18.5mm, 4.32 g, 12h). Rome mint, 4th officina. 2nd-3rd emission, late AD 249-mid 250. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Trajan Decius on horseback left, raising hand in salutation, holding transverse scepter. RIC IV 11a; Calicó 3283a; Hunter 5 (same dies); Biaggi 1392 var. (bust type). VF. Rare. ($2000)

Sol, the Divine Sun

565. Probus. AD 276-282. AV Aureus (20.5mm, 6.13 g, 6h). Rome mint. Special emission, AD 281/2. IMP PROB VS AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear over shoulder and shield on shoulder; gorgoneion aegis on cuirass / SOLI INVICTO COMITI AVG, radiate and draped bust of Sol right. RIC V 138; Pink VI/1 pp. 58-9; Calicó 4204. Toned, a few light scratches. EF. ($7500)

Marcus Aurelius Probus was one of a series of tough Balkan military men who rescued the Roman Empire from certain destruction in the late third century. He was the son of a peasant gardener who entered the army as a teenager and rose steadily through the ranks. By AD 276, he had achieved command of the Roman field armies in Syria and Egypt and was well-positioned to seize the throne when the elderly emperor Tacitus died. His reign was one of constant, frenetic military activity, racing from one frontier to the other to confront and defeat enemy invaders or internal usurpers.

566. Diocletian. AD 284-305. AR Argenteus (18.5mm, 3.03 g, 12h). Ticinum mint. 1st emission, AD 294/295. Laureate head right / The four tetrarchs sacrificing over tripod before city gate with six turrets. RIC VI 18a; Gautier, Argent 13; RSC 516†d. Wonderful even iridescent toning. EF. A vibrant early strike with almost all of the die engraver’s centering circle still visible on the obverse and with some visible on the reverse. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Leu 48 (10 May 1989), lot 413.

Extremely Rare Choice Diocletian Aureus

567. Diocletian. AD 284-305. AV Aureus (18.5mm, 4.81 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 294. DIOCLETI ANVS P F AVG, laureate head right / IOV I CONSE RVATORI, Jupiter, draped at waist, enthroned left, holding thunderbolt and scepter; at feet to left, eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak; PROM. RIC VI –; Depeyrot 9/4; Calicó 4511. Toned with some luster. Choice EF. Extremely rare. ($5000)

The corpus of this extremely rare issue is as follows:

(1) R. Ratto (19 January 1956), lot 271; Bourgey (6 December 1910), lot 273; Bourgey (24 April 1908), lot 373. This is the only example referenced by Depeyrot 9/4, and is used for the illustration of Calicó 4511.

(2) Numismatica Ars Classica 150 (2 December 2024), lot 907; Numismatica Ars Classica 111 (24 September 2018), lot 210.

(3) Classical Numismatic Group 129 (13 May 2025), lot 567 (the present example).

Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra

568. Maximianus. First reign, AD 286-305. AV Aureus (18mm, 5.44 g, 12h). Treveri (Trier) mint. 4th emission, mid-end AD 295. MAXIMI ANVS P AVG, laureate head right / HERCVLI D EBELLAT, Hercules, nude, standing left, battling the Lernaean Hydra, holding club overhead and grasping one of the heads of the Hydra; the Hydra coiled around Hercules’ leg to left; PT. RIC VI 10; Zanchi & Estiot 75 (MAX 23/R 34); Depeyrot 1C/2; Calicó 4659 corr. (RIC reference). Toned. EF. Very rare. ($10,000)

Hercules, made temporarily insane by the goddess Hera, murdered his wife and children. Once recovered, and distressed by his actions, Hercules consulted the Delphic Oracle to find a means of expiating his sin. As a punishment, Apollo replied that the hero would have to serve his cousin Eurystheus, the king Tiryns, a man whom Hercules despised, for a period of twelve years. Because Eurystheus also hated Hercules, he devised a series of ten feats of such difficulty that they would be either insurmountable, or Herakles would die in the attempt. Because Hercules received assistance in completing two of the tasks, Eurystheus added two more. Each labor became more fantastic, and eventually Hercules was compelled to break the bonds of the supernatural in order to complete his task. Once he accomplished the Labors, Hercules was absolved of his guilt, and preceded to perform many other heroic feats.

The Lernaean Hydra, the offspring of Typhon and Echidna, was said to be the sibling of the Nemean Lion, the Chimaera, and Cerberus. Inhabiting the swamp near Lake Lerna in the Argolid, the creature possessed numerous mortal and one immortal head on its single body; should one head be removed, two more would grow in its place. When Hercules reached the swamp where the Hydra dwelt, he drew it out of its lair near the spring of Amymone. Thereupon, wielding a harvesting sickle, he attempted to decapitate the creature. When this proved unsuccessful, because of the Hydra’s regenerative ability, Hercules enlisted the assistance of his nephew Iolaus, who devised a plan: once Hercules had cut off one of the creature’s heads, Iolaus would cauterize the stump with a burning firebrand. The plan succeeded, and the Hydra was destroyed. Hercules placed its one immortal head under a large rock on the sacred way between Lerna and Elaius and dipped his arrows in its poisonous blood.

Cited in Gautier

569. Maximianus. First reign, AD 286-305. AR Argenteus (17.5mm, 3.21 g, 6h). Aquileia mint. 2nd emission, AD 300/301. Laureate head right / XCVI/ AQ in two lines within wreath with large central jewel. RIC VI 16b; Gautier, Argent 6h (this coin); RSC 697. Beautiful iridescent toning, trace deposits, faint old hairlines. Near EF. Rare. ($600)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Rauch 81 (21 November 2007), lot 679.

570. Constantine I. As Caesar, AD 306-309. Æ Follis (26.5mm, 5.20 g, 7h). Londinium (London) mint. Struck circa November-December AD 307. Laureate and cuirassed bust right / Roma, helmeted and draped, seated facing, head left, holding Victory on globe right and scepter; all within hexastyle temple; PLN. RIC VI 99; RML 221; C&T 5.03.015. Dark green-brown patina, light roughness. Near VF. Very rare. RR in RML. ($750)

From the Dr. Malcolm Lyne Collection, purchased from Baldwin’s.

571. Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. Æ Follis (22.5mm, 4.07 g, 6h). Londinium (London) mint. Struck circa AD 311. Laureate and cuirassed bust right / Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Sol right. RIC VI –; RML 276 corr. (concordance number); C&T 6.04.001 (2) (this coin cited and illustrated). Dark brown and earthen-green patina, light roughness. VF. Extremely rare. Only six or seven examples known to C&T. ($1000)

From the Dr. Malcolm Lyne Collection. Ex Lee Toone Collection (Spink 233, 2 December 2015), lot 660, purchased from Alan Cherry, who purchased the coin from John Cummings, January 1984.

572. Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. Æ Follis (20.5mm, 3.15 g, 6h). Londinium (London) mint. Struck late AD 314-early 315. Laureate and trabeate bust left / Sol standing left in facing spread quadriga, raising hand and holding whip; MSL. RIC VII 81 and 84 corr. (bust type); RML 740; C&T 8.07.030 note. Dark green-brown patina with verdigris. Near VF. Without the S - P across the field as is found on some dies of this issue. Also a reverse die match to C&T 8.07.028. Extremely rare. ($500)

From the Dr. Malcolm Lyne Collection. 571

Important Imperial Propaganda

573. Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. Æ Follis (19mm, 3.46 g, 12h). Constantinople mint, 1st officina. Struck AD 327. Laureate head right / Labarum surmounted by Christogram, with three medallions on drapery, spearing serpent; A|–// CONS. RIC VII 19. Dark green-brown patina and toned trace silvering, some roughness and cleaning marks with some details enhanced. VF. An well detailed reverse with an attractive composition. A rare and popular type. ($1500)

There has been much discussion devoted to this rare issue, minted only at Constantinople during AD 327, since it is the only issue of Constantine I which appears to be so overtly Christian in its symbolism. The reverse shows for the first time the labarum (a Christian emblematic replacement for the vexillum) firmly planted on the back of a wriggling serpent. Influenced by the ancient sources (the Panegyrici Latini and, in particular the Vita Constantini of Eusebius), J. Maurice, in his Numismatique Constantinienne (II, pp. 506-13), was the first to argue for such an unambiguous interpretation – the symbol of Christ piercing the dark powers of Satan – a view accepted by subsequent scholars and numismatists (P. Bruun, “The Christian signs on the coins of Constantine” in Studies in Constantinian Numismatics: Papers from 1954 to 1988 [Rome: 1991], p.61).

Constantine I was constantly adjusting his public image to meet the changing status of his political career. Such was the case with his new diademed portrait, adopted in 324 following his victory over Licinius I, which depicted Constantine I looking slightly upward, as if in the attitude of prayer. There, the emperor seemed to have been intentionally ambiguous, so that imperial images could be viewed by various groups within the empire in the context of their own hopes and aspirations (for a discussion of Constantine’s use of deliberately ambiguous language and imagery, see T.G. Elliot, “The Language of Constantine’s Propaganda,” TAPA 120 [1990], pp. 349-353 and H.A. Drake, Constantine and the Bishops: The Politics of Intolerance [Johns Hopkins, 2000]). Is that same ambiguity, however, at work here?

Beginning with the sons of Constantine and their successors (excluding Julian II, the Apostate), the labarum would appear more regularly on imperial solidi of the mid-fourth century onwards and would be interpreted by Christians and pagans alike as an emblem of imperial power. Likewise, the serpent (or dragon), which first appeared as a non-beneficent symbol on the denarii of Julius Caesar (Crawford 443/1), came to represent enemies of the state, such as “barbarians”, “pagans”, and “heretics” (cf. Gnecchi 2 for the serpent as a representation of Germanic tribes on a bronze medallion of Constantine I). As with the labarum, the serpent thereafter became an integral part of late Roman imperial iconography, particularly on the reverse of various solidi, where the emperor is depicted triumphantly placing his foot on a serpent. In 327, however, the imagery presented on this coin may not have been so ambiguous and may have been directed specifically to those Christians living in and around the new capital.

Following his defeat of Licinius I at Chrysopolis in 324, Constantine I worked to reestablish peace and stability within a restored empire. In 325, he successfully convened and oversaw an ecumenical council of Christian bishops in at Nicaea, primarily to address the trouble produced by the Arian controversy in the eastern portion of the empire. The result of this council was the creation of the Nicene Creed and the establishment (under imperial auspices) of a theologically orthodox Christianity.

This success, however, was tempered the following year when the imperial family underwent a crisis when Constantine executed his son and heir-apparent, Crispus, and the empress Fausta likewise perished under mysterious circumstances, reportedly on account of mutual improper behavior between the two. Now, a new dynastic arrangement needed to be implemented, and a period of contrition followed. Not only were the remaining three sons elevated to receive the empire jointly, but also the emperor’s mother, Helena, went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in part to expiate the sins of the imperial household, and during which journey she discovered a number of important holy relics, including the True Cross, which she brought back to Constantinople. Now, with religious controversies settled, the difficulties of the previous heir replaced by the three new co-heirs, and the bringing of holy relics to the new capital, Constantinople could be untainted by the faults of the past. In the context of these recent events, this coin, meant for local popular circulation, could reassure the populace that Constantine I and his rule, inspired by divine intervention and represented by the labarum, would ensure orthodox stability against all imperial enemies, represented by the serpent.

Extremely Rare

574. Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. AV Solidus (19.5mm, 4.47 g, 6h). Cyzicus mint. Struck AD 325. Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond; SMK. RIC VII 75; Depeyrot 17/1; Biaggi –. Toned, a few faint hairlines. EF. Extremely rare, only two known to Depeyrot in his 2004 corpus, one additional in CoinArchives (Künker 136, 1245 [hammer €11,000]). Lot includes a David Sear certificate of authenticity. Not suitable for NGC encapsulation. ($4000)

Ex Richard J. Sullivan Collection.

575. Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. AR Siliqua (19mm, 2.96 g, 6h). Antioch mint. Struck AD 336-337. Rosettediademed head right, eyes to God / Victory, advancing left, holding wreath in extended hand and cradling palm frond; SMAN. RIC VII 105; RSC 97p. Toned, crystallized, flan crack, light marks. Near EF. Very rare. ($750)

576. Jovian. AD 363-364. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.42 g, 6h). Sirmium mint. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Jovian, diademed and wearing military attire, standing left, holding labarum and globe; to left, bound captive seated left, head right; dSIRM•. RIC VIII 110; Depeyrot 23/1. Toned with some luster. EF. ($5000)

Flavius Jovianus was born in AD 331 in Singidunum, present-day Belgrade in Serbia. His father, Varronianus, commanded the imperial household guard, the Comes Domesticorum, under Constantius II, and Jovian himself served in the same unit under Julian II “the Apostate.” Strong, handsome, but not terribly bright, Jovian found life in an elite military unit much to his liking. A later story that Julian dismissed him for refusing to abandon Christianity seems to be post-accession propaganda, since by AD 363 he was placed in command of the Guard and accompanied the emperor on his ill-fated invasion of Persia. The Roman force was soon trapped without supplies deep in Persian territory; on June 26 Julian was seriously wounded in battle and died a few hours later. The following day, the leadership of the Roman army met to select a new emperor, but found itself deeply split between eastern and western factions supporting rival candidates. The Household Guard put Jovian forth as a compromise choice, and the general soldiery duly acclaimed him emperor. He attempted to resume Julian’s westward march to the safety of Roman borders, but upon reaching the Tigris river found the crossing blocked by the Persians. His hand forced, Jovian signed a humiliating peace treaty with the Persian King, Shahpur II, which handed over to the Sasanians most of Roman Mesopotamia and several key border cities, including the strongholds of Nisibis and Singara. The historian Ammianus asserts Jovian acted too hastily in caving to Persian demands even though the Romans had won every major engagement in the war. However, the Romans were in dire straits and had few options. Returning to Antioch in October 363, Jovian tried to paint the debacle as a Roman victory, but no one was fooled and he was jeered by a hostile populace. In retaliation, he ordered Antioch’s library burned down. At first he trod carefully in matters of religion and issued a call for universal toleration, but he did little to stop the inevitable Christian backlash against pagans who had prospered under Julian. Jovian set out for Constantinople early in AD 364, stopping at Dadastana in Bithynia for a banquet and overnight stay. The following morning, February 17, he was found dead in his bedroom, ostensibly the victim of poisonous fumes from a smoking brazier or fresh plaster. Ammianus hints at foul play; it may well be the senior military officers were unimpressed with his leadership and, seeing him as a scapegoat for the Persian misadventure, made a clean break.

This attractive gold solidus was struck at the Balkan mint of Sirmium, not far from Jovian’s birthplace. The reverse, stressing the “Security of the Republic,” mendaciously depicts a Persian captive bound at the emperor’s feet. The emperor holds a standard topped by the Christian chi-rho emblem, the labarum of Constantine, a clear indication that Christianity was back in charge after Julian’s brief pagan interlude.

577. Valens. AD 364-378. AR Light Miliarense (23mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Treveri (Trier) mint. Struck AD 367-375. Pearldiademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Victory standing right, foot on globe, inscribing VOT/ V/ MVLT/ X in four lines on shield set on cippus to right; SMTR. RIC IX 24c; RSC 60†b. Patches of iridescent toning, a few minor marks. Near EF. Very rare. Only two others in CoinArchives. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Gorny & Mosch 284 (7 March 2022), lot 1089; Aufhäuser 9 (7 October 1992), lot 553.

578. Valens. AD 364-378. AR Light Miliarense (23mm, 4.40 g, 12h). Treveri (Trier) mint. Struck AD 367-377. Pearldiademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Valens, wearing military attire, standing facing, head left, holding labarum and resting hand on shield set on ground to right; TRPS•. RIC IX 26b.2 and 42a.1; RSC 71†c. Beautiful iridescent toning, hairline surface crack, faint old brush marks. Near EF. ($1500)

Ex Leu Numismatik AG 14 (14 October 2023), lot 251; Künker 243 (21 November 2013), lot 5281.

579. Valens. AD 364-378. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.48 g, 5h). Antioch mint, 5th officina. Struck October-late AD 367. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Valens standing facing, head right, holding labarum with simple cross on banner and Victory on globe left; ANTЄ. RIC IX 2c.i.2; Depeyrot 30/2. Toned, minor deposits. Near EF. ($750)

580. Arcadius. AD 383-408. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.44 g, 12h). Constantinople mint, 8th officina. Struck AD 388-392. Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Constantinopolis seated facing, head right, foot on prow, holding scepter and shield inscribed VOT/ V/ MVL/ X in four lines; H//CONOB. RIC IX 70c.4; Depeyrot 47/3. Toned. Superb EF. ($1500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Willamette Valley Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 121, 7 October 2022), lot 1023; Classical Numismatic Group inventory 520878 (September 2019).

Born in AD 377 to the able Theodosius I (AD 379-395), Arcadius was proclaimed co-emperor with his father on January 19, AD 383. His education was entrusted to the foremost scholars of the day, but Arcadius proved slow-witted and uninterested in academic or military affairs. In AD 393, his equally dull younger brother Honorius was raised to the rank of co-Augustus. When Theodosius left in AD 394 to put down the usurper Eugenius in Italy, he took Honorius with him and left Arcadius in titular charge of Constantinople. Theodosius never returned, dying in Milan on January 17, AD 395, and suddenly both halves of the Roman Empire were under the nominal rule of two untried youths. Although the fiction of imperial unity was maintained, Arcadius and Honorius were both dominated by powerful military men, Rufinus in the East and Stilicho in the West, whose personal enmity created a cold war atmosphere between the two courts. The conflict only deepened after Stilicho arranged for Rufinus’ murder late in AD 395; his replacement, Eutropius, was even more hostile toward the West. While the two regimes squabbled, the Visigoths, who had settled in Thrace, rebelled under their charismatic king Alaric and began ravaging Greece. Arcadius was forced to name Alaric as Master of Soldiers for the Balkans to keep him in check. In AD 399, Arcadius’ energetic wife, Aelia Eudoxia, asserted control over his government and enticed Alaric to attack the poorly defended West, a move that ultimately caused the sack of Rome. Eudoxia gave Arcadius a son in AD 401, but died of a miscarriage in AD 404, placing the regime in the hands of the capable Anthemius. Arcadius’ death in AD 408 due to an unknown illness caused barely a ripple at Constantinople, and the Byzantine bureaucracy that had taken root during his listless rule continued to manage affairs under his son, Theodosius II.

581. Eugenius. AD 392-394. AR Siliqua (16.5mm, 1.76 g, 12h). Treveri (Trier) mint. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe right and reversed spear; TRPS. RIC IX 106d; RSC 14†a. Toned with some golden hues and light iridescence, slight weakness. EF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Spink 214 (26 September 2012), lot 438; 21 March 2010 Gussage All Saints Hoard (PAS ID DOR-A1CCB1).

The coinage of Eugenius marks a return to individualistic portraiture not seen since the reign of Julian II 30 years before. Like Julian, Eugenius appears on his coins with a long beard. Although nominally a Christian, Eugenius wore his beard in honor of the great philosophers of the past. This was taken as a visible sign of sympathy by the Pagan aristocracy of Rome, which had seen its position fade to that of a persecuted minority under the zealous Catholic Theodosius I, emperor of the East. To bolster support in Rome, Eugenius made overtures to followers of the old religion, who responded enthusiastically. Unfortunately for them, this provided exactly the casus belli sought by Theodosius, who invaded Italy and suppressed the rebel regime.

Odysseus Encounters Scylla

582. Contorniates. Late 4th century AD. Æ Contorniate (38.5mm, 34.55 g, 1h). In the name of Trajan. DIVO NERVA E TRAIANO, laureate head right, slight drapery / Scylla, to right, attacking Odysseus’ ship and crew, to left; three crew members fighting right on ship’s prow, two helpless in sea below. Alföldi, Kontorniat p. 156, Rs. 85 and pls. 146, 9-12; 147, 1-12; and 148, 1-4. Dark brown surfaces with some red, slight roughness, pierced and plugged. VF. A well detailed example. ($1500) Ex Classical Numismatic Group 120 (11 May 2022), lot 964 (hammer $4500).

583. Uncertain Fourth-Fifth Century Emperors. Circa late 4th-5th Centuries. Æ Exagium Solidi Weight (18.5mm, 4.32 g, 1h). Three draped and diademed imperial busts; cross above / Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia; d to right; CONS. Bendall, Weights 10; cf. RIC X, p. 8 (for discussion). Dark green-brown patina. Good VF. Rare. In wonderful condition for the type. ($1000)

During the later Roman Empire, coin weights began appearing with the legend exagium solidi, a phrase which has often been translated as “the weight (or weighing) of a solidus,” in order to deal with the practice of clipping. Exagium derives from the Latin exigere (lit. “to drive out”). However, extant examples of these weights vary and some weigh much less than the 4.5 g of a full-weight solidus. These lighter weights are thought to possibly represent the lowest acceptable weight for solidi, and were used to withdraw under-weight solidi from circulation and thereby maintain an acceptable weight standard minimum for solidi to circulate at full value.

584. Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.47 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 8th officina. Struck AD 408420. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Constantinopolis seated facing, head right, foot on prow, holding scepter and Victory on globe left; d to left; H//CONOB. RIC X 202; Depeyrot 73/2. Toned, minor graffito, minor die rust on obverse. Good VF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Harlan J. Berk inventory cc13619 (June 1999).

Reigning longer than any other Roman Emperor, Theodosius II was a quiet, scholarly ruler for most of his 48 years on the throne. But he was frequently confronted with tough decisions during this tumultuous era and usually took the correct one. Born at Constantinople in AD 401, his father Arcadius proclaimed him co-Augustus nine months later. Thus when Arcadius died of a sudden illness in AD 408, the East Roman Empire was left in the care of a seven-year-old boy. Fortunately, Theodosius was ably served by subordinates and relatives, first his praetorian prefect Anthemius, then, after AD 414, by his elder sister Pulcheria, who, like many Theodosian women, was strong-willed and far more action-oriented than most of the men in her family. The East Roman Army was also well led in the early years of his reign, keeping the barbarians at bay and defeating the Persians in AD 421. As he came of age, Theodosius began to assume more control over imperial affairs. In AD 423, the Western emperor Honorius died at Ravenna and the usurper Johannes gained control of the dwindling West Roman Empire. Theodosius refused to tolerate this and sent a military task force to depose Johannes and install his young cousin, Valentinian III, under the regency of his powerful aunt Galla Placidia. This was accomplished in AD 425, and for many years the East and West Roman Empires enjoyed good relations.

585. Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.28 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 5th officina. Struck AD 420422. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Victory, draped, standing left, holding long jeweled cross and fold of drapery; Є//CONOB. RIC X 219; Depeyrot 74/2. Toned, lightly clipped, double struck on reverse. EF. ($1000)

586. Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.33 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 2nd officina. Struck AD 424425. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Theodosius standing facing, holding labarum and globus cruciger; d to left; B//CONOB. RIC X 232; Depeyrot 77/1. Toned with some luster, clipped. EF. ($750)

587. Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.46 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck January-October AD 425. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Theodosius II seated facing on curule chair and Valentinian III standing facing, both wearing consular robes, both holding mappa and cruciform scepter; d above; CONOB. RIC X 234; Depeyrot 78/1. Toned, trace deposits, minor die marks on reverse. EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 120 (11 May 2022), lot 968.

This gold solidus was struck by Theodosius to mark the installation of Valentinian and both rulers are depicted on the reverse, with Theodosius on the left, naturally the larger and more prominent figure.

588. Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.46 g, 7h). Constantinople mint, 2nd officina. Struck October AD 425-429. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Theodosius II and Valentinian III enthroned facing, both nimbate and wearing consular robes, both holding mappa and cruciform scepter; d above; B//CONOB. RIC X 237; Depeyrot 79/1. Toned. Near EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 120 (11 May 2022), lot 969.

589. Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.46 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 8th officina. Struck AD 440443. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Soldier, helmeted and wearing military attire, advancing right, dragging bound captive by the hair and holding trophy over shoulder; d to right; H//CONOB. RIC X 282; Depeyrot 83/1. Toned. EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Pegasi Numismatics inventory 9900365 (June 1999).

590. Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.64 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck AD 443-450. Pearldiademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Constantinopolis seated left, holding globus cruciger and scepter, foot on prow; shield to right; d to left; COMOB. RIC X 293; Depeyrot 84/1. Toned, some luster, minor die breaks, slight die rust on obverse. EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 120 (11 May 2022), lot 974.

591. Aelia Pulcheria. Augusta, AD 414-453. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.31 g, 12h). Constantinople mint. Struck under Theodosius II, AD 443-450. Pearl-diademed and draped bust right, wearing earring and necklace; being crowned by manus Dei above / Constantinopolis seated left, holding globus cruciger and scepter, foot on prow; shield to right; d to left; COMOB. RIC X 316 var. (number of punctuation marks); Depeyrot 84/3; Füeg, Corpus 32.5 (this coin). Toned. Near EF. Rare. This coin appears to have four punctuation pellets, a combination not recorded in RIC X for Pulcheria. Füeg & Elks note that this coin is obverse die-linked to the RIC X 288 examples but not its reverse. ($3000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 108 (16 May 2018), lot 701; Heritage 3021 (6 January 2013), lot 21431.

The sister of Emperor Theodosius II, Aelia Pulcheria, was a major force in the life of the young emperor. Governing him as a young man until he came of age, Pulcheria prepared the emperor for his duties and served as a constant guiding voice and counselor to him. Present throughout his accomplishments and major events, Pulcheria eventually emerged the victor in the rivalry that developed between her and her brother’s wife, Aelia Eudocia, who was consequently dismissed from court. While she was a teenager, Pulcheria took a vow of virginity which she maintained until her death. This dedication to God inspired some of Theodosius’ imperial propaganda during wars with the Sasanian Persians, and the Romans considered Pulcheria’s pious dedication of her virginity to be a source of blessing upon the Empire from God. Theodosius died unexpectedly after being mortally injured during a hunting accident in AD 450. Upon his death, Pulcheria was tasked with appointing his successor. She chose a man of Roman stock, though not of nobility, named Marcian. She married the new emperor on the condition that he not make her violate her vow of virginity, to which Marcian agreed. This unconventional marriage was made possible by church officials, who sponsored the agreement and decreed that God approved of the union and arrangement.

Maximus of Spain

592. Maximus of Spain. Usurper, AD 409-411. AR Siliqua (14.5mm, 1.20 g, 6h). Barcino (Barcelona) mint. Struck AD 410-411. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and reversed spear; SMBA. RIC 1601; King, Fifth, p. 291; ACIP 4437; RSC 1b. Toned with some iridescence, light scratches and deposits. VF. Rare. ($2000)

Maximus was the domesticus (household manager) and probably a relative of the general Gerontius, who revolted against Constantine III in AD 409. Basically a non-entity and Gerontius’ puppet, Maximus was allowed to retire into private life when his master committed suicide in AD 411. However, if this Maximus is the same person as the Maximus tyrannus who unsuccessfully attempted to seize power in Spain around AD 420, his good fortune did not last. Maximus tyrannus was captured and publicly executed at the games celebrating Honorius’ tricennalia at Ravenna in AD 422 as an example for any other would-be traitors. According to Philip Grierson (DOCLR, p. 219), there were about twenty known coins of Maximus at the time, though more have since surfaced.

593. Jovinus. Usurper, AD 411-413. AR Siliqua (15mm, 1.54 g, 12h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Roma seated left on curule chair, holding Victory on globe right and reversed spear; SMLDV. RIC X 1716; Lyon 258b; King, Fifth, pl. 22, 8; RSC 4†c. Toned with some iridescence, light scratches. Good VF. Rare. ($1500)

Jovinus was a Gallo-Roman noble who, with the support of Burgundians, Alemanni, and Franks, usurped power in Gaul during the autumn of AD 411. Virtually nothing is known of Jovinus’ short reign, although it is apparent that he enjoyed substantial support as he controlled the mints at Lugdunum, Trier, and Arles. In 412, he proclaimed his brother Sebastianus co-emperor, but before the end of the following year they were both dead as a result of the treachery of the Goth Athaulf.

Extremely Rare North African Issue Under Bonifatius

594. Bonifatius. Comes Africae, AD 422-431. Æ (9mm, 0.92 g, 7h). Carthage mint. Struck circa AD 425-circa 430. DOMINIS NO[S TRIS], pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Rudimentary Christogram within wreath. Cf. RIC X 3815 and 3817 (for similar issues). Dark green-brown and earthen patina, light cleaning scratches, somewhat off center on reverse. Near VF. Extremely rare. Perhaps a new reverse type for the Dominis Nostris series. ($1500)

Bonifatius was a successful and decorated general in the Western Roman Empire at a time when competent military leadership was desperately needed. Dispatched first to Southern Gaul to confront the Visigoths at Massilia and then to Spain to face the Vandals, Bonifatius was rewarded for these successes by being appointed comes Africae and subsequently reassigned to Roman North Africa. The death of the Western Emperor Honorius in AD 423, however, forced Bonifatius to make a choice, support the successful western rebel emperor Johannes, or face isolation in the West and hope for the Eastern government to prevail in the long term against the entrenched usurper. Bonifatius elected to pursue the latter of the two strategies despite the leaders of the other Western provinces choosing to acknowledge Johannes. Bonifatius, however, had one advantage in choosing to stand against Rome––he controlled African grain shipments to Italy. As such, Bonifatius suspended deliveries to the rebel Johannes and made his allegiance to the government in Constantinople clear.

After a year and a half, the eastern forces led by the patrician and magister militum Aspar successfully overthrew Johannes and Honorius’ nephew was installed as Western Emperor Valentinian III.

Concurrently, one of Johannes’ kuropalates, Flavius Aëtius, sued for peace with Galla Placidia, Valentinian’s mother, and was brought into the official military structure as comes et magister militum of Gaul. Aëtius would ultimately serve as a foil to Bonifatius. The rivalry between Aëtius and Bonifatius developed until Aëtius convinced Galla Placidia that Bonifatius was disloyal. Bonifatius resfused to answer summons and face potential execution for treason and instead allied with his once-enemies, the Vandals. Bonifatius reportedly encouraged King Genseric to migrate his forces to Bonifatius’ sphere of influence in North Africa and serve him as mercenaries. However, relations were soon restored between Bonifatius and the government and he informed the Vandals that they should relocate from North Africa back to Spain. Infuriated, the Vandals warred against Bonifatius and besigned him at the provincial capital and home of Saint Augustine, Hippo Regius. During the siege the celebrated bishop died. Bonifatius and a large portion of the city’s Roman populace abandoned the city to the Vandals and escaped to Italy. The city was laid to waste by the Vandals though they notably spared Augustine’s cathedral and library. The Vandals subsequently held North Africa for the next century.

In Italy, the rivalry between Bonifatius and Aëtius spilled out into open war. The two forces met at Rimini in AD 432. Bonifatius was victorious and Aëtius fled and sought refuge with the Huns in Pannonia. However, Bonifatius was mortally wounded in the battle and perished, ending his colorful career.

These rare coins usually feature either the legend Domino Nostro or Dominis Nostris. As such, they can be divided into two series, the first stuck during Johannes’ usurpation demonstrating Bonifatius’ fealty to Eastern Emperor Theodosius II, and the second acknowledging both Theodosius and Valentinian. This coin appears to be a new reverse type belonging to the second period tentatively dated from the acclamation of Valentinian III in AD 425 to before the siege of Hippo Regius in AD 430.

BYZANTINE COINAGE

595. Anastasius I. 491-518. AV Solidus (19.5mm, 4.40 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 6th officina. Struck 492-507. Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross; d to right; S//CONOB. DOC 3f; MIBE 4a; SB 3. Toned, small edge marks. Superb EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Gasvoda Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 115, 16 September 2020), lot 747.

596. Anastasius I. 491-518. Æ Follis (33mm, 19.34 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 2nd officina. Struck 512-517. Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Large M; cross above, stars of six rays flanking; B//CON. DOC 23b; MIBE 27; SB 19. Dark brown patina. Near EF. Exceptional for issue. ($750)

From the Iconodule Collection. Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 24 (3 December 2022), lot 642.

Two Gold Issues of Thessalonica

597. Justinian I. 527-565. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.47 g, 6h). Thessalonica mint. Struck 542-562. Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Angel standing facing, holding long cross and globus; d to right; CONOB. DOC 7 (Constantinople); MIBE 22; Metcalf, Thess. 341-350; SB 138 note (Constantinople). Toned and lustrous, a few light scratches. Superb EF. A wonderful and bold strike. ($1000)

From the Iconodule Collection. Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 24 (3 December 2022), lot 666.

598. Justinian I. 527-565. AV Tremissis (16.5mm, 1.45 g, 6h). Thessalonica mint. Struck 542-565. Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Victory advancing right, head left, holding wreath and globus cruciger d to right; CONOB. DOC –; MIBE 24b; Metcalf, Thess. 364-366; SB 173E. Toned with some luster, lightly clipped, slightly bent, edge marks. Superb EF. ($750)

From the Iconodule Collection. Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 24 (3 December 2022), lot 668.

The Ravenna Mint

599. Justinian I. 527-565. Æ Follis (31.5mm, 13.54 g, 6h). Ravenna mint. Dated RY 34 (560/1). Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder; cross to right / Large M, cross above; Λ/N/N/O - X/XX/IIII (date) across field; RΛVEN/NΛ. DOC 342.1; MIBE 233; Ranieri 371 (same rev. die); SB 323. Dark green patina, some cleaning and light smoothing scratches. VF. Very rare. No others with this date configuration in CoinArchives. An excellent example for Ravenna. ($750)

From the Iconodule Collection. Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 24 (3 December 2022), lot 670.

Following the removal of the imperial court to Ravenna by Honorius in 402, the city, which although already important, continued to grow and furthermore became a major symbol of imperial power and a critical bastion in the west. Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the seizure of Ravenna by Odovacar from Orestes and Romulus Augustus in early 476, Ravenna continued to grow in importance to the Ostrogothic kingdom and was the seat of the Senate and imperial court. Its mint additionally continued to operate for the Ostrogoths, minting Ostrogothic coinage rather than the Roman coins it had formerly produced. For the Eastern Romans/Byzantines, Ravenna became a crown jewel symbolically for any future recapture of the ancient heartland of the Roman Empire.

The capable general of Justinian’s Gothic War of 535-554, Belisarius, therefore was insistent on thoroughly defeating the Goths by recapturing Ravenna itself. Despite Justinian instructing Belisarius to sue for lenient terms for the Goths in ending the long and destructive war, Belisarius disobeyed and instead successfully took Ravenna itself, decisively ending the Gothic War in Byzantium’s favor. In the process, the mint of Ravenna was retaken and began minting Byzantine Folles such as this rare example as well as other denominations.

The Byzantines’ victory in the west, however, was not to last, as the Lombards later took advantage of the weakened state of the Goths in Italy to push further into the peninsula in the years that followed.

600. Phocas. 602-610. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.36 g, 6h). Thessalonica mint. Dated IY 8 (604/5). Crowned, draped, and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger / Angel standing facing, holding long staff surmounted by staurogram and globus cruciger; H//CONOB. DOC –; MIBE 3; SB 617A (Constantinople). Toned, trace die rust. EF. Rare. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 106 (13 September 2017), lot 871.

While Phocas is often derided as a tyrant who brought the East Roman or Byzantine Empire to the brink of destruction, his reign witnessed some interesting numismatic innovations. Coin portraiture, which had become so stylized as to be generic since the late fourth century AD, suddenly saw hints of realism return. While preceding emperors had been shown as blandly clean-shaven and round-faced, Phocas appears on his coins as a shaggy, rough-hewn soldier with a lean, angular face, no doubt reflecting his actual appearance.

601. Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine. 610-641. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.47 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 4th officina. Struck 629-631. Crowned facing busts of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, both wearing chlamys; cross above / Cross potent set on three steps; H to right; Δ//CONOB. DOC 30a; MIB 35; SB 752. Toned, some faint hairlines. EF. Very rare. ($750)

The Siege of Jerusalem (614)

602. Heraclius. 610-641. Æ Follis (31.5mm, 15.84 g, 5h). Jerusalem mint. Dated RY 4 (613/4). Crowned facing bust, wearing consular robes, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter / Large M, cross above; A/N/N/O - II/II (date) across field; IЄPOCO´. DOC –; MIB X27; SB 852B; Bendall, Jerusalem Type 1. Dark brown patina with some green, minor cleaning scratches. Good VF. Very rare. ($2000)

After Phocas deposed Maurice Tiberius, the Sasanians invaded the eastern borders of the Byzantine Empire. Byzantine-Sasanian relations had been at their zenith since Maurice supported Khosrau II’s successful bid for the Sasanian throne. But once Maurice, Khosrau’s ally and father-in-law, was executed by Phocas, the Sasanian king used the unfavorable change in government to launch a retaliatory invasion. The war would drag on for over two decades and span the reigns of Phocas and Heraclius from 602-628. During the conflict, Jerusalem itself fell to the Sasanian forces in 614, and Egypt was occupied for the last ten years from 618-628. Eventually, however, internal struggles within the Sasanian court, government, and military led to a Byzantine triumph in the long destructive war and the Persians were decisively defeated. Jerusalem was liberated with great celebration and the True Cross returned to the city. During the war this very rare issue was struck very briefly during the siege of Jerusalem before its capture. This particular follis is from the first series with the name Jerusalem spelled out in Byzantine Greek as the mint mark. However, as the siege dragged on and began to look dire, the exergue was changed to X C NIKA (Christ conquers) (SB 852C).

603. Constantine IV Pogonatus, with Heraclius and Tiberius. 668-685. AV Solidus (18.5mm, 4.41 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 6th officina. Struck 674-681. Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif on shoulder / Cross potent set on three steps, flanked by crowned facing figures of Heraclius and Tiberius, both wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger; S//CONOB. DOC 8 var. (unlisted officina); MIB 7a; SB 1154. Toned. EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 87 (18 May 2011), lot 1274.

To Constantine IV belongs credit for finally stemming the Muslim tide that threatened to sweep away the Byzantine Empire and roll over all of Europe in the later seventh century. The eldest son of Constans II, he faced a host of crises upon his succession, mainly the loss of the Empire’s richest provinces, the decimation of the Byzantine navy, and a badly depleted set of resources and options. He fought back with energy and ingenuity, preparing Constantinople for the inevitable siege that commenced six years after his accession, in AD 674. There the Byzantines unleashed a “secret weapon,” Greek Fire, an incendiary mixture that could be projected through tubes as with a modern flame-thrower. It caught the Arab fleet utterly unprepared and caused the first great Muslim defeat since the Hejira. Constantine’s army also defeated the Arabs on land in Asia Minor and forced the Caliph to sign a 30-year peace treaty on terms favorable to the Byzantines. Constantine had to cede much of the Balkans to the new Bulgarian tribe, however, a development that boded ill for the future. One of the best of the early Byzantine rulers, Constantine died young at age 33, leaving the throne to his mercurial son Justinian II. His nickname Pogonatus (”Bearded”) is possibly a bit of a misnomer as, judging from his coin portraits and a mosaic depicting him in Ravenna, he was either clean-shaven or wore a relatively short beard. It is perhaps more aptly applied to his father, Constans II, who was exceedingly hirsute.

604. Justinian II. First reign, 685-695. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.19 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 5th officina. Struck 692695. Nimbate facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels / Justinian standing facing, wearing crown and loros, holding cross potent set on two steps and akakia; )//CONOP. DOC 7e var. (officina not retrograde); MIB 8a; SB 1248. Toned, die shift on obverse, strong die clashing on reverse. Near EF. ($1500)

605. Leontius. 695-698. AV Semissis (16mm, 2.18 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger / Cross potent set upon globe. DOC 3; MIB 4; SB 1332. Toned, hairlines on reverse. EF. Rare. An excellent example for the issue. Superior to most in CoinArchives. ($1000)

606. Justinian II, with Tiberius. Second reign, 705-711. AV Solidus (19.5mm, 4.33 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 705-711. Draped and nimbate facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels / Crowned facing half-length busts of Justinian and Tiberius, both wearing chlamys, together holding cross potent set on two steps between them. DOC 2a; MIB 2a; SB 1414. Toned, slight weakness. EF. ($2000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Nomos Obolos 6 (20 November 2016), lot 1000.

607. Leo III the “Isaurian”, with Constantine V. 717-741. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 732-circa 737. Crowned facing bust of Leo, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia / Crowned facing bust of Constantine, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia. DOC 6; Füeg 6.B.6; SB 1504. Toned. Near EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Harlan J. Berk inventory cc70608 (March 2011).

Together reigning nearly 60 years, Leo III and his son Constantine V reshaped Byzantine society and preserved the empire’s core against the onslaught of Arab armies and Slavic invaders alike. Born to a peasant family in northern Syria, Leo III rose to become commander of the Anatolikon Theme in Asia Minor. With the Arabs preparing a massive siege of Constantinople, Leo’s soldiers proclaimed him emperor in place of the feeble Theodosius III in March of AD 717. Six months later, the long-anticipated siege commenced. Leo proved equal to the task of defending the capital, and with the help of Greek fire and a timely counterattack, the Arabs were utterly routed. In 740, Leo cemented his reputation as a peerless soldier by crushing the Arab army at the battle of Akroinon in Phrygia. He also instituted numerous reforms that strengthened the central government and improved fairness in the administration of law. But he is chiefly known for his policy of iconoclasm, or the destruction of sacred images, which he regarded as akin to the graven images condemned in the 10 Commandments. In this, his beliefs were perhaps inspired by the Muslim practice of banning figural depictions of any kind. His efforts to enforce his beliefs on an unwilling clergy and populace became a true persecution late in his reign, and were even more zealously carried out by his son and successor, Constantine V, whose long reign was marked by further military success abroad and heavy-handed repression within. Constantine’s enemies nicknamed him Copronymos, i.e. “named in dung,” because he had allegedly fouled his baptismal fountain. But his generalship proved outstanding against both the Arabs and the Bulgarians, whom he crushed at the battle of Anchialos in AD 763. Byzantine fortunes in Italy received a blow in 751, however, when the city of Ravenna fell to the Lombards. The iconoclast controversy created discord throughout the Byzantine world for more than a century and counteracted many of the reforms and military victories achieved by father and son. Still, their efforts ensured the empire’s survival and paved the way for the great Macedonian Renaissance in the following century.

608. Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo IV and Leo III. 741-775. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.45 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 751-circa 757. Crowned facing busts of Constantine V and Leo IV, both wearing chlamys; cross above, • between / Crowned facing bust of Leo III, wearing loros, holding cross potent; Θ at end of legend. DOC 2c; Füeg 4.B.6; SB 1551. Toned. Near EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XVII (6 January 2014), lot 862.

609. Leo IV the Khazar, with Constantine VI, Leo III, and Constantine V. 775-780. AV Solidus (19mm, 4.39 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 776-778. Crowned facing busts of Leo IV and Constantine VI, both wearing chlamys; cross above, • between / Crowned facing busts of Leo III and Constantine V, both wearing loros; cross above, • between; Θ at end of legend. DOC 1a; Füeg 1.15; SB 1583. Toned, minor marks. Superb EF. A magnificent and early vibrant strike with parts of the die engraver’s centering circle still visible on the reverse. ($1000)

610. Constantine VI & Irene. 780-797. AV Solidus (19mm, 4.38 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 792-797. Crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter / Crowned facing bust of Constantine, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia; Θ at end of legend. DOC 3a; Füeg 5.A; SB 1594. Toned, slightly wavy flan, minor mark, deposits. EF. ($2000)

611. Constantine VI & Irene. 780-797. AV Solidus (19.5mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 792-797. Crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter / Crowned facing bust of Constantine, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia; Θ at end of legend. DOC 3a; Füeg 5.A; SB 1594. Toned, thin die breaks, area of weak strike, a couple of minor scratches, minor deposits, die rust on obverse. EF. ($1500)

612. Constantine VI & Irene. 780-797. AV Solidus (19.5mm, 4.46 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 792-797. Crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter / Crowned facing bust of Constantine, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia. DOC 3b; Füeg 5.B; SB 1594. Toned and lustrous, trace deposits. Near EF. ($1000)

613. Irene. 797-802. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.39 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter / Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter;  at end of legend. DOC 1a; Füeg 1.C.1; SB 1599. Toned and lustrous. Superb EF. ($3000)

614. Irene. 797-802. AV Solidus (19.5mm, 4.38 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter / Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter;  at end of legend. DOC 1a; Füeg 1.C.1; SB 1599. Lustrous, spot of die clash on reverse. EF. ($2500)

615. Irene. 797-802. AV Solidus (19mm, 4.37 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter / Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter; X at end of legend. DOC 1c; Füeg 2.A; SB 1599. Toned, minor mark. Near EF. ($2500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 99 (13 May 2015), lot 837.

616. Nicephorus I. 802-811. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.32 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 802-803. Crowned facing bust, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent and akakia / Cross potent set upon three steps; X at end of legend. DOC 1b; Füeg 1.B; SB 1603. Toned and lustrous, minor weakness. EF. ($1000)

The Downfall of Nicephorus & Stauracius

617. Nicephorus I, with Stauracius. 802-811. AV Solidus (22.5mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 803-811. Crowned facing bust of Nicephorus, wearing chlamys, holding cross potent and akakia; • before legend / Crowned facing bust of Stauracius, wearing chlamys, holding globus cruciger and akakia; Є at end of legend. DOC 2a; Füeg 2.C.1; SB 1604. Toned and lustrous, slight weakness, thin die breaks and spot of die rust on obverse. EF. ($750)

Nicephorus’ career came to an abrupt end at the battle of Pliska on 26 July 811 during his Bulgarian campaign. The initial campaign was a rousing success, and the battle came immediately after the sack of Pliska (the Bulgarian capital) by Byzantine forces. The Bulgarian Khan Krum attempted to sue for peace after the disastrous loss of his capital city, but Nicephorus, confident from his great victory, refused and planned to retake all of Bulgaria. While the Byzantines were plundering the city, Krum blocked their exit from the valley with traps and fortifications including a wooden palisade. Nicephorus was unwilling to assault the newly-constructed battlements and elected to set up camp. This proved unwise. The Bulgarians spent the next few days across in their camp rattling their shields in an effort to intimidate the Byzantine forces. By the time the two armies met in battle, the Byzantine army’s morale had evaporated. Despite the Byzantine’s possessing superior numbers, the army was completely routed by the Bulgarian Khanate. Very few members of the approximately 30,000 strong Byzantine army escaped the slaughter. Emperor Nicephorus himself was slain; his son and successor, Stauracius, received a serious wound to his spine which left him partially paralyzed and caused his death six months later. Theophanes the Confessor summarized the aftermath of the disaster in his Chronographia as follows: “Among the victims were ... the patrician Romanus, who was strategos of the Anatolics, and many protospatharioi and spatharioi, the commanders of the tagmata, including the domestic of the excubitors and the drungarios of the Imperial Watch, the strategos of Thrace, many officers of the themata, and an infinite number of soldiers so that the flower of Christendom was destroyed ... May not Christians experience another time the ugly events of that day for which no lamentation is adequate” (Theophanes, 491).

Nicephorus’ body was not recovered and Theophanes records that the Khan Krum “cut off the head of Nikephoros and for several days hung it on a pole so as to exhibit it to the tribes that came before him ... After that, he bared the skull, reveted it on the outside with silver and, in his pride, made the chieftains of the Sklavinians drink from it” (Theophanes, 491-2). This follows the ancient Skythian custom recorded by Herodotus in The Histories Book 4.65. Thus ended the reign of Nicephorus and Stauracius.

618. Nicephorus II Phocas. 963-969. AV Histamenon Nomisma (21.5mm, 4.41 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Draped and nimbate facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels / Facing half-length busts of the Theotokos and Nicephorus, wearing crown and loros, together holding patriarchal cross between them. DOC 4; Füeg 3.C.3; SB 1778. Toned, a few minor marks. EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Review XXII.2 (Spring/Summer 1997), no. 51; Giessener Münzhandlung 81 (3 March 1997), lot 974.

619. Basil II Bulgaroktonos, with Constantine VIII. 976-1025. AV Histamenon Nomisma (20.5mm, 4.41 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 977-circa 989. Draped and nimbate facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels; pellet-in-annulet in each arm of nimbus cross / Crowned facing busts of Basil, wearing loros, and Constantine, wearing chlamys, together holding patriarchal cross between them; small crossbar on shaft. DOC 2j.1-2; Füeg II 2.J; SB 1796. Attractively toned, a few minor marks, light scuff at edge. EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 121 (7 October 2022), lot 1123.

The son of Romanus II, Basil II theoretically inherited the purple at the age of five in when his father died in AD 963. However, he was overshadowed by regents and co-emperors until AD 976. He had to fight off several challenges to his rule and was not fully secure until AD 989. The experience made a hard, austere man of him. Monastic in tastes and militant in manners, he never married and devoted his whole reign to administering the state and leading armies into battle. He expended enormous efforts toward destroying the Bulgarian menace once and for all. At the Battle of Kleidion in 1014, he acquired his nickname “Bulgar–slayer” (Bulgaroktonos) when he captured and blinded 15,000 Bulgarians; the Bulgarian Tsar Samuel reportedly died of a heart attack when he beheld the fate his men. The Fatamids and Arabs also felt Basil’s wrath, and he oversaw the annexation of Georgia to the empire. He kept wealthy aristocrats on a short leash and favored peasants and small farmers, the backbone of the army. By Basil’s death in 1025, the medieval Byzantine Empire had reached its greatest size, power, and prestige. Maintaining it would require rulers with his devotion to duty, which none of his successors possessed, and they proceeded to fritter away his legacy with astonishing speed.

620. Basil II Bulgaroktonos, with Constantine VIII. 976-1025. AV Histamenon Nomisma (24.5mm, 4.41 g, 6h).

Constantinople mint. Struck 1005-1025. Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, upturned crescents in upper two quarters of nimbus / Crowned half-length busts of Basil, wearing loros, with suspended crown above head, and Constantine, wearing chlamys, together holding long cross between them. DOC 6a; Füeg II 6.B; SB 1800. Toned. Near EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection, purchased from Harmer Rooke, 1989.

621. Basil II Bulgaroktonos, with Constantine VIII. 976-1025. AV Histamenon Nomisma (24.5mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 1005-1025. Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, upturned crescents in upper two quarters of nimbus / Crowned half-length busts of Basil, wearing loros, with suspended crown above head, and Constantine, wearing chlamys, together holding long cross between them. DOC 6a; Füeg II 6.D; SB 1800. Toned, minor mark, trace deposits. Near EF. ($1000)

Very Rare

622. Nicephorus III Botaniates. 1078-1081. EL Tetarteron Nomisma (20mm, 4.05 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Draped and nimbate facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels / Nicephorus standing facing on suppedion, wearing crown and loros, holding labarum and globus cruciger. DOC 5a; SB 1884A. Toned, flan crack. VF. Very rare. Only three in CoinArchives. ($1000)

623. Andronicus I Comnenus. 1183-1185. EL Aspron Trachy Nomisma (29mm, 4.57 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. The Theotokos, orans, standing facing on suppedion; facing head of the Holy Infant on breast / Andronicus standing facing, wearing crown and chlamys, holding labarum with pellet on shaft and akakia, being crowned by Christ, nimbate, holding Gospels. DOC 2b; SB 1984. Attractively toned with some iridescence, a few light scratches at periphery. EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XV (3 January 2012), lot 1651.

New Example of a Rare Transitional Type

624. John III Ducas (Vatatzes). Emperor of Nicaea, 1222-1254. AV Hyperpyron (26mm, 4.07 g, 6h). Magnesia mint. Struck circa AD 1232. Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels / Crowned facing figure of John, wearing loros, holding labarum and akakia, being crowned by the Theotokos to right. DOC (3); SB –. Toned, some luster, graffiti. Good VF. Very rare. ($500)

This hyperpyron represents a new example of the rare transitional coinage with the obverse invocative inscription for John III. This type was struck briefly by John III imitating the third Constantinopolitan issue of his namesake John II. DOC had only two examples of this rare coinage in their collection in 1999 when DOC 4.2 was published and noted only one other from the Agrinion Hoard of 1977/8. Metcalf noted in his publication of the Agrinion Hoard that only two or three specimens of this rare coinage were known at the time. Despite John III’s later coinage being quite prolific and available, this is one issue that is exceptionally rare. Additionally, it features an interesting obverse die with the invocative inscription being somewhat blundered and entirely on the right side of the obverse. Finally, the reverse die also appears to be new for the transitional coinage.

625. John V Palaeologus, with John VI. 1341-1391. AV Hyperpyron (21mm, 3.58 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 1347-1353. Half-length figure of the Theotokos, orans, within city walls with four towers; sigla: d/N|d/Φ / Christ Pantokrator standing between and blessing John V and John VI, both kneeling and wearing crown and loros. Cf. DOC V 1193 (for type); PCPC 285 (sigla 6); SB 2526. In NGC encapsulation 4629623-015, graded XF, Strike: 3/5, Surface: 4/5, clipped. This obverse die appears to have sigla 6 over sigla 5. A not unknown phenomenon for this rare coinage. ($750)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 64 (24 September 2003), lot 1369.

End of Session 2

Session 3 — Wednesday, May 14, 2025 — 9 AM

EARLY MEDIEVAL COINAGE

626. MIGRATION PERIOD, Pseudo-Imperial coinage. Circa late 3rd century AD. AV Quinarius (16mm, 3.42 g, 12h). IMP CORIIΛNVS IMP, laureate and draped bust of Gordian III left / IVLIA DA, draped female bust left. Sergeev –, but cf. 220 and 222 (for series). Toned, with original mount. VF. ($1000)

Ex Gorny & Mosch 147 (7 March 2006), lot 1068.

627. MIGRATION PERIOD, Pseudo-Imperial coinage. Circa late 3rd century AD. AV Quinarius (14mm, 2.88 g, 12h). DVΛCVИ UΛVICI, laureate and draped bust left / C ON C ORDI, Fortuna Redux standing left, holding rudder set on ground and cradling cornucopia. Sergeev –, but cf. 225 (for series). Mount removed. VF. ($750)

Ex Thesaurus (15 December 2007), lot 434.

628. MIGRATION PERIOD, Pseudo-Imperial coinage. Circa late 5th - early 6th century AD. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.46 g, 12h). Imitating a Thessalonica mint solidus of Leo I (AD 457-474). D N LEO PE ΛPET ΛVC (sic), pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman motif / VIOTORI A AVCCC (sic), Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross; star to left and right; TMROB. Sergeev –; MEC 1, –; cf. RIC X 618 (for prototype). Near EF. ($1000)

Extremely Rare

629. MEROVINGIANS, Orléans. Circa 620-640. AV Tremissis (11.5mm, 1.24 g, 12h). Angiulfus, moneyer. แ¬VƩǮƩ¬ɃƩ˞ (read outward counter-clockwise), diademed head right / ¬nŲƩVǮ แ Ŋ˝ แ , cross ancrée set on globe. NM 9 = Belfort 530 = Prou 636; cf. MEC 1, 461. Toned, reddish deposits. EF. Extremely rare. ($2000)

Ex Harmers 4 (30 March 2023), lot 184; Hess-Divo 335 (6 December 2018), lot 187; Tkalec (29 February 2008), lot 556 (where it hammered CHF 8200).

The Siege of Jerusalem, 1187

630. CRUSADERS, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. Sybelle. 1186-1190. BI Denier (19mm, 0.96 g, 9h). Struck during the siege of Jerusalem, 1187. [ แ ] ýƩ [ ©Vý ˝ ] Ʃ r[r V˶ ], Tower of David / [ แ ...] ⍛V [... Ď⌴ȵƩ [ nƩ ], view of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Slocum 288; cf. C.J. Sabine, “Numismatic iconography of the Tower of David and the Holy Sepulchre,” NC 1979, pl. 17, 3; N. du Quesne Bird, “Two deniers from Jerusalem, Jordan,” NumCirc LXXIII.5 (May 1965), p. 109; Metcalf, Crusades, p. 77; CCS 51. Toned, porous, areas of weakness, wavy and ragged flan. Near VF. Very rare. ($1500)

‘Then Balian and the patriarch went and had the tomb edicule of the Sepulchre which was all covered in silver uncovered; and then they had it taken away to be struck into money to give to the knights and sergeants.’

– The Chronicle of Ernoul

C. J. Sabine has convincingly argued that these very rare anonymous Deniers were an emergency issue struck during the siege of Jerusalem in September 1187. A small Christian force led by Balian of Ibelin mounted a heroic defence against the armies of Saladin, capitulating on October 2nd after the walls were breached. News of the loss of the Holy City sent shock waves through Western Europe and resulted in the Third Crusade.

ISLAMIC COINAGE

Overstruck on a Prutah of Agrippa I

631. Umayyad Caliphate, Bronze coinage. Æ Fals (18mm, 2.47 g, 12h). Pictorial type (Palm tree/pellet-in-annulet). Overstruck on a prutah of Agrippa I. al-Ramla mint. Struck circa AH 120s. For coin: cf. Bone 3; Album 185; for undertype: Hendin 6274. Earthen green patina. Near VF. Very rare reuse of an ancient coin. ($750)

Overstruck on an Antioch Mint Antoninianus of Diocletian

632. Artuqids of Mardin(?). Uncertain ruler. Æ Fals (21mm, 2.82 g, 3h). Overstruck on a pre-reform Antioch mint Antoninianus of Diocletian. For coin: cf. Zeno 344072; for undertype: RIC V 325. Orangish earthen dark brown patina. Near VF. Very rare reuse of an ancient coin. ($500)

633. Durrani Shahs. Ahmad Shah. AH 1160-1186 / AD 1747-1773. AV Mohur (19mm, 10.84 g, 9h). Ashraf al-Bilad Ahmadshahi (Qandahar) mint. Dated [AH 118(...)]; RY 23 (AD 1768/9). SICA 9, –; Album 3090; KM 115; Friedberg. Toned, shroff mark on edge. EF. ($600)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XVIII (6 January 2015), lot 1471; Property of an Indian Prince (Spink 215, 5 December 2012), lot 507.

634. Durrani Shahs. Timur Shah. AH 1186-1207 / AD 1773-1793. AV Mohur (22mm, 10.97 g, 2h). Dar al-Sultanat (Kabul) mint. Undated issue. SICA 9, –, but cf. 1110 (rupee); Album 3099; KM 435. In NGC encapsulation 8378323-004, graded MS 62. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex William B. Warden, Jr. inventory #CFB/19.375 (1992).

635. Ottoman Empire. Mahmud I. AH 1143-1168 / AD 1730-1754. AV Beşlik Fındık (48.5mm, 16.82 g, 12h). Frame Type 1. Islambul (Constantinople) mint. Dated AH 1143 (AD 1730). Damalı 24-K-A1a (AYN 13); KM 243; Friedberg 5. Toned, traces of deposits in devices, numerous marks, slightly wavy flan, holed for suspension. EF. Rare. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (10 November 1987), lot 690.

WORLD COINAGE

636. ALBANIA, Republic of Albania. Amet Zogu. President, 1925-1928. AV 20 Franga Ari (21mm, 6.45 g, 6h). Rome mint. Dated 1926 R. Bust of George Castriot (“Skanderbeg”) right / Lion of St. Mark facing slightly right, holding gospel and oak branch. Montengro 26; KM 12; Friedberg 4. In NGC encapsulation 6890912-006, graded MS 64. ($1500)

Ex Alexander Christopher Collection.

637. ALBANIA, Republic of Albania. Amet Zogu. President, 1925-1928. AR 2 Franga Ari (26mm, 10.03 g, 6h). Rome mint. Dated 1926 R. Male figure advancing right, sowing seeds from bag slung over shoulder / Eagle standing facing with wings spread, head left. KM 7. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 6928246-008, graded MS 64. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

638. ALBANIA, Republic of Albania. Amet Zogu. President, 1925-1928. AR Frang Ar Prova (21mm, 5.02 g, 6h). Rome mint. Dated 1927 R. AMET ZOG, bare head right / SHQIPNI ALBANIA, double headed eagle with wings spread; Fr A 1 across field; 1927 in exergue; PROVA to lower left. KM PrA25. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 6928246-009, graded MS 65. ($600)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Key Date Melbourne Sovereign

639. AUSTRALIA, Colonial. Trade Coinage. Victoria. 1837-1901. AV Sovereign (21mm, 6h). Melbourne mint. Dated 1886 M. Head left, with hair tied in fillet / Crowned coat-of-arms within wreath. Bull, Gold 1714; Marsh 67; SCBC 3854A. In NGC encapsulation 8328323-001, graded AU Details, cleaned. Key date. ($5000)

640. AUSTRIA, Holy Roman Empire. Karl II. Archduke, 1564-1590. AV Dukat (21mm, 3.47 g, 9h). Klagenfurt mint. Dated 1590. Armored figure of Karl standing facing, holding scepter / Crowned and collared coat-of-arms. Friedberg 54. Traces of luster, a few marks, small delamination on reverse. EF. ($750)

637 638

641. AUSTRIA, Holy Roman Empire. Leopold V, with Claudia de’ Medici. Archduke, 1619-1632. AR Doppeltaler (47mm, 56.71 g, 12h). Hall mint. Posthumous issue, struck 1635. Crowned jugate busts of Leopold, armored and draped, and Claudia right, each wearing ruff / Crowned eagle facing, head left, wings spread; garlanded wreath above. Moser & Tursky 486; Davenport 3331; KM 639. Toned, hairlines, flan flaw on edge. Near EF. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Lepczyk 31 (26 July 1979), lot 42.

642. AUSTRIA, Austro-Hungarian Empire. Franz Josef I. 1867-1916. AR 2 Florin – Medal (35mm, 22.23 g, 12h). First Austrian Bundesschiessen. Dated 1880. Crowned double-headed eagle, holding sword and globus cruciger; collared coatof-arms on breast; all within wreath of oak leaves and coats-of-arms / Vindobona standing right, resting hand on coat-of-arms and presenting flag to personification of Austria seated left, holding sword set on ground. KM (X) M6. Lightly toned. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-008, graded MS 63. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

643. AUSTRIA, Olmütz (Prince-Bishophric). Wolfgang Hannibal von Schrattenbach. 1711-1738. AR Taler (45mm, 28.55 g, 12h). Dated 1718. Bust right, wearing zucchetto and mantum / Coat-of-arms over crossed crozier and scepter, surmounted by mitre, cross, and crown; tasseled gallero above. Davenport 1218; KM 414. Toned, a few minor scratches. EF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Wayte Raymond Collection (Part I, NASCA [8], 5 December 1977), lot 575.

644. AUSTRIA, Orsini-Rosenberg (Principality). Franz Ursini. 1794-1832. AR Taler (40mm, 25.19 g, 12h). Dated 1793, though struck 1853. Bare head right / Collared coat-of-arms with reverted bear supporters; all crowned and mantled. Edge: plain. Davenport 1192; KM 1. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6917303-015, graded UNC Details, cleaned. ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Though the dies for this issue were prepared in 1793, none were struck until 1853.

645. BELGIUM. Léopold I. 1831-1865. CU Essai de 5 Francs (36mm, 16.10 g, 12h). Bruxelles (Brussels) mint. Dies by Jouvenel. Dated 1865. LEOPOLD II ROI DES BELGES, bare head left; 1865 below / ESSAI/ MONÉTAIRE. Dupriez 945; KM –. In NGC encapsulation 6916566-007, graded MS 62 BN. Some die rust. Top Pop ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

646. BOHEMIA, Holy Roman Empire. Rudolf II. Emperor, 1576-1611. AR Taler (41mm, 28.89 g, 7h). Kutná Hora (Kuttenburg) mint. Dated 1579. Armored and draped bust right, wearing ruff; below, lion right / Crowned double-headed eagle right with wings spread, holding sword and scepter; globus cruciger on breast. Dietiker 368; Davenport 8079. Iridescent toning, minor scratches and marks. VF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Wayte Raymond Collection (Part I, NASCA [8], 5 December 1977), lot 566.

647. BRAZIL, Colonial. Maria I y Pedro III. Queen & King of Portugal, 1777-1786. AV Peça – 6400 Réis (31mm, 14.33 g, 11h). Rio de Janeiro mint. Dated 1779 R. Jugate laureate busts of Maria and Pedro right / Crowned garnished coatof-arms. Gomes 25.03; KM 199.2; Friedberg 76. In NGC encapsulation 8378323-001, graded MS 61. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA 58 (10 December 1985), lot 206; NASCA [34] (10 December 1980), lot 2259.

648. BRAZIL, Colonial. Maria I. Queen of Portugal, 1786-1816. AV Peça – 6400 Réis (32mm, 14.29 g, 12h). Rio de Janeiro mint. Dated 1787 R. Veiled and crowned bust right / Crowned garnished coat-of-arms. Gomes 25.06; KM 226.1; Friedberg 87. In NGC encapsulation 8378323-002, graded AU 58. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA 58 (10 December 1985), lot 208; NASCA [34] (10 December 1980), lot 2263.

649. BRAZIL, Colonial. Maria I. Queen of Portugal, 1786-1816. AV Peça – 6400 Réis (30mm, 14.37 g, 12h). Rio de Janeiro mint. Dated 1800 R. Crowned bust right / Crowned coat-of-arms. Gomes 25.12; KM 226.1; Friedberg 87. In NGC encapsulation 2734695-008, graded MS 62. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XXI (8 January 2018), lot 968.

650. BULGARIA, Principality. Aleksandar of Battenberg. 1879-1886. AR Lev (22mm, 4.98 g, 5h). St. Petersburg mint. Dated 1882. Crowned coat-of-arms between two banners, with leonine supporters, all mantled and crowned / Denomination and date in three lines within wreath. CBC p. 10; KM 4. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928251-011, graded MS 63. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Top Pop Set

651. CAMBODIA, Kingdom. Norodom Sihanouk. 1941-1955. AL Piedfort Essai Set. Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and wing. Dated 1953. Includes: Piedfort AL Essai de 50 Sen (30mm, 8.09 g, 12h). MCF 32; KM E11 var. (Piedfort). In NGC encapsulation 8375924-005, graded MS 64 // Piedfort AL Essai de 20 Sen (26mm, 4.49 g, 12h). MCF 31; KM E10 var. (Piedfort). In NGC encapsulation 8375924-006, graded MS 63 // Piedfort AL Essai de 10 Sen (22mm, 2.83 g, 12h). MCF 30; KM E9 var. (Piedfort). In NGC encapsulation 8375924-007, graded MS 64. All NGC graded. Three (3) coins in lot. All Top Pop ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Key Date 1921 Canada 5 Cents

652. CANADA. George V. 1910-1936. AR 5 Cents (14mm, 1.13 g, 12h). Ottawa mint. Dated 1921. Crowned and mantled bust left / Crowned denomination within wreath. In NGC encapsulation 6931163-002, graded VF Details, cleaned. Very rare. Most of the initial mintage of 2,582,495 was never released and ultimately melted in favor of the larger 5 cent piece struck in nickel. It is estimated that only approximately 400 examples survive today. ($2000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

653. CANADA. Elizabeth II. 1952-2022. Proof Set. Comemmorating the Centennial of the Canadian Confederation. Ottawa mint. Dated 1867 and 1967. Includes: AV 20 Dollars // AR Dollar // AR 50 Cents // AR 25 Cents // AR 10 Cents // NI 5 Cents // CU Cent. Charlton 14. Mottled toning on silver. Proof. In original case and box of issue. Seven (7) coins in set. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Rare Chilean Pattern by James B. Longacre & Anthony Paquet

654. CHILE, Republic. 1818-present. Proof Pattern CU Decimo (17mm, 2.48 g, 6h). Struck at the Philadelphia mint (though naming Santiago). By James B. Longacre and Anthony Paquet. Dated 1868 So. REPUBLICA DE CHILE So, UN/ DECIMO within wreath / POR LA RAZON O LA FUERZA (star) 1868 (star), condor standing left, wings spread, holding serpent in beak and resting claw on shield. KM Pn14. In NGC encapsulation 6922485-012, graded PR 64 RB. Rare and in superb condition. Top Pop ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

In March 1866, Chilean representatives in the United States visited the Philadelphia mint to meet with Chief Engraver James B. Longacre about engraving dies for a new Chilean coinage. Longacre was interested, but awaited consultation from the Treasury Department, which approved the work provided that Longacre supervise another engraver in its creation, a role which ultimately fell to Anthony Paquet. Paquet completed the dies for the Peso and Decimo in late February 1867. Copper patterns were then struck at the Philadelphia mint and delivered to Chilean representatives.

Brugmansia – Among the Most Toxic of Ornamental Plants

655. CHILE, Republic. 1818-present. Pattern AR 5 Pesos (37mm, 27.87 g, 6h). Santiago mint. Dated 1926 So. CHILE, native bust left, wearing feathered headdress; 072 in right field / Star; 5 above, CINCO PESOS below; all within wreath of brugmansia (angel’s trumpet); So below. KM Pn46. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6924486-014, graded AU 58. ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

The wreath on the reverse of this pattern is not the normal laurel or oak wreath, but rather appears to be made of a brugmansia, also known as the ‘angel’s trumpet’ due to its distinct trumpet-shaped flowers. The brugmansia, native to South America, is among the most toxic of ornamental plants.

656. CHINA, Qīng dynasty. Wénzōng (Xiánfēng). AD 1851-1861. Æ Mother Cash (25mm, 7.90 g, 6h). Fuzhou mint in Fujian province. Cast 1855-1859. Xian Feng Tong Bao in Hànzì characters / Boo fu in Manchu script. Cf. Hartill 22.774 (for regular issue in iron); D. Oxford, “A Small Hoard of Hsien Feng Cash of Fukien Province,” in ONS Journal 145 (Summer 1995), type A. Brown surfaces. Good VF. A well made bronze mother coin for an issue usually encountered in iron. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

657. CHINA, Qīng dynasty. General issues. AR Dollar (38mm, 26.81 g, 12h). Tiānjīn Central mint. Struck 1908 Legend in Hànzì characters and Manchu script / Flying imperial dragon facing, coiled leftward around fireball and surrounded by stylized clouds. CCMCSC $1 CE.2.3; L&M 11; KM (Y) 14. Toned. In PCGS encapsulation 49045611, graded AU Details, cleaned. ($1000)

Ex Norman Frank Collection.

658. CHINA, Qīng dynasty. Húnán province Set of ten (10) fantasy silver issues. After originals struck 1906. Includes: AR Mace (3.58 g). In NGC encapsulation 8365054-010, graded MS 63. Top Pop. // AR 2 Mace (7.32 g). In NGC encapsulation 8365054-009, graded MS 62. Top Pop. // AR 3 Mace (10.83 g). In NGC encapsulation 8365054-008, graded MS 62 // AR 4 Mace (14.38 g). In NGC encapsulation 8365054-007, graded MS 62. Top Pop. // AR 5 Mace (18.02 g). In NGC encapsulation 8301706-004, graded MS 62. Top Pop. // AR 6 Mace (21.86 g). In NGC encapsulation 8365054-005, graded MS 61 // AR 7 Mace. In NGC encapsulation 8365054-004, graded UNC Details, obv scratched // AR 8 Mace (29.34). In NGC encapsulation 8365054-003, graded MS 62. Top Pop. // AR 9 Mace (32.52 g). In NGC encapsulation 8301706-005m graded MS 63 // AR Tael (36.16 g). In NGC encapsulation 8365054-001, graded MS 63. Top Pop. All in NGC encapsulations. Ten (10) coins in lot. ($5000)

Lí Yuánhóng Dollar – Rare Type with General Wearing Cap

659. CHINA, Republic of China. General issues. 1912-1949. AR Dollar (38mm, 12h). Wuchang mint. Struck 1912. Bust of Lí Yuánhóng facing slightly left, wearing peaked cap of the Wuchang New Army / Denomination within wreath. Tripled die on reverse. Legend OE corrected to OF. CCMCSC $1 RC.4.1; L&M 43; KM (Y) 320. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8301707-001, graded AU 58. ($10,000)

Lí Yuánhóng was a prominent military leader in China during the end Qing Dynasty and a reluctant but key figure in the 1911 Revolution and Wuchang Uprising that led to the end of that same dynasty in China. After the success of the rebellion, Lí Yuánhóng became first Vice President and second President of the Republic of China. However, his first presidency (1916-1917) was abruptly cut short as there was an unexpected but short-lived coup that attempted to restore the Qing Dynasty. Lí Yuánhóng survived the coup and became president again in June of 1922 for one year before disappearing into relative obscurity.

660. CHINA, Republic of China. Provincial issues. Yúnnán province. 1912-1949. AR Half Dollar (33mm, 13.35 g, 12h). Kūnmíng mint. Struck 1916. Bust of Táng Jìyáo right / Crossed flags; star above. CCMCSC 50 C YN.1; L&M 862; KM (Y) 480. Toned. In PCGS encapsulation 50722816, graded XF Details, altered surfaces. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 90 (4 October 1985), lot 78.

Popular Lenin Dollar Fantasy

661. CHINA, Soviet Republic of China. 1931-1937. Fantasy AR Dollar (38mm, 12h). Dated 1931. Bust of Vladimir Lenin right; floral sprays in border / Denomination within crossed hammer and sickle. CCMCSC –; cf. L&M 881 (for ‘official’ issue); Kann B73; KM (X) 850. In NGC encapsulation 9301707-002, graded UNC Details, cleaned. A popular type. ($4000)

662. COLONIAL AFRICA, British. Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone Company. 1791-1807. AR Dollar (35mm, 25.85 g, 5h). Soho (Birmingham) mint. Dated 1791, though struck 1793. Lion advancing slightly left, head facing / Clasped hands. Vice 2A; KM 6. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-001, graded MS 61. ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Founded by English abolitionists, the Sierra Leone Company’s (1792-1807) primary function was to resettle former black slaves from America and England to Sierra Leone. After the landmark case of Somerset v Stewart in 1772 effectively declared that slavery illegal in England, slaves throughout most of English territories were freed, with the exceptions of slaves in America and the Caribbean. The Black Loyalists and other newly freed slaves were initially settled in Nova Scotia, but they were not welcome in white society. In 1792, the Sierra Leone Company led an expedition from Halifax to found a colony on the Guinea coast in west Africa. Called Freetown, the settlement was initially established by around 1,100 settlers, each led by the promise of free land and a new life.

The Sierra Leone Company would shortly issue its own currency. Dated 1791, the year of the founding of the Company, the coins (silver dollars, half dollars, 20 cents, and 10 cents and, in copper, pennies and later cents) were struck in Matthew Bolton’s Soho (Birmingham) mint between 1793 and 1803.

663. COLONIAL AFRICA, British. Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone Company. 1791-1807. Proof AR 50 Cents (31mm, 5h). Soho (Birmingham) mint. Dated 1791, though struck 1793-1799. Lion advancing slightly left, head facing / Clasped hands. Vice 3A; KM 5. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-008, graded PF 64. ($2000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coinhunter (C.E. Bullowa, 19 September 1984), lot 497.

664. COLONIAL AFRICA, British. Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone Company. 1791-1807. Proof CU 50 Cents (31mm, 5h). Soho (Birmingham) mint. Dated 1791, though struck 1793-1799. Lion advancing slightly left, head facing / Clasped hands. Vice 3B; KM 5a. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-009, graded PF 64 BN. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coinhunter (C.E. Bullowa, 19 September 1984), lot 496.

665. COLONIAL AFRICA, British. Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone Company. 1791-1807. AR 20 Cents (24mm, 5h). Soho (Birmingham) mint. Dated 1791, though struck 1793. Lion advancing slightly left, head facing / Clasped hands. Vice 4; KM 4. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-010, graded AU 55. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coinhunter (C.E. Bullowa, 19 September 1984), lot 495.

666. COLONIAL AFRICA, British. Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone Company. 1791-1807. AR 10 Cents (19mm, 6h). Soho (Birmingham) mint. Dated 1791, though struck 1796-1803. Lion advancing slightly left, head facing / Clasped hands. Vice 6; KM 3. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-011, graded MS 63. Top Pop ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coinhunter (C.E. Bullowa, 19 September 1984), lot 494.

667. COSTA RICA, Republic. 1848-pres. AV ½ Escudo (14mm, 1.57 g, 11h). Countermark authorized 8 January 1857. Lion standing left in circular countermark applied to both sides of a Central American Republic 1847 CR JB ½ Escudo. For c/m: Stickney C431; KM 80. For host: Stickney C20; KM 13.1. Host and c/m Good VF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Superior (5 October 1977), lot 544; Alfred R. Globus Collection (Stack’s, 19 October 1972), lot 856.

668. CUBA, War of Independence. 1895-1898. AR ‘Souvenir’ Peso (35.5mm, 22.59 g, 6h). Struck by Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, RI. Dated 1897. Head of Liberty right / Coat-of-arms set on fasces topped by liberty cap; all within wreath of oak and olive branches. KM (X) M3. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-003, graded MS 63. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

A long-held colony of Spain, Cuba sought its independence from Spain’s brutal control with support from the US. The Cuban forces were led by Jose Marti and a Dominican general, Maximo Gomez. They kicked off the war with an insurrection in February 1895, and the war continued for the next three years between the Mambises, local Cuban militants, versus the Spanish military. Throughout the Cuban War of Independence, the Mambises struggled to get weapons to use against the Spaniards, because it was illegal for them to own them, so they resorting to guerrilla tactics in order to surprise the Spaniards and steal their weapons. These tactics were mostly successful and the rebels managed to seize the eastern side of the island.

Outside of Cuba, ever increasing pressure from U.S. citizens to get the United States government and military involved were held back until the USS Maine, a U.S. battleship, was sent to Havana to intervene. Unfortunately, upon arrival, the ship exploded killing 260 of the crew and led to the United States fully jumping into the fray. President McKinley went to Congress for authority to send troops to Cuba; and, on 25 April 1898 Congress declared war. Immediately following this declaration of war, the U.S. Navy blockaded the island and attacked the port of Santiago, forcing the Spaniards to consolidate at Fort Canosa. The Spanish military successful held back American and Cuban troops at Fort Canosa, preventing them from taking the city of Santiago itself. However, 15 days of a deadly siege against the city forced them to inevitably surrender on July 16th. Having lost the Philippines and Puerto Rico to the U.S., Spain sought peace with the United States and signed the Treaty of Paris on 10 December 1898; notably the Cubans were not permitted to participate in the peace talks nor in the forming or signing of treaty itself. The treaty officially granted Cuba its independence but it did not designate how long the U.S. was allowed to occupy the island.

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

669. DENMARK. Christian IV. 1588-1648. AR 2 Krone (37mm, 38.00 g, 11h). København (Copenhagen) mint. Dated 1624. Christian standing right, holding baton and resting hand on hilt of sword / Crown. Schou 31; Hede 124; Davenport 3518; KM 99. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6917303-002, graded AU 55. ($2000)

670. DENMARK. Frederik III. 1648-1670. AR 1/6 Speciedaler Klippe (20x20mm, 4.75 g, 12h). Largesse coinage. København (Copenhagen) mint. Dated 1648. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Vase with flowers. Schou 34; Hede 48; KM 160. Old cabinet toning. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-007, graded MS 63. Top Pop ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection, purchased from B. Ahlström.

671. DENMARK. Christian VI. 1730-1746. AR Krone (40mm, 22.93 g, 12h). København (Copenhagen) mint; mm: heart. Dated 1731 CW. Armored bust right / Crown. Schou 1; Hede 4; Davenport 1294; KM 537. Lightly toned with hints of luster, edge split, minor PVC deposit. EF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Bowers & Merena (26 August 1987), lot 3325.

672. DENMARK. Frederik V. 1746-1766. AR Krone (33mm, 17.99 g, 12h). København (Copenhagen) mint. Dated 1748. Laureate head right / Crowned coat-of-arms within wreath. Schou 4; Hede 31A; KM 572. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 6917303-003, graded MS 64. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

673. DENMARK. Frederik V. 1746-1766. AR Speciedaler (38mm, 28.82 g, 11h). København (Copenhagen) mint. Dated 1747 A. Frederik standing facing, holding scepter and globus cruciger, within canopy / Crowned coat-of-arms with wildman supporters. Schou 12; Hede 25; Davenport 1299; KM 562. Old cabinet toning. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-005, graded AU 58. ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

671

672

674. DENMARK. Frederik VI. 1808-1839. AV 2 Frederik d’or (28mm, 13.27 g, 12h). Altona mint. Dated 1830 IC FF. Bare head left / Crowned coat-of-arms. Schou 1; Hede 3; KM 700; Friedberg 286. Marks, scratches, hairlines, flan flaw. EF. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex El Dorado 1 (14 July 1984), lot 22.

675. DENMARK. Frederik VII. 1848-1863. AR Speciedaler (37mm, 28.85 g, 12h). København (Copehnagen) mint; mm: crown. Dated 1853 FK VS. Bare head right / Crowned coat-of-arms within wreath. Schou 3; Hede 4A; Davenport 76; KM 74.1. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928246-012, graded MS 63. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Extremely Rare

676. EGYPT, Ottomans. Muhammad Tawfiq. AH 1296-1309 / AD 1879-1892. AV 500 Kuruş – 500 Qirsh/Piastres – 5 Pounds (37mm, 42.45 g, 12h). Misr (Cairo) mint. Dually dated AH 1293 and RY 6 of Abdülhamid II (AD 1880). MH 159; Damalı 34-MS-A1-1; KM 286; Friedberg 17. Toned, once polished, hairlines. AU. Extremely rare. Mint records report only five specimens struck, though as many as 27 may exist. ($6000)

From the Collection of an Alexandrine Numismatist, formed before 1955.

677. ETHIOPIA, Ethiopian Empire. Menelik II. 1889-1913. AR Prooflike Set. Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and fasces. Dated EE 1887 A (AD 1894). Includes: AR Birr. Gill p. 105; KM 5. In NGC encapsulation 8376129-001, graded UNC Details, cleaned // AR 1/2 Birr. Gill p. 104; KM 4. In NGC encapsulation 8376129-002, graded MS 61 // AR 1/4 Birr. Gill p. 104; KM 3. In NGC encapsulation 8376129-003, graded MS 63 // AR 1/8 Birr. Gill p. 103; KM 2. In NGC encapsulation 8376129-004, graded MS 62. KM PS1 (there as a proof set). For similar five coin prooflike set in case, see Gill p. 108. All NGC Graded. Four (4) coins in set. In original maroon leather case of issue. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA 58 (10 December 1985), lot 287.

Menelik II was undoubtedly the most impactful ruler of modern Ethiopia, but his legacy was far from foreseeable at the outset of his rule. Born prince of the semi-independent kingdom of Shewa in 1844 and captured by Ethiopian emperor Tewedros II during his subjugation of Shewa, he spent much of his youth as a captive. Menelik was beloved by Tewedros, who raised him as his son and gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to him, but the feeling was not entirely reciprocal. In 1866 he escaped the capital, abandoning his wife, and returned home to reclaim his throne. He claimed the imperial throne but made no attempts to seize it, however. Two years later, the British launched a punitive expedition against Ethiopia in response to their aggression, and Tewedros was defeated. He committed suicide, leaving the throne to Yohannes IV, who ruled until his death in battle against the Mahdist State of Sudan in 1889. Menelik saw this as the opportune moment to claim the imperial throne. He garnered support by a majority of the nobility as well as the wife he abandoned, and so he was able to secure it.

His rule confirmed, Menelik sought to expand his empire, and he fought several successful wars of conquest against his neighbors. This enlarged Ethiopia to its present-day size. Certainly, his greatest achievement was his victory in the First Italo-Ethiopian War, fought in 18956, just shortly after this set was minted. This was one of the first and most impactful victories of an African nation over a European one, and it rocked both continents. Italy recognized Ethiopia’s sovereignty, and the prime minister was forced to resign in disgrace. Due to Menelik’s victory, Ethiopia is one of just two African countries that were never colonized by European nations.

678. ETHIOPIA, Ethiopian Empire. Menelik II. 1889-1913. AR Birr (38mm, 28.13 g, 6h). Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and fasces. Dated EE 1892 A (AD 1900). Crowned bust left / Crowned Lion of Judah left, head facing, holding banner on cross over shoulder. Gill p. 108; KM 19. In NGC encapsulation 8376129-005, graded MS 62 PL. ($1500)

From the William H. Birkinshaw Collection.

679. FRANCE, Royal. Philippe VI de Valois (of Valois). 1328-1350. AV Écu d’or à la chaise (29mm, 4.49 g, 9h). 3rd emission, authorized 1 January 1337. Philippe enthroned facing, holding sword; coat-of-arms to right; all within tressure of arches / Ornate cross fleurée with voided quatrefoil at center and leaves in quarters; all within quadrilobe with arches ending in trefoils. Duplessy 249B; Ciani 285; Friedberg 270. Slightly worn dies, minor edge marks. EF. ($1000)

680. FRANCE, Royal. Philippe VI de Valois (of Valois). 1328-1350. AV Écu d’or à la chaise (29mm, 4.47 g, 5h). 3rd emission, authorized 1 January 1337. Philippe enthroned facing, holding sword; coat-of-arms to right; all within tressure of arches / Ornate cross fleurée with voided quatrefoil at center and leaves in quarters; all within quadrilobe with arches ending in trefoils. Duplessy 249B; Ciani 285; Friedberg 270. Struck with worn obverse die. Near EF. ($600)

681. FRANCE, Royal. Charles V le Sage (the Wise). 1364-1380. AV Franc à pied (27mm, 3.72 g, 5h). Authorized 20 April 1365. King standing facing within Gothic arch; semée of seven lis to left and right, holding sword and main de Justice / Cross tréflée; in center of cross, pellet within angled quadrilobe; lis in first and fourth quarters, crown in second and third; all within angled quadrilobe; lis in spandrels. Duplessy 360; Ciani 457; Friedberg 284. Slightly ragged edge. EF. ($500)

682. FRANCE, Royal. Charles V le Sage (the Wise). 1364-1380. AV Franc à pied (28mm, 3.74 g, 11h). Authorized 20 April 1365. King standing facing within Gothic arch; semée of seven lis to left and right, holding sword with annulet pommel, and main de Justice / Cross tréflée; in center of cross, pellet within angled quadrilobe; lis in first and fourth quarters, crown in second and third; all within angled quadrilobe; lis in spandrels. Duplessy 360A; cf. Ciani 458-60; Friedberg 284. AU. ($750)

683. FRANCE, Royal. Charles VI le Bien-Aimé/le Fol (the Well-Beloved/the Mad). 1380-1422. AV Écu d’or à la couronne (30mm, 3.91 g, 11h). 2nd emission, authorized 28 February 1388. Crowned coat-of-arms / Cross fleurdelisée and feuillue; star in center; all within quadrilobe; lis at end of each arc, crown in spandrels. Duplessy 369B; Ciani 487; Friedberg 291. Scuff. AU. ($750)

684. FRANCE, Royal. Charles VI le Bien-Aimé/le Fol (the Well-Beloved/the Mad). 1380-1422. AV Écu d’or à la couronne (27mm, 3.91 g, 5h). Paris mint; mm: pellet below 18th letter. 3rd emission, authorized 11 September 1389. Crowned coat-of-arms / Cross fleurdelisée and feuillue; star in center; all within quadrilobe; lis at end of each arc, crown in spandrels. Duplessy 369B; Ciani 487; Friedberg 291. In NGC encapsulation 5788950-003, graded AU 58. ($750)

Rare and Well Made Henri IV Écu d’or

685. FRANCE, Royal. Henri IV le Grand (the Great). 1589–1610. AV Écu d’or au soleil (24mm, 3.30 g, 9h). Saint-Lô mint; différent: flame. Dated 1594 C. Crowned coat-of-arms / Cross fleurdelisée with voided quadrilobe at center. VG 614; Duplessy 1206; Ciani 1499; BN, Royales 1373-4 var. (date); Friedberg 396. Slight ghosting. UNC. Rare – this date missing from the BN collection. A beautiful example of late 16th century French numismatic art. ($7500)

Three Écus from the George Sobin Collection

686. FRANCE, Royal. Louis XV le Bien-Aimé (the Well-Beloved). 1715–1774. AR Écu aux rameaux d’olivier (42mm, 29.41 g, 6h). Rennes mint; différents: bushel/bird. Dated 1732 9. Armored bust left / Crowned coat-of-arms within olive branches. Sobin 21; VG 321; Duplessy 1675; Ciani 2117; KM 428.6. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8375939-008, graded AU 53. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex George Sobin Collection (Lepczyk 20, 7 March 1977), lot 1159.

Extremely Rare 1753/1 Rennes Écu

687. FRANCE, Royal. Louis XV le Bien-Aimé (the Well-Beloved). 1715–1774. AR Écu au bandeau (40mm, 29.28 g, 6h). Rennes mint; différents: ermine/bird. Dated 1753/1 9. Head left, with hair tied in bandeau / Crowned coat-of-arms within wreath. Sobin 22; VG 322; Duplessy 1680; Ciani 2122; KM 512.27. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8375939-009, graded XF 45. Extremely rare overdate – no other examples were known at the time of the Sobin sale and none can be found in CoinArchives. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex George Sobin Collection (Lepczyk 20, 7 March 1977), lot 1170.

688. FRANCE, Royal. Louis XVI. 1774–1793. AR Écu aux rameaux d’olivier (41mm, 29.27 g, 6h). La Rochelle mint; différents: acorn/tower. Dated 1781 H. Uniformed bust left / Crowned coat-of-arms within olive branches. Sobin 24; VG 356; Duplessy 1708; Ciani 2187; KM 564.6. Lightly toned. In NGC encapsulation 8375933-003, graded AU 55. Rare – no other specimens known to Sobin, only one in CoinArchives. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex George Sobin Collection (Lepczyk 20, 7 March 1977), lot 410.

689. FRANCE, First Empire. Napoléon I. 1804-1814. AV 40 Francs (25mm, 12.88 g, 6h). Paris mint; différents: monogram/rooster. Dated L’An 13 A (AD 1804/5). Bare head left / Denomination within wreath. VG 1081; KM 664.1; Friedberg 481. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-014, graded MS 62. ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

690. FRANCE, First Empire. Napoléon I. 1804-1814. AR 5 Francs (38mm, 25.00 g, 6h). Nantes mint; différents: signature/anchor. Dated L’An 12 T (AD 1803/4). Bare head right / Denomination within wreath. Sobin 54; VG 579; KM660.11. Toned, pecks on cheek, scratches or graffiti. EF. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Top Pop

691. FRANCE, First Empire. Napoléon I. 1804-1814. AR 5 Francs (37mm, 24.95 g, 7h). La Rochelle mint; différents: monogram/monogram. Dated L’An 14 H (AD 1805). Bare head right / Denomination within wreath. Sobin 55; VG 580; KM 662.6. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-015, graded MS 62. Top Pop. ($2000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Top Pop

692. FRANCE, First Empire. Napoléon I. 1804-1814. AR 2 Francs (26mm, 9.97 g, 6h). Paris mint; différents: signature/rooster. Dated 1812 A. Laureate head right / Denomination within wreath. VG 500; KM 693.1. Deeply toned. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-011, graded MS 62. Top Pop ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Iconic Napoléonic Pattern in Bronze

693. FRANCE, First Empire. Napoléon I. 1804-1814. Æ Essai de 100 Francs (32mm, 14.46 g, 12h). Genoa mint. Dies by Vassalo. Dated 1807. NAPOLEON EMPEREUR, bust facing slightly right / EMPIRE FRANÇAISE, eagle standing left atop thunderbolt with wings spread, head left; 1807 in exergue. Mazard 602b; KM –. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-007, graded MS 64 BN. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

694. FRANCE, Royal (Restored). Provisional Government. 1 April–3 May 1814. AR Monnaies de visite – 5 Franc (36mm, 24.92 g, 12h). Visit of Aleksandr, Tsar of Russia to the Paris mint. Paris mint. Dies by Tiolier. Dated April 1814, though a later strike. ALEXANDRE REND LA FRANCE A L’EUROPE AVRIL 1814, three lis in circle / AU PACIFICATEUR DE L’EUROPE, large A I monogram; PARIS below. Edge: plain. Le Franc 2706.a.4; Mazard 766a; KM (X) M14. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6924407-003, graded AU 58. ($600)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

695. FRANCE, Royal (Restored). Charles X. 1824-1830. AR Monnaies de visite – 5 Franc (35mm, 25.07 g, 6h). Visit of Leopold, Prince of Salerno, and Marie-Caroline, Duchess of Berry, to the Paris Mint. Paris mint. Dies by Tiolier. Dated 22 July 1825. CHARLES X ROI DE FRANCE, bare head left / LL · AA · RR ·/ LE PRINCE DE SALERNE,/ MADAME,/ DUCHESSE DE BERRY/ VISITENT LA MONNAIE/ DE PARIS/ LE 22 JUIL · 1825. Mazard 900; KM (X) M16a. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6924407-004, graded MS 63. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

696. FRANCE, Royal (Restored). Charles X. 1824-1830. AR Monnaies de visite – 5 Franc (35mm, 25.02 g, 6h). Visit of Francesco I and Maria Isabella, King and Queen of the Two Sicilies, to the Paris Mint. Paris mint. Dated 11 June 1830. FRANÇOIS IER MARIE ISABELLE, crown over two coats-of-arms, each within wreath / L L · M M ·/ LE ROI ET LA REINE/ DES DEUX SICILES/ VISITENT LA MONNAIE/ DE PARIS/ LE 11 JUIN/ 1830. Mazard 901a; cf. KM (X) M19 (for type in other metals). Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6924486-013, graded MS 64. Top Pop. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Extremely Rare

697. FRANCE, Second Republic. 1848-1852. AR Essai de 10 Centimes (30mm, 10.00 g, 6h). Paris mint. Dies by Alard. Dated 1848. REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, laureate head of Liberty left, wearing rooster-crested helmet / LIBERTÉ EGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ, 10/ CENTIMES/ 1848 within laurel and oak wreath. Mazard 1302b; KM –. Attractively toned with iridescence. In NGC encapsulation 6924486-007, graded MS 63. Extremely rare. ($600)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Top Pop

698. FRANCE, Second Republic. Louis Napoléon. President, 1848-1852. CU Essai de 10 Centimes (30mm, 7.48 g, 12h). Paris mint. Dies by Barré. Dated 1852 E. LOUS – NAPOLEON BONAPARTE ✭ 1852 ✭, bare head left / REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE * DIX CENTIMES *, eagle standing facing atop thunderbolt with wings spread, head right; E below. Mazard 1231; KM E18. In NGC encapsulation 6922485-002, graded MS 64 BN. Top Pop. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

699. FRANCE, Second Empire. Napoléon III. 1852-1870. Proof AR Essai de 2 Francs (26mm, 10.04 g, 6h). Paris mint. Dies by Barré. Dated 1866 E. NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR, laureate head left / EMPIRE FRANÇAISE, crowned, collared, and mantled coat-of-arms over crossed scepters; 2 F across field, (anchor) 1866 (anchor) below. Mazard 1658; KM E28. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 6922485-011, graded PF 66. Top Pop ($2000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

700. FRANCE, Second Empire. Napoléon IV. Pretender, 1873-1879. AR Essai de 5 Francs (37mm, 26.12 g, 6h). Bruxelles (Brussels) mint. Dies by Wurden. Dated 1874. NAPOLEON IV EMPEREUR, bare head left / EMPIRE FRANCAIS, crowned, collared, and mantled coat-of-arms over crossed scepters; 5 F across field, (star) 1874 (lis) below. Edge: reeded. Mazard 1762; KM (X) E44.2. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-012, graded MS 63. ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

701. FRANCE, Third Republic. 1870-1940. AV 100 Francs (35mm, 32.24 g, 6h). Paris mint; différents: cornucopia & fasces. Dated 1879. Winged Genius standing right, inscribing tablet set on plinth; to left, fasces surmounted by Hand of Justice; to right, rooster standing left / Denomination and date within wreath. VG 1137; KM 832; Friedberg 590. Lustrous, faint hairlines. UNC. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA 58 (10 December 1985), lot 315.

702. FRANCE, Third Republic. 1870-1940. Piedfort AR Essai de 20 Francs (34mm, 40.01 g, 12h). Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and torch. Dies by Turin. Dated 1929. REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, head of Marianne right, wearing liberty cap and laurel wreath / 20/ FRANCS/ 1929/ LIBERTE/ EGALITE/ FRATERNITE flanked by grain ears; ESSAI below. Gadoury, Essais 199.EP; Mazard 2254; KM PE299. In NGC encapsulation 6928251-003, graded MS 63. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Extremely Rare Piedfort Essai

703. FRANCE, Third Republic. 1870-1940. AV Essai de 100 Francs (21mm, 13.18 g, 12h). Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and torch. Dies by Bazor. Dated 1929. REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, head of Marianne left, wearing winged liberty cap; ESSAI to lower left / Ear of grain flanked by laurel and oak branches; rising sun behind; 100 FRANCS above, 1929 below. Edge (wing) 3 OR. Gadoury, Essais 288.5; Mazard 2531b; KM E51. In NGC encapsulation 8382159-001, graded MS 63. Extremely rare – KM gives a mintage of only 15 pieces, Gadoury only 9. ($4000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

NGC MS 67

704. FRANCE, Third Republic. 1870-1940. Gilt CU Essai de 100 Francs (21mm, 3.39 g, 12h). Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and torch. Dies by Bazor. Dated 1935. REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, head of Marianne left, wearing winged liberty cap; ESSAI to lower left / Ear of grain flanked by laurel and oak branches; rising sun behind; 100 FRANCS above, 1935 below. Gadoury, Essais 290.13; Mazard 2534 var. (metal and gilding); KM –. In NGC encapsulation 8383382-002, graded MS 67. Top Pop ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

705. FRANCE, Third Republic. 1870-1940. AL-Æ Essai de 2 Francs (26mm, 7.65 g, 12h). Paris mint; différents: torch and cornucopia. Dies by O. Roty. Dated 1920. REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, Marianne advancing left, sowing seeds from pouch; rising sun in background to right / LIBERTE · EGALITE · FRATERNITE, olive branch; 2/ FRANCS above; 1920 in exergue. Gadoury, Essais 111.3; Mazard 2571; KM –. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-001, graded MS 64. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Extremely Rare Bimetallic Essai de 25 Francs

706. FRANCE, Third Republic. 1870-1940. Bimetallic Bronze and Cupro-Aluminum Essai de 25 Francs (30mm, 10.07 g). Paris mint. Die by Bazor. Dated 1935. REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, head of Marianne right, wearing liberty cap; 1935 below / Blank. Gadoury, Essais 219.18; Mazard –; KM –. In NGC encapsulation 8383382-001, graded MS 65. Extremely rare – only three known, with only one in CoinArchives. Top Pop. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Though described as bimetallic, this essai is arguably trimetallic, as the central device is struck in copper-plated aluminum.

707. FRANCE, Provincial. Provence (county). Louis III. 1384-1417. AV Florin d’or provençal (21mm, 2.80 g, 8h). Tarascon mint; différent: lambda over lis. Struck 1389-1414. Coat-of-arms / Saint John the Baptist standing facing, holding cross-tipped scepter and raising right hand in benediction. Rolland 107; Duplessey, Féodales 1695 (Louis III or IV); Poey d’Avant 4050 (Louis II); MIR 45 (Naples); Scarfea, Imitazioni 665 (Naples); Friedberg 216. Areas of weak strike, a few scratches, slight edge bend. VF. ($500)

Ex Grün 65 (12 May 2015), lot 430.

708. GERMANY, Augsburg (city). nomine Ferdinand III. 1637-1657. AV Dukat (22mm, 3.43 g, 12h). Dated 1638 BS St. Afra standing right, holding firebrand and palm frond; to right, pine cone set on ornate base / Mitred double-headed eagle with wings spread; crowned and collared coat-of-arms on breast. Forster 269; KM 75; Friedberg 63. Hints of luster, minor scuff, small edge bump. EF. ($750)

709. GERMANY, Bayern (Electorate & Duchy). Maximilian IV Joseph. 1799-1805. AV Dukat (21mm, 3.42 g, 12h). München (Munich) mint. Dated 1800. Head right / Crowned coat-of-arms within wreath. Hahn, Bayerischen 433; KM 646.2; Friedberg 262. Hairlines and scratches, dig. AU. ($1000)

710. GERMANY, Brandenburg-Franken (Margravate). Friedrich II der Ältere (the Elder), with Siegmund von Brandenburg-Kulmbach. 1486-1495. AV Goldgulden (22mm, 3.31 g, 12h). Schwabach mint. St. John standing facing, head lowered right, holding Gospels surmounted by agnus Dei standing left, head right / Cross quernée; coats-of-arms in quarters. Von Schrötter 360; Friedberg 305. Lightly toned. Good VF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Richard L. Horst Collection (Triton XXV, 11 January 2022), lot 1147; Classical Numismatic Group 105 (10 May 2017), lot 1106; Classical Numismatic Group 100 (7 October 2015), lot 2159; Elsen FPL 241 (July-September 2007), no. 451.

Top Pop Ducat

711. GERMANY, Brandenburg-Preußen (Electorate & Duchy). Friedrich Wilhelm. 1640-1688. AV Dukat (22mm, 3.44 g, 5h). Minden mint. Dated 1670 HB. Draped bust right / Crowned coat-of-arms. Neumann 11.28; KM 413. In NGC encapsulation 8383383-002, graded MS 63. Top Pop ($10,000)

Top Pop “Travel Taler”

712. GERMANY, Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (Principality). August der Jüngere (the Younger). 1635-1666. AR Taler (42mm, 29.04 g, 6h). Zellerfeld mint. Struck circa 1650. Mantled bust facing slightly right / Figure standing left on shore, looking out on two ships under sail right. Welter 804A; Davenport 6357A; KM 446. Old cabinet toning. In NGC encapsulation 6931163-001, graded AU 58. Top Pop. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Stack’s (24 August 1976), lot 2655. The “Reisetaler” (travel taler) was probably minted by August the Younger around 1650. These coins depict a naval scene and are sometimes called “Schiffstaler” (ship talers). The Duke was very well traveled and he spent several years visiting Italy, France, and England early in his life. Perhaps he intended these coins to commemorate those voyages. An alternative explanation is that these coins were minted just after August’s death. In that case, the man on the shore could be the Duke himself, preparing to depart on his symbolic “last voyage” from the world of the living.

713. GERMANY, Eichstätt (Bishophric). Sede Vacante. 1790. AR Doppeltaler (52mm, 56.03 g, 12h). Dated 1790 W. Empty throne on pedestal below baldachin in throne room; above, patron saints Willibald and Walburgis in clouds below streaming eye of God / Oak tree with shields on branches, each inscribed with the name of a member of the college of canons of Eichstätt, before city scene. Cahn 148; KM 90; Davenport 2212. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928245-002, graded MS 64. ($2500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Bowers & Merena (9 September 1985), lot 3846.

714. GERMANY, Erfurt (Swedish occupation). Gustav II Adolf. 1611-1632. AV Dukat (22mm, 3.40 g, 12h). Dated 1634 R. Laureate bust right / Crowned coat-of-arms; mintmarks flanking. SB 13; Delzanno, Guldmynt 49.2; KM 74; Friedberg 923. VF. ($1000)

Gustav II Adolf, afterwards styled as “den Store (the Great)” fell in battle on the afternoon of 16 November 1632, at the battle of Lützen in what is today Germany. The Thirty Years War had already been raging for nearly two decades before Swedish and German Protestant forces met the Catholic Imperial armies in a decisive battle on the foggy field south of Leipzig. Gustav himself personally took the field that day, and around 1 PM, while leading a cavalry charge on his right wing, both he and his mount were struck by enemy fire. The king was separated from his command, behind enemy lines, and not found again until a few hours after the smoke cleared, when his stripped and mangled body was retrieved and borne back to Sweden.

715. GERMANY, Magdeburg (archbishophric). AR Taler (38mm, 28.55 g, 5h). Halle mint. Dated 1603 GM. St. Moritz standing left, holding banner-tipped lance and resting hand on coat-of-arms / Coat-of-arms surmounted by ornately crested helmet. Davenport 5471; KM 5 (this coin illustrated). Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-004, graded UNC Details, cleaned. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (10 April 1985), lot 751.

KM Plate Coin

716. GERMANY, Mainz (archbishophric). Adolf I von Nassau. 1379-1390. AV Goldgulden (22mm, 3.48 g, 12h). Höchst mint. Struck 1380-1385. Adolf enthroned facing on Gothic cathedra, holding crozier; coat-of-arms below / Coat-ofarms within angled trilobe. Felke 245; Friedberg 1605. Lustrous. Near EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 102 (18 May 2016), lot 1306.

717. GERMANY, Mainz (archbishophric). Johann Philipp von Schönborn. 1647-1673. AV Dukat (22mm, 3.51 g, 6h). Dated 1670 MF. Mantled bust right / Crowned coat-of-arms over crossed crozier and scepter. KM 118; Friedberg 1656. Minor marks and scratches, a few small deposits. Good VF. ($1000)

718. GERMANY, Nürnberg (city). AV Dukat (23mm, 3.50 g, 12h). Dated 1635. Coat-of-arms / Legend and date in five lines in ornamental cartouche. Kellner 60; KM 136; Friedberg 1828. Lustrous. AU. ($1000)

City View of Nürnberg

719. GERMANY, Nürnberg (city). nomine Karl VII. Holy Roman Emperor, 1742-1745. AR Taler (42mm, 29.10 g, 11h). Dated 1742 PGN. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / City view; radiant Eye of Providence above. Kellner 272; Davenport 2482; KM 305. Iridescent toning, chased. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex El Dorado 9 (14 September 1985), lot 54.

720. GERMANY, Regensburg (city). nomine Leopold I. Holy Roman Emperor, 1658-1705. AV Dukat (21mm, 3.50 g, 12h). Dated 1668/6 HF. Crossed keys within wreath / Crowned double-headed eagle; globus cruciger below crown, coat-of-arms on breast. Beckenbauer 434; KM 160; Friedberg 2483. In NGC encapsulation 8383383-003, graded MS 64. ($5000)

Augsburg Confession 5 Dukat

721. GERMANY, Sachsen (Duchy & Electorate [Albertine line]). Johann Georg I. Elector, 1611-1656. AV 5 Dukats (38mm, 17.19 g, 1h). Commemorating the Centenary of the Augsburg Confession. Dresden mint. Dated 25 June 1530 and 1630. Capped half length bust of Johann Georg right, holding sword; coat-of-arms below / Capped half length Johann der Beständigen, holding sword over shoulder; four coats of arms around. Clauss & Kahnt 308; KM 422; Friedberg 2698. Slightly wavy flan, edge marks. VF. ($3000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Stack’s (20 March 1985), lot 28.

Born in Dresden to the powerful House of Wettin, Johann Georg I (1585 - 1656) became the Elector of Saxony upon the death of his brother, Christian II. He was an important figure throughout the Thirty Years War, on both sides of the conflict. Initially supporting the Habsburg Ferdinand II, his Lutheran faith resulted in a schism as the Habsurgs became increasingly hostile to Protestants. He did little to combat their hostility, primarily deferring to the authority of the emperor, only agreeing to a military alliance with the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus after Saxony had been invaded. He later betrayed this alliance, realigning himself with Ferdinand, and in the process declared war on Sweden. Peace was eventually restored through the Peace of Westphalia, and Johann Georg would remain as Elector of Saxony until his death in 1656.

722. GERMANY, Sachsen (Duchy & Electorate [Albertine line]). Johann Georg I. Elector, 1611-1656. AV Dukat (23mm, 3.47 g, 4h). Dresden mint. Dated 1639 SD. Johann Georg standing right, holding sword over shoulder / Coat-of-arms. Clauss & Kahnt 117; KM 390; Friedberg 2684. Near EF. ($1500)

723. GERMANY, Schleswig-Holstein (Duchy). Christian VII. King of Denmark, 1766-1808. AR Speciedaler (37mm, 28.90 g, 12h). Altona mint. Dated 1808 B MF. Head right / Crowned coat-of-arms. Hede 3A; Davenport 1311; KM 138.1. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6917303-001, graded MS 62. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Top Pop

724. GERMANY, Weimar Republic. 1918-1933. Proof AR 5 Marks (35mm, 28.21 g, 12h). Hamburg mint. Dated 1929 and 1930 J. Graf Zeppelin flying right; globe behind / Eagle facing with wings spread, head left. Jaeger 343; Davenport 972; KM 68. In NGC encapsulation 6922485-008, graded PF 65 Ultra Cameo. Top Pop. ($600)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

725. GERMANY, Weimar Republic. 1918-1933. AL-Æ 50 Reichspfennig (22mm, 5.03 g, 12h). Muldenhütten mint. Dated 1925 E. Denomination within lozenge decorated with oak leaves / Crossed grain stalks. Jaeger 318; KM 41. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-005, graded MS 64. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

PF 66 Cameo – The Only Graded Example

726. GERMANY, Third Reich. 1933-1945. Proof NI 50 Reichspfennig (19mm, 3.55 g, 12h). Berlin mint. Dated 1938 A. Eagle facing with wings spread, head left, atop swastika within wreath / Denomination. Jaeger 365; KM 95. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-009, graded PF 66 Cameo. The only example graded by either NGC or PCGS. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

727. GREECE, Kingdom. Othon. 1833-1862. CU Lepton (17mm, 1.28 g, 6h). Athens mint. Dated 1848 (the second 8 doubled). Crowned coat-of-arms / Denomination and date within wreath. Divo 31b; Karamitsos 35; KM 26. In NGC encapsulation 6928246-011, graded AU 55 BN. Rare. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Extremely Rare Independent Guyana Pattern

728. GUYANA, Colonial. French. Republic of Independent Guyana. 1886-1891. CU Essai de 10 Centimes (28mm, 10.00 g, 6h). Charles Wurden’s (Brussels) mint. Dated 1889 E. REPUBLIQUE DE LA GUYANNE INDÉPENDANTE, wreathed head of Liberty right; below, E over rosette / (star) LIBERTÉ (star) JUSTICE (star), 10/ CENTS within wreath; 1889 below. Cf. MCF 11 (for reverse); cf. KM (X) E5 (same). In NGC encapsulation 6916566-014, graded MS 64 BN. Extremely rare, the examples in MCF and KM all with a capped head of Liberty. Top Pop ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

729. HONDURAS, Republic. 1840-pres. Proof Pattern CU-NI Real (29mm, 12.37 g, 6h). Paris mint; différents: bee and anchor. Dies by Barré. Dated 1869 E. REPUBLICA DE HONDURAS AMERICA CENTRAL, view of city and mountains flanked by two ships; triangular device above; all over crossed flags / 1/ REAL/ 1869 within wreath; E below date. Cf. Stickney C271 (for regular issue); KM Pn9. In NGC encapsulation 6922485-006, graded PF 64. Top Pop ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

730. HUNGARY, Kingdom of Hungary. Ladislaus V. 1453-1457. AV Aranyforint (21mm, 3.46 g, 3h). Nagybánya (Frauenbach) mint. Struck 1455. Coat-of-arms / St. Ladislaus standing facing, holding ax and globus cruciger; n to left, coatof-arms to right. Adams I 725 (this coin); Lengyel 29/10; Huszár 636; Friedberg 16. Near EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Dr. Lawrence A. Adams Collection (Part I, Classical Numismatic Group 100, 7 October 2015), lot 725; Dr. Walter Lee Crouch Collection (Superior, 13 June 1977), lot 1638.

731. HUNGARY, Holy Roman Empire. Lipót I. 1657-1705. AV Dukat (22mm, 3.49 g, 2h). Körmöcbánya (Kremnitz) mint. Dated 1661 KB. Lipot standing right, holding scepter and globus cruciger / Crowned Madonna and Child seated facing in glory of rays, crowned coat-of-arms below. Huszár 1320; KM 151; Friedberg 128. In NGC encapsulation 8383383-005, graded MS 63. Top Pop ($4000)

732. HUNGARY, Austro-Hungarian Empire. Ferenc József. 1867-1916. Set of five (5) silver issues. Commemorating the Millennial of Hungary. Körmöcbánya (Kremnitz) mint. Dated 1896. Includes: AR Bracteate (15mm, 0.29 g). Style of Béla IV. Coat-of-arms / Incuse of obverse. KM (X) 1 // AR Denar (19mm, 0.85, 12h). Style of Stephan I. Cross; 1 8 9 6 in angles / Cross; 1 0 0 0 in angles. KM (X) 3 // AR Denar (16mm, 1.28 g, 12h). Style of Andreas II. Crowned bust left / Coat-of-arms. KM (X) 4 // AR Denar (17mm, 1.02 g, 12h). Style of Matthias I. Coat-of-arms / Madonna seated left, holding infant Christ. KM (X) 5 // AR Groschen (27mm, 3.81, 12h). Style of Ludwig I. Ferenc József seated facing, holding scepter and globus cruciger. KM (X) 10. Iridescent toning. UNC. A rare set. Five (5) coins in lot. ($1500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

733. INDIA, Medieval (Southern Deccan). Kadambas of Goa. Jayakesin I. AD 1050-1080 and 1104-1147/8. AV Gadyana. Dated cyclical year angira. Lion to left, floral symbol below; cyclical year in Devanagari to left / śri saprata ko/ tisa labdhavara/vira jayakesi/deva malava/ramari in Devanagari in five lines. Cf. Mitchiner, South I 237; cf. Chattopadhyaya 142; Zeno –. In ANACS encapsulation 7453659, graded MS 62. ($750)

734. INDIA, Medieval (Southern Deccan). Kadambas of Goa. Jayakesin I and II. AD 1050-1080 and 1104-1147/8. AV Gadyana. Dated cyclical year pramoda. Lion to left, floral symbol below; cyclical year in Devanagari to left / śri saprata ko/ tisa labdhavara/vira jayakesi/deva malava/ramari in Devanagari in five lines. Cf. Mitchiner, South I 237; cf. Chattopadhyaya 142; Zeno –. In ANACS encapsulation 7453664, graded MS 62. ($750)

735. INDIA, Medieval (Southern Deccan). Kadambas of Goa. Soyideva. Circa AD 1216-1237/8. AV Gadyana. Dated cyclical year m. Lion to left, head reverted, floral symbol below; cyclical year in Devanagari to left / śri saprata ko/ tisa varacharana labdhavara/prasada sovideva malava/ramari in Devanagari in five lines. Cf. Mitchiner, South I 242; cf. Chattopadhyaya 153-4; Zeno –. In PCGS encapsulation 20266102, graded MS 62. Very rare. ($1000) Ex Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio 163 (16 November 2011), lot 22229.

736. INDIA, Medieval (Southern Deccan). Chalukyas of Kalyana. Uncertain ruler. Circa 973-1068 or later. AV Pagoda (14.5mm, 4.02 g, 6h). Boar/Temple type. Caparisoned boar standing left within ornate frame / Elaborately decorated temple entrance. Cf. Mitchiner, South I, 267 (Jayashima II; for type, but uninscribed); Adams –; Album 32, lot 1757. Lightly toned, hint of deposits, struck with rusty dies, edge marks. VF. Extremely rare type with the boar left. ($1500)

737. INDIA, Islamic Sultanates. Malwa. ‘Ala al-din Mahmud I. AH 839-873 / AD 1436-1469. AV Tanka (25mm, 11.00 g, 2h). Hadrat Shadiabad mint. Dated AH 841 (AD 1438/9). al-sultan al-‘zam legend / sikandar al-thani legend. CIS M21; Rajgor Type 3064. In NGC encapsulation 6922485-014, graded MS 63. ($1500)

738. INDIA, Mughal Empire. Jalal al-Din Muhammad Akbar. AH 963-1014 / AD 1556-1605. AV Mohur (23mm, 10.91 g, 9h). Dar al-Sultanat Agra mint. Dated AH 983 (AD 1575/6). Liddle Type G-6; IMC (Wright) 71-4 var. (AH date); Hull 12051; KM 108.1; Friedberg 720a. Matte surfaces, some underlying luster. UNC. ($1000)

739. INDIA, Mughal Empire. Jalal al-Din Muhammad Akbar. AH 963-1014 / AD 1556-1605. AV Mohur. Dar alSultanat Ahmadabad mint. Dated AH 984 (AD 1576/7). Liddle Type G-6; IMC (Wright) 79-80 var. (AH date); Hull 1211; KM 108.2; Friedberg 720a; CNG 94, lot 1771 (same rev. die). In NGC encapsulation 1970204-009, graded AU 55. ($1000) Ex Dr. Hesselgesser Collection (Goldberg 62, 1 February 2011), lot 3700.

Jalal al-Din Muhammad Akbar (1542 - 1605) was the third Mughal emperor. After succeeding his father Humayun, Akbar began an expansive campaign of conquest across northern India, greatly expanding his empire, transforming it into a prosperous hub for art and culture. A Muslim ruling over a Hindu majority land, Akbar deferred to policies of religious tolerance, and actively encouraged religious and philosophical debate in his court. He was an active patron of the arts, and the distinct style of Mughal art and architecture was refined under his rule. His prosperous rule and tolerant policies made him a well-liked figure in Mughal history, and he remains as one of the most popular and important rulers of his time.

740. INDIA, Mughal Empire. Shihab al-Din Muhammad Shah Jahan. AH 1014-1037 / AD 1627-1658. AV Mohur. Akbarabad mint. Dually dated AH 1022 and RY 8 (17 June 1635 – 18 January/13 February 1636). IMC (Wright) 839; Hull 1557; Friedberg 794; KM 258.1. In PCGS encapsulation 20266139, graded AU 53. ($1000)

Ex Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio 163 (16 November 2011), lot 22273.

Born Prince Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram in 1592, Shah Jahan (King of the World) succeeded his father, Jahangir, as emperor in 1627. In addition to continuing the expansionist policies begun by his grandfather, Akbar, Shah Jahan’s reign was also recognized for his conscientious administration and his patronage of the arts–in this he continued the beautiful coin designs of his father, Jahangir. While the construction of the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum constructed for his queen, Mumtaz Mahal, is perhaps the most recognizable legacy of his reign, many other constructions - including the layout of the new Mughal capital at Delhi, with the Lal Qila (Qila-i-Mubarak) there, the renovations at the old capital at Agra, and the building of the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore - reveal his deeply aesthetic interests. For all of Shah Jahan’s abilities, however, his reign ended unhappily for, as he became more and more infirm, a power struggle for the throne arose among his sons. It was Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan’s third son, who emerged victorious in the struggle, and immediately imprisoned his father at Agra. Shah Jahan continued to live for another eight years in this imprisonment until he died. He was then buried in the Taj Mahal beside his queen.

741. INDIA, Mughal Empire. Shihab al-Din Muhammad Shah Jahan. AH 1037-1068 / AD 1627-1658. AV Mohur (24mm, 10.85 g, 9h). Akbarabad mint. Dually dated AH 1047 and RY 11 (26 May 1637 – 18 January/13 February 1638). IMC (Wright) –, but cf. 840; Hull 1557; Friedberg 794; KM 258.1. Lightly toned, reddish deposits in devices. VF. ($2000)

Ex Oslo Myntgalleri 34 (6 May 2023), lot 1333; Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 252 (23 March 2011), lot 412.

742. INDIA, Mughal Empire. Muhyi al-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir. AH 1068-1118 / AD 1658-1707. AV Mohur (22mm, 11.05 g, 8h). Surat mint. Dated AH [1]077 and RY 9 (AD 1666/7). BM –; Wright 1149; Hull 1705 var. (dates); KM 315.45. In NGC encapsulation 4745840-025, graded MS 67. Top Pop ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XXIII (14 January 2020), lot 968.

Muhyi al-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir (1618 - 1707) was one of the 4 adult sons of Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor. As the Mughals did not practice primogeniture, a bloody war of succession broke out before Jahan’s death. At the end of the war, two of the brothers lay dead, and Aurangzeb ascended to the throne, becoming the sixth Mughal emperor. During his reign, Aurangzeb saw to the expansion of his empire, conquering cities such as Bijapur and Golconda, and engaging in a series of conflicts with the Marathas. He oversaw the empire at its largest territorial extent, ruling over almost all of the Indian subcontinent. His religious policies were a significant source of controversy, as he sought to expand Islamic policy upon a nation with a large Hindu majority. He put less focus on architecture and the arts than his predecessor, but continued to support Islamic calligraphy, and himself was a talented calligrapher. Aurangzeb died in 1707 at the age of 88, the longest reigning emperor in Mughal history. His successors were not able to maintain the vast territory conquered by Aurangzeb, and the empire entered a long decline. He remains as one of the most controversial figures in Indian history, owing to the long felt fallout of his religious policies.

743. INDIA, Mughal Empire. Muhyi al-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir. AH 1068-1118 / AD 1658-1707. AV Mohur (21mm, 10.97 g, 6h). Aurangabad mint. Dually dated AH 1082 (10 May AD 1671-28 April AD 1672) and RY 15 (31 July AD 1672 – 30 July AD 1673). BM –; IMC (Wright) –; Hull 1680 var. (dates); KM 315.10. Superb EF. ($1000)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton XXII (8 January 2019), lot 1263.

744. INDIA, Mughal Empire. Muhyi al-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir. AH 1068-1118 / AD 1658-1707. AV Mohur (21mm, 10.97 g, 6h). Aurangabad mint. Dually dated AH 1082 and RY 15 (12 April-30 July 1672). BM –; IMC (Wright) –; Hull 1680 var. (dates); KM 315.10. Superb EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 111 (29 May 2019), lot 939; Dr. V.J.A. Flynn Collection.

745. INDIA, Independent States. Mysore. Krishna Raja Wodeyar. AH 1225-1285 / AD 1810-1868. AV Pagoda (12mm, 3.36 g, 12h). Umamaheśwara type. Uncertain mint. Siva and Parvati seated facing / śri pra/krishnara/ja in Devanagari. Mitchiner, South I 1090; MNI 1024; Friedberg 1358. Toned, hint of deposits, underlying luster. Good VF. ($500)

746. INDIA, Independent States. Rohilkhand. Zabita Khan Rohilla. AH 1183-1188/AD 1770-1774. AV Mohur (20mm, 10.81 g, 3h). In the name of Shah Alam II. Najibabad mint. Dated [AH 1185] and RY 13 of the reign of Shah Alam II (AD 1771/2). KM 100; Friedberg –; Zeno 111626. Attractively toned. EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 75 (23 May 2007), lot 1294.

Issue of Banda Singh Bahadur

747. INDIA, Independent States. Sikhs (Khalsa Fauj). Banda Singh Bahadur. 1670-1716. AR Rupee (25mm, 11.98 g, 6h). Amritsar mint. Dated Year 2 (AD 1711). Nankshahi couplet 1 / Mint and year formula: zarb khalsa mubarak bakht ba-aman as-dahur zinat at-takht mashwarat shahr sanat 2 in six lines in Persian. SS p. 14, 1; Herrli 01.01.04; Zeno 261002 (this coin). In PCGS encapsulation 51114336, graded XF Details, Tooled. Extremely rare. No others in CoinArchives. ($10,000)

748. INDIA, Independent States. Sikh Empire. temp. Duleep Singh. VS 1900-1906 / AD 1843-1849. AR Rupee (24mm, 11.02 g, 6h). Amritsar mint. Dated VS 1884/1905 (AD 1848). Gobindshahi couplet Ib / Mint and date formula; pipal leaf in field. SS AM 245a; Wiggins & Goron Type B; Herrli 01.22.04. Iridescent toning. Near EF. ($1000)

749. INDIA, Princely States. Gwalior. temp. Daulat Rao Sindhia. AH 1209-1243 / AD 1794-1827. AV Mohur. In the name of Muhammad Akbar II, Mughal emperor. Lashkhar mint. Pseudo-dated AH 1135; RY 2 (AD 1720/1). Lingen & Wiggins 01; KM 114; Friedberg 1122; Adams IV, lot 175. In NGC encapsulation 3480664-020, graded MS 65 ($1000)

Ex Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio 163 (16 November 2011), lot 22235.

750. INDIA, Princely States. Hyderabad. temp. Mir Usman Ali Khan II. AH 1329-1368 / AD 1911-1948. AV Ashrafi. Haiderabad mint. Dated AH 1344 and RY 15 (AD 1926). KM (Y) 57a; Friedberg 1165. In NGC encapsulation 4221693-001, graded MS 64. ($2000)

Ex Stack’s Bowers Galleries (8 January 2016), lot 41114.

Illustrated in S&S

751. INDIA, Princely States. Patiala. Maharaja Sir Rajindar Singh. VS 1933-1957 (AD 1876-1900). AV Mohur (20mm, 10.66 g, 11h). Sirhind mint. Dated VS [19]50 (AD 1893). S&S PT 33e (this coin); Herrli –; cf. KM 9; Friedberg 1083 var. (date). EF. ($750)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Triton X (9 January 2007), lot 1229.

Ex Puddester, Pridmore, Lingford, and Brushfield Collections

752. INDIA, Colonial. British India. Bombay Presidency. 1662-1835. AV Panchia – Third Mohur (14mm, 3.86 g, 10h). Surat mint, but struck at Bombay. Dated RY 4[6] of Shah Alam II (Struck 1825-1831). [sikka mubara]/k [ba]dshah gh[az]/i/ [shah alam] (the auspicious coin of the victorious emperor Shah Alam); privy mark 5 above shah / z[arb surat sanah 4[6] julus maiman[at manu]s (struck at Surat in the 46th year of the prosperous reign); trace of star to left. CEEIC 3.10; Pridmore 267; KM 247. Richly toned. In NGC encapsulation 6381622-055, graded MS 61. Top Pop ($2000)

Ex Robert P. Puddester Collection; F. Pridmore Collection (Part II, Glendining, 18 October 1982), lot 526 (erroneously illustrated as lot 527); H. M. Lingford Collection; Dr. A.N. Brushfield Collection (Part V, Glendining, 2 November 1949), lot 3.

753. ITALY, Lucca. Republic. 1169-1805. AV Scudo d’oro del sole (23mm, 3.31 g, 4h). Dated 1552. Coat-of-arms / Crowned bust of Christ facing slightly left. Bellesia 61/A; MIR 185/5; Friedberg 490. A few minor scratches. Good VF. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Ponterio 26 (14 December 1986), lot 319.

754. ITALY, Milano (Duchy). Filippo IV di Spagna. 1621-1665. AR Filippo (41mm, 1h). Milano mint. Dated 1657 Armored bust right, wearing ruff / Crowned coat-of-arms. MIR 364/1; Crippa 14/A; Davenport 4003; KM 55. In NGC encapsulation 2771514-039, graded AU 58. ($750)

Ex Aureo & Calicó 408 (19 April 2023), lot 1450.

Very

Rare

755. ITALY, Modena (Duchy). Cesare d’Este. 1597-1628. AV Doppia (26mm, 6.49 g, 2h). Dated 1608/6 LS. Draped bust right / Patientia standing facing, head right. MIR 669/3; KM (FR) 765 = Friedberg 765. Hairlines and scratches, a few marks. VF. Very rare – only three in CoinArchives. ($7500)

756. ITALY, Napoli (Kingdom). Ferdinando IV di Borbone. First reign, 1759-1799. AV 6 Ducati (27mm, 8.77 g, 6h). Napoli mint. Dated 1763 IA CCR. Draped bust right / Crowned and collared coat-of-arms. MIR 352/5; Pannuti-Riccio 6a; KM 167; Friedberg 846a. Adjustment marks. VF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (20 October 1987), lot 2049.

757. ITALY, Napoli (Kingdom). Ferdinando IV di Borbone. Second reign, 1799-1805. AR 120 Grana (37mm, 27.48 g, 5h). Napoli mint. Dated 1805 LD. Draped and cuirassed bust right / Crowned coat-of-arms. MIR 423; Pannuti-Riccio 9; KM 246. In NGC encapsulation 6917303-004, graded MS 64+. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

758. ITALY, Papal (Papal state). John XXIII. Antipope, 1410-1419. PB Seal – Bulla (38mm, 53.30 g, 12h). Bare heads of Sts. Paul and Peter, facing slightly right and left, respectively, each within beaded halo; cruciform scepter between: S PA S PЄ above / • IOhAn/nЄS: PP :. • XXIII : (Ω over PP, triple pellet stops). Serafini 33-5. Pale gray patina. Good VF. ($500)

From the LCM Collection. Ex Gadoury (30 October 2020), lot 1142.

759. ITALY, Papal (Papal state). Innocent XII. 1691-1700. AR Piastra (45mm, 31.78 g, 12h). Rome mint. Dated RY 5 and 1696. Bust right, wearing camauro, mozzetta, and pallium / Innocent seated facing on throne at head of Consistory; below, coat-of-arms surmounted by tasseled gallero. MIR 2129/1; Muntoni 20; Berman 2228; Davenport 4106; KM 598. Old cabinet toning, chased, mount marks. Near EF. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (29 April 1976), lot 466.

760. ITALY, Papal (Papal state). Pius VII. 1800-1823. AR Scudo Romano (40mm, 26.35 g, 12h). Bologna mint. Dated RY 18 and 1818 B. Coat-of-arms surmounted by crossed keys and Papal tiara / Radiate Holy Mother Church seated facing on clouds, holding keys and model of the St. Peter’s Basilica. MIR 3057/3; Muntoni 37b; Berman 3223; KM 1275. Toned, scratches and hairlines. UNC. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coinhunter (C.E. Bullowa, 18 September 1984), lot 469.

761. ITALY, Papal (Vatican City). Pius XII. 1939-1958. AV 100 Lire (20mm, 6h). Rome mint. Dually dated RY 7 and 1945. Bust right, wearing mantum and zucchetto / Caritas seated facing, holding infant, two children at feet. Jencius 94; Muntoni 2c; Berman 3386; KM 39; Friedberg 287. In NGC encapsulation 4755977-010, graded MS 65. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Peter Napoli Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 118, 13 September 2021), lot 1293.

762. ITALY, Papal (Vatican City). Pius XII. 1939-1958. AV 100 Lire (20.5mm, 5.20 g, 6h). Fourth series. Rome mint. Dated RY 16 and 1954. Bust right, wearing mantum and zucchetto / Caritas standing facing, holding infant, child at feet. Jencius 103; Muntoni 4c; Berman 3404; KM 53.1; Friedberg 290. Cameo effect. Choice UNC. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Peter J. Merani Collection (Triton XXIV, 19 January 2021), lot 275; Classical Numismatic Group 93 (22 May 2013), lot 1653.

763. ITALY, Sardegna (Kingdom). Carlo Felice. 1821-1831. AV 80 Lire (33mm, 25.79 g, 6h). Torino (Turin) mint; segni: L in lozenge and eagle’s head. Dated 1828. Bare head left / Crowned and collared coat-of-arms within wreath. MIR 1032j; KM 123.1; Friedberg 1132. Lustrous, bag marks. AU. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (12 February 1986), lot 769.

764. ITALY, Sardegna (Kingdom). Carlo Alberto. 1831-1849. AV 100 Lire (35mm, 32.18 g, 6h). Torino (Turin) mint; segni: eagle’s head. Dated 1835 P. Bare head left / Crowned and collared coat-of-arms within wreath. MIR 1043g; KM (C) 117.2; Friedberg 1138. Scattered marks. AU. ($2500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Bowers & Ruddy (16 November 1977), lot 514.

765. ITALY, Savoia (County). Amedeo VIII. 1391-1416. AR Mezzo grosso (21mm, 2.00 g, 2h). Bourg mint. Struck under the regency of Bona di Borbone, 1391-1398. Coat-of-arms surmounted by ornately crested helmet; all within lace and leafe border / Cross with rosettes in angles; all within polylobe with annulets in spandrels. MIR 112b. Toned, deposits, scratches, areas of weak strikes. EF. Rare. ($500) Ex Münzen und Medaillen GmbH 40 (4 June 2014), lot 848.

From

766. ITALY, Savoia (Duchy). Carlo Emanuele I. 1580-1630. AV Doppia (26mm, 6.50 g, 8h). Nizza (Nice) mint. Dated 1591 N. Armored and draped bust right, wearing ruff / Crowned coat-of-arms. MIR 579b; Friedberg 1049. Hairlines, marks. Near EF. ($2000)

767. ITALY, Tassarolo (County). Filipo Spinola. 1616-1688. AV Ongaro – Ducato (21mm, 3.47 g, 5h). Legend in five lines within ornate cartouche / Rose within wreath. MIR 982; KM 36; Friedberg 1187. VF. Very rare. ($3000)

768. ITALY, Toscana (Grand Duchy). Cosimo III de Medici. 1670-1723. AR Tallero (42mm, 27.01 g, 6h). Livorno mint. Dated 1717. Draped bust right / City gate; crown above. MIR 65/6; Davenport 1500; KM 35. Toned. EF. ($500)

the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Ponterio 26 (14 December 1986), lot 913.

769. LAOS, Kingdom of Laos. 1947-1975. AL Piedfort Essai Set. Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and wing. Dated 1952. Includes: Piedfort AL Essai de 50 Cents (30mm, 7.79, 12h). MCF 3; KM PE3. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-008, graded MS 64. Top Pop // Piedfort AL Essai de 20 Cents (26mm, 4.23 g, 12h). MCF 2; KM PE2. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-009, graded MS 63 // Piedfort AL Essai de 10 Cents (23mm,2.64 g, 12h). MCF 1; KM PE1. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-010, graded MS 62. All NGC graded. Three (3) coins in lot. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

770. LOW COUNTRIES, Henegouwen (Hainaut [County]). Albrecht van Beieren. 1389-1404. AV Gouden kroon –Couronne d’or (28mm, 4.00 g, 12h). Valencijn (Valenciennes) mint. Crowned coat-of-arms / Cross fleurée with star at center, within quadrilobe with trefoils at cusps, crowns in spandrels. Lucas 137 var. (obv. legend, rev. legend stops); Chalon 117 var. (same); Delmonte, d’Or 295; Friedberg 239. Lightly toned, areas of weak strike, a few faint scratches. VF. ($1000)

Ex Elsen 66 (16 June 2001), lot 776.

771. LOW COUNTRIES, Vlaanderen (Flanders [County]). Filips de Stoute (the Bold). 1384-1404. AV Gouden Schild (29mm, 4.47 g, 8h). Gand (Ghent) or Mechelen (Mechlin) mint. First emission, struck 1384. Filips enthroned facing, holding sword and resting hand on coat-of-arms; all within tressure of arches, with trefoils in spandrels / Ornate cross fleurée in ornate quadrilobe; rosettes in spandrels. De Mey, Flanders 226-9 var. (obv. legend); Delmonte, Or 469; Friedberg 165. Polished, edge marks, areas of weak strike, slightly wavy flan. VF. Rare. ($750)

Ex Elsen 67 (15 September 2001), lot 1512.

772. LOW COUNTRIES, Vlaanderen (Flanders [County]). Filips de Goede (the Good). 1419-1467. AV Gouden leeuw – Lion d’or (31mm, 4.08 g, 3h). Brugge mint. Struck 1454-1460. Lion standing left in Gothic arch; crowned trefoils flanking / Coat-of-arms over cross fleurée. Delmonte, Or 489; De Mey, Flanders 837; Friedberg 185. Polished, scratches, ragged edge, edge marks. Good VF. ($600)

773. LOW COUNTRIES, Dutch Revolt. Kampen. 1566/8-1581. AR 42 Stuiver Klippe (38x38mm, 28.85 g). Emergency issue. Dated 1578. EXTREMVM/ SVBSIDIVM/ 4Z ST/ CAMPEN/ 1578 in separate stamps; coat-of-arms in central stamp / Blank. P&W Ka66; CNM 2.30.88; Delmonte, Argent 210. Toned, scratches, edge bump, denomination stamps weakly impressed. Good VF. Rare. ($1500)

Ex 1735 ‘t Vliegend Hert Wreck

774. LOW COUNTRIES, Republic of the Seven Netherlands (Dutch Republic). Overjissel. 1581-1795. AR Dukaton –Zilveren rijder (42mm, 32.45 g, 12h). Kampen mint. Dated 1734. Knight right on galloping horse; coat-of-arms below / Crowned coat-of-arms with leonine supporters. P&W Ov49; CNM 2.38.79; Davenport 1829; KM 80. Sea salvaged. EF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Ponterio 71 (8 October 1994), lot 1440; 1735 ‘t Vliegend Hert wreck.

On 3 February 1735, the ‘t Vliegend Hert set sail from Rammekens, bound for Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. The ship would soon after run aground in the Scheldt estuary, with all hands lost. British divers salvaged a few items the following year. The wreck was rediscovered in 1981 and a large number of ducats and Spanish reales were recovered, followed by more ducats and reales in 1991. Dukatons were also recovered and may have been smuggled aboard, as they do not appear in the ship’s cargo manifest.

Very Rare Lodewijk I Napoleon Rijksdaalder

775. LOW COUNTRIES, Kingdom of Holland. Lodewijk I Napoleon. 1806-1810. AR Rijksdaalder (42mm, 28.02 g, 6h). Utrecht mint; mm: bee. Dated 1809. Bare head right / Crowned coat-of-arms. Schulman 135; Davenport 231; KM 36. Toned, slight cameo effect, hairlines, flan flaws. UNC. Very rare. ($7500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

In 1806 Lodewijk became the first King of the Netherlands at the behest of his elder brother Napoleon Bonaparte. His reign ended the Batavian Republic (1795-1806) and the French supported the anti Orange movement. Though reluctant to take the throne his benign rule, improvements to society, and the compassion he showed his subjects earned Lodewijk the sobriquet ‘de Goede’ (the Good). His inauguration speech became famous for his effort to speak Dutch and is remembered humorously for his French accent: “I am your king (koning)” was pronounced as “I am your rabbit (konijn).” As a result of Lodewijk’s wasteful spending, impulsiveness, and failure to uphold the French blockade of England, his brother dethroned him and annexed The Netherlands to the French Empire in 1810. After the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815, Lodewijk attempted to regain his Dutch throne, but the house of Orange was rewarded for their support to the Allies, and Lodewijk went into exile. In 1852 his youngest son Charles would found the Second Empire in France becoming Napoleon III.

776. MALTA, Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Juan de Homedes. Grandmaster, 1536-1553. AR Tarì (22mm, 2.72 g, 6h). Fort St. Angelo (Birgu) mint. Coat-of-arms / Agnus Dei standing left, head reverted, holding banner. Gatt 04-1T-28X08. Iridescent toning, a few minor marks and scratches. VF. Very rare. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA [21] (16 July 1979), lot 2228.

Unrecorded Die Combination

777. MALTA, Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Jean de Valette. Grandmaster, 1557-1568. AR Tarì (23mm, 2.76 g, 6h). Fort St. Angelo (Birgu) mint. Coat-of-arms / Agnus Dei standing left, head reverted, holding banner. Gatt 06-1T-33X08 (unlisted combination). Deeply toned, minor deposit, edge split. VF. A very rare issue. Unrecorded with this die combination. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA [21] (16 July 1979), lot 2234.

778. MALTA, Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Antonio Manoel de Vilhena. Grandmaster, 1722-1736. AR 12 Tarì (34mm, 13.54 g, 6h). Valetta mint. Dated 1723. Armored bust right / Crowned coat-of-arms. Gatt 23-12T-02X21; KM 180. Toned, a few hairlines. Near VF. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Stanley Gibbons Collection (Part II, NASCA [43], 7 December 1981), lot 4435 (part of).

779. MAURITIUS, Commonwealth. 1968-1992. Proof Set. Commemorating Independence. Dated 1971. Includes: AV 200 Rupees // AR 10 Rupees // CU-NI Rupee // CU-NI Half Rupee // CU-NI Quarter Rupee // CU NI 10 Annas // CU 5 Annas // CU 2 Annas // CU Anna. KM PS2. Proof. In original case of issue. Nine (9) coins in lot. ($1000)

From the Libertas Collection.

Death to Huerta

780. MEXICO, Mexican Revolution. State of Durango. Cuencamé. AR Peso (37mm, 22.13 g, 6h). “Muera Huerta” type. Issued under the Ejército Constitucionalista. Dated 1914. Eagle standing facing on cactus, wings spread, grasping snake in beak and right talon; all within laurel and oak wreath / Liberty cap; glory of rays in background. G&B 87; BW 288.4; KM 621a. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6916566-008, graded XF 45. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

781. MEXICO, Mexican Revolution. State of Guerrero. Campo Morado. AV-AR Peso (29mm, 15.85 g, 6h). Issued under Emiliano Zapata. Dated 1914 CAMPO Mo. Eagle standing facing on cactus, wings spread, grasping snake in beak and right talon; oak and laurel branches at base of cactus / Liberty cap; glory of rays in background; all within laurel and oak wreath. Edge: plain. G&B 172; BW 302.1; KM 659. In NGC encapsulation 8383382-012, graded AU 58. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

782. MOROCCO, ‘Alawi Sharifs. French Protectorate. Muhammad V. First reign, AH 1346-1372 / AD 1927–1953. Pattern Æ-AL 5 Dirhems (32mm, 7h). Paris mint. Dies by Morlon. Dated AH 1349 (AD 1930). REPVBLIQVE FRANÇAISE, head of Marianne right wearing liberty cap and wreath of oak, laurel, and grain ears / Legend in Arabic on and around sixpointed star. MCF –; KM –. In PCGS encapsulation 29734713, graded SP 63. Very rare. ($750)

783. MOROCCO, ‘Alawi Sharifs. French Protectorate. Muhammad V. First reign, AH 1346-1372 / AD 1927–1953. Æ-AL Piedfort Essai de 50 Centimes (24mm, 6h). Paris mint. Struck AH 1357 (AD 1938). Star with ornate border / 50 CEN/TIMES within ornate border; ESSAI below denomination. Dodecagonal flan. MCF –; KM –. In PCGS encapsulation 29734864, graded SP 65. Top Pop ($500)

784. NEPAL, Kingdom of Kathmandu. Malla Dynasty. Prakash Malla. First reign, NS 855-866 / AD 1735-1746. AR Half Mohur (22mm, 2.85 g, 12h). Dated NS 856 (AD 1736). Trident in center; legend in four polylobes around / Sword in center; legend in three lines. KM 255. Lightly toned. VF. ($1500)

Ex Norman Frank Collection.

782

783

785. NETHERLANDS. William I. 1815-1840. AR 2½ Gulden (38mm, 25.04 g, 5h). Utrecht mint; muntmeesterteken: lis and caduceus. Dated 1840. Bare head right / Crowned coat-of-arms. Schulman 257; Davenport 234; KM 67. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-014, graded MS 63. Rare. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

786. NETHERLANDS. Wilhelmina. 1890-1948. AR 2½ Gulden (37mm, 24.97 g, 6h). Utrecht mint; muntmeesterteken: halberd and caduceus. Dated 1898. Crowned head left / Crowned coat-of-arms. Schulman 782; Davenport 237; KM 123. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-015, graded AU 58. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

787. NORWAY. Kristian IV. 1588-1648. AR Speciedaler (43mm, 27.95 g, 9h). Christiana mint. Dated 1648 PG Crowned and armored bust right, wearing ruff / Crowned lion rampant left, holding ax. ABH 49; Hede 5B; Davenport 3534; KM 12. Edge scratches, faint porosity, areas of weak strike. VF. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Paul A. Dahlman Estate (Kurt H. Krueger, 27 November 1986), lot 1332.

788. NORWAY. Fredrik IV. 1699-1730. AR Krone – 4 Mark (40mm, 22.23 g, 12h). Kongsberg mint; mm: crossed hammers. Dated 1723 HC M. Fredrik on horseback right, holding reins and baton / Crowned and double collared coat-ofarms. ABH 3; Hede 3; Davenport 1290; KM 220. Toned, minor hairlines, a few scattered marks. Good VF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex World-Wide Coins of California (James F. Elmen) XV (18 May 1989), lot 394.

789. NORWAY. Haakon VII. 1905-1957. Set of NI-Brass issues. London mint. Dated 1942. Includes: NI-Brass 50 Øre (22mm, 4.79 g, 6h). ABH 266; KM 393 // NI-Brass 25 Øre (16mm, 2.42 g, 6h). ABH 267; KM 392 // NI-Brass 10 Øre (15m, 1.48 g, 6h). ABH 268; KM 391. Lustrous. UNC. Rare – most examples were melted down. Three (3) coins in lot. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

790. PHILIPPINES, Spanish Colonial. Isabel II. 1833-1868. Proof CU 80 “Réaux” Essai (19mm, 3.27 g, 12h). “Paris” mint. Dies by Brichaut. Dated 1859. (star) ISABELLE II REINE D’ESPAGNE, 80/ RÉAUX; anchor below, all within wreath / (star) BALANCIERS DES ILES PHILIPPINES, ESSAI/ PARIS/ 1859 within wreath. O’Connor F-80R-AE-1859; Basso 80; KM Pn16. In NGC encapsulation 8383382-003, graded PF 65 BN. A fantasy pattern, as were popular with collectors at the time. The only example graded by NGC. ($1000) From the Drewry Family Collection.

791. PHILIPPINES, Insular Government (United States Administration). 1901-1935. Proof Set. Philadelphia mint. Dated 1903. Includes: AR Peso. In NGC encapsulation 6928257-001, graded PF 63 // AR 50 Centavos. In NGC encapsulation 6928257-002, graded PF 64 // AR 20 Centavos. In NGC encapsulation 6928257-003, graded PF 65 // AR 10 Centavos. In NGC encapsulation 6928257-004, graded PF 66 // NI 5 Centavos. In NGC encapsulation 6928257-005, graded PF 64 // CU 1 Centavo. In NGC encapsulation 6928257-006, graded PF 64 RB // CU Half Centavo. In NGC encapsulation 6928257-007, graded PF 64 RB. Allen p. 36; Basso p. 49; KM PS1. The silver attractively toned. All NGC graded. Seven (7) coins in lot. ($2000)

From the Drewry Family Collection.

Pedigreed to 1940

792. POLAND, Monarchy. Zygmunt III Wasa. 1587-1632. AR Talar – Taler (40mm, 28.28 g, 5h). Bydgoszcz (Bromberg) mint. Dated 1628 I I. Crowned and armored half-length bust right, wearing ruff and holding sword and globus cruciger / Crowned and collared coat-of-arms. Kopicki 1375; Davenport 4316; KM 48.1. Old cabinet toning. In NGC encapsulation 6931384-009, graded XF 40. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Paramount (8 July 1978), lot 1058; Walter F. Webb 13 (15 January 1940), lot 324.

793. POLAND, Monarchy. Wladyslaw IV Wasa. 1632-1648. AV Dukat (23mm, 3.44 g, 12h). Torún (Thorn) mint. Dated 1637 I I. Crowned and armored bust right, wearing lace collar / Coat-of-arms in ornate frame supported by angel with wings spread. D&S, Thorvnensis 1429; Kopicki 8296; MP 1887e; KM 22.1; Friedberg 58. Holed and plugged, edge marks. Near VF. ($2500)

Extremely Rare Polish Proof

794. POLAND, Republic of Poland. 1919-1939. Proof NI 20 Groszy (19mm, 2.96 g, 12h). Dated 1923. Crowned eagle facing with wings spread, head left / Denomination within wreath. Parchimowicz 112c; KM (12). In NGC encapsulation 8375924001, graded PF 66+. Extremely rare – both Parchimowicz and KM record a mintage of only ten proofs. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Low Mintage 10000 Réis

795. PORTUGAL, Kingdom. Luís I o Popular (the Popular). 1861-1889. AV 10000 Réis (28mm, 17.80 g, 6h). Lisboa (Lisbon) mint. Dated . Bare head left / Crowned and mantled coat-of-arms. Gomes 17.09; KM 520; Friedberg 152. ($1000)

795. PORTUGAL, Kingdom. Luís I o Popular (the Popular). 1861-1889. AV 10000 Réis (28mm, 17.80 g, 6h). Lisboa (Lisbon) mint. Dated 1886. Bare head left / Crowned and mantled coat-of-arms. Gomes 17.09; KM 520; Friedberg 152. Lustrous, faint hairlines. UNC. Mintage of 1800, the lowest for the series. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Bowers & Merena (26 August 1987), lot 3145 (part of).

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Bowers & Merena (26 August 1987), lot 3145 (part of). g,

796. ROMANIA, Principality. Carol I. As Domnitor, 1866-1881. AR Leu (21mm, 4.98 g, 6h). Brussels mint. Dated 1876. Crowned coat-of-arms with leonine supporters; all crowned and mantled / Denomination and date within wreath. MBR 14; KM 10. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-001, graded AU Details, cleaned. ($1000)

1876. Crowned coat-of-arms with leonine supporters; all crowned and mantled / Denomination and date within wreath. MBR 14; KM 10. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-001, graded AU Details, cleaned.

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

797. ROMANIA, Kingdom. Carol I. 1881-1914. AR 2 Lei (27mm, 9.96 g, 6h). Hamburg mint. Dated 1900. Bare head left / Crowned coat-of-arms with leonine supporters; all crowned and mantled. MBR 63; KM 25. Toned, collector’s number ‘143’ in ink on obverse. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-012, graded MS 62. ($750)

797. ROMANIA, Kingdom. Carol I. 1881-1914. AR 2 Lei (27mm, 9.96 g, 6h). Hamburg mint. Dated 1900. Bare head left / Crowned coat-of-arms with leonine supporters; all crowned and mantled. MBR 63; KM 25. Toned, collector’s number ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

798. RUSSIA, Empire. Petr I Alexeyevich Velikiy (Peter the Great). Rouble (Red) mint. Dated ҂АψД (1704 in OCS numerals). Bust right / Crowned double-headed eagle facing with wings spread, holding scepter and globus cruciger. Diakov 8; Bitkin 793; KM 122.2. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 3835368-003, graded VF 35. ($5000) АψД (1704 in OCS numerals). Bust right / Crowned double-headed eagle facing with wings spread, graded VF 35. ($5000)

798. RUSSIA, Empire. Petr I Alexeyevich Velikiy (Peter the Great). 1682-1725. AR Rouble (43mm, 1h). Krasny (Red) mint. Dated

Very Rare Russian Plate Money

799. RUSSIA, Empire. Ekaterina I Alexeyevna. 1725-1727. CU Grivna – 10 Kopek Plate (62x60mm, 170.4 g). Ekaterinburg mint. Dated 1726. Central stamp with legend in four lines; in corners, four stamps with crowned double headed-eagle holding scepter and globus cruciger; coat-of-arms on breast; crown above / Blank. Diakov 1 (same dies); Bitkin 333 (same dies); KM PM9. Brown surfaces, some cleaning scratches, verdigris, a few edge bumps, scratches. VF. Very rare. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Almanzar’s 37 (30 June 1983), lot 2495.

800. RUSSIA, Empire. Anna Ioannovna. 1730-1740. AR Rouble (43mm, 11h). Kadashevsky mint. Dated 1733. Crowned bust right / Crowned and collared double-headed eagle with wings spread, holding scepter and globus cruciger; coat-of-arms on breast; crown above. Diakov 17; Bitkin 66; KM 192.2. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 4345329-001, graded MS 62. ($2000)

801. RUSSIA, Empire. Nikolai II Aleksandrovich. 1894-1917. AR Rouble (33mm, 19.59 g, 12h). St. Petersburg mint. Dated 1901 ФЗ. Bare head left / Crowned double-headed eagle facing, wings spread, head left, holding scepter and globus cruciger; coats-of-arms on breast and wings; crown above. Bitkin 53; KM (Y) 59.3. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928253006, graded MS 64. ($2500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

802. SERBIA, Principality. Milan Obrenović IV. 1868-1882. AR 50 Para (17mm, 2.53 g, 12h). Dated 1879. Bare head left / Crowned denomination and date within wreath. KM 9. In NGC encapsulation 8376126-002, graded MS 65. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

803. SOUTH AFRICA, South African Republic. 1852-1902. Pattern CU Two Pence (28mm, 10.07 g, 6h). Otto Nolte & Co. (Berlin) mint; mms: bee and griffin’s head. Dies by L.C. Lauer. Dated 1874. ZUID AFRIKAANSCHE REPUBLIEK (radiant star), coat-of-arms surmounted by eagle with wings spread, head right; crossed flags in background / EENDRAGT · MAAKT · MAGT, 2/ PENCE; MUNSTPROEVE below. Hern T19; KM (X) Pn3. In NGC encapsulation 6922485-010, graded MS 66 BN. Top Pop ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

This interesting piece is part of a now mostly forgotten series of fantasy patterns produced by Lauer and others in the late 19th century. While some contemporaries, such as the English dealer Daniel F. Howarth welcomed these pieces, others felt they were deceitful. American numismatist Lyman Low was particularly outraged, calling the patterns fraudulent. He wrote in The Numismatist, “It is noticeable that they purport to belong principally to obscure and unimportant countries where detection would be comparatively difficult. Any attempt to issue such pieces elsewhere would contravene the coinage laws and involve penalties... The entire list given by Mr. Howorth may, in my opinion, be pronounced a sham, and I heartily agree with him in classifying them as ‘apocryphal,’ and echo his words of warning against them. The few we have published will be withdrawn from our lists and catalogs.”

Despite the outrage at the time, collectors today – including this cataloger – heartily welcome these pieces into their collections. In many cases, these so-called ‘apocryphal’ coins are the only examples from these countries available.

For further information, see Courtney L. Coffing, “Apocryphal coins shed bad names,” in Coin World, 12 January 1977, p. 64-67.

804. SOUTH AFRICA, Orange Free State. 1854-1902. Pattern Æ Penny (29mm, 9.67 g, 6h). Otto Nolte & Co. (Berlin) mint; mms: angel’s head and lion. Dies by L.C. Lauer. Dated 1874. ORANJE VRIJ STAAT, tree; three horns below / EEN/ PENNY/ 1874 within wreath; MUNSTPROEVE below. Hern O1; KM (X) Pn1. In NGC encapsulation 6928251-007, graded MS 64 BN. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Only 10 Struck

805. SRI LANKA (CEYLON), Colonial. British. Edward VIII. 1936. Fantasy AV Crown (38mm, 36.11 g, 12h). Geoffrey Hearn fantasy series. Pinches (London) mint. Dated 1936, though struck early 1950s. Bare head left / Elephant advancing right. Giordano FM5d; KM (X) 1c. UNC. Extremely rare – only 10 struck. ($2000)

From the Drewry Family Collection.

806. SWEDEN. Johan III. 1568–1592. AR Daler (42mm, 28.85 g, 8h). Stockholm mint. Dated 1569. Crowned and armored half-length bust right, holding sword and globus cruciger, atop coat-of-arms / Christ standing facing, holding globus cruciger and raising hand in benediction. Delzanno 10; Davenport 8705. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6931384-006, graded XF 40. Rare date. Top Pop. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex El Dorado 1 (14 July 1984), lot 335.

Top Pop 2 Marks

807. SWEDEN. Karl XII. 1697–1718. AR 2 Marks (31mm, 10.61 g, 12h). Stockholm mint. Dated 1714 LC. Armored and draped bust right / Three crowns. Delzanno 60; KM 339. Lustrous. In NGC encapsulation 6916566-006, graded MS 64. Top Pop ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

808. SWEDEN. Oscar I. 1844–1859. AR Riksdaler Specie (39mm, 34.72 g, 12h). Stockholm mint. Dated 1859 ST. Bare head right / Crowned coat-of-arms with reverted crowned lion supporters. Delzanno 48; Davenport 355; KM 689. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 2926098-001, graded MS 62. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

809. SWEDEN. Karl XV. 1859–1872. AR 4 Riksdaler Riksmynt (38mm, 33.90 g, 12h). Stockholm mint. Dated 1867 ST. Bare head right / Crowned coat-of-arms with reverted crowned lion supporters. Delzanno 10; Davenport 356; KM 711. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6916566-004, graded MS 65. ($3000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Top Pop Zurich Dukat

810. SWITZERLAND, Canton of Zürich. Zürich. AV Dukat (21mm, 3.45 g, 12h). Dated 1661. Lion rampant left, holding sword and resting paw on coat-of-arms / Legend in four lines within ornate cartouche. HMZ 2-1138n; KM 90; Friedberg 464. In NGC encapsulation 8383383-004, graded MS 63+. Top Pop. The only NGC graded example. ($3000)

811. SWITZERLAND, Canton of Bern. Bern. AV Duplone (24mm, 7.59 g, 6h). Dated 1794. Crowned coat-of-arms within wreath / Legend and date in three lines within wreath. HMZ 2-213d; KM 146; Friedberg 182. Polished, edge mark. Good VF. ($750)

812. SWITZERLAND, Republic and Canton of Neuchâtel. Neuchâtel. Alexandre Berthier. Prince, 1806-1814. Proof CU Essai de 2 Francs (27mm, 9.93 g, 5h). Dies by Droz. Dated 1814/3. ALEXANDRE PRINCE DE NEUCHATEL, bare head right / PRINCIPAUTÉ DE NEUCHATEL, 2/ FRANCS within crowned wreath; 1814/3 in exergue. HMZ 2-721b; KM Pn14 (this coin illustrated). In NGC encapsulation 8376126-008, graded PF 58 BN. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

813. TRANSYLVANIA, Principality. Zsigmond Báthory. First and second reigns, 1581-1599. AR Talar – Taler (40mm, 29.18 g, 12h). Nagybánya (Frauenbach / Baia Mare) mint. Dated 1592. Armored half-length bust right, holding mace over shoulder and resting hand on hilt of sword / Crowned coat-of-arms with angelic supporters. Resch 101; MBR 435; Nemzeti 36 (same dies); Davenport 8802. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-009, graded AU Details, cleaned. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 41 (19 March 1997), lot 2825.

814. TRANSYLVANIA, Principality. Zsigmond Báthory. First and second reigns, 1581-1599. AR Talar – Taler (39mm, 28.54 g, 11h). Nagybánya (Frauenbach / Baia Mare) mint. Dated 1593/2. Armored half-length bust right, holding mace over shoulder and resting hand on hilt of sword; to right, cross pattée with three pellets over C / Crowned coat-of-arms with angelic supporters. Resch 132; MBR 466 corr. (denomination); Nemzeti 55-6 var. (symbol; same rev. die); Davenport 8804. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-011, graded AU 55. ($2000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 41 (19 March 1997), lot 2828.

815. TRANSYLVANIA, Principality. Zsigmond Báthory. First and second reigns, 1581-1599. AR Talar – Taler (39mm, 28.12 g, 12h). Nagybánya (Frauenbach / Baia Mare) mint. Dated 1595/85. Armored half-length bust right, holding mace over shoulder and resting hand on hilt of sword; cross pattée to right / Crowned coat-of-arms with angelic supporters. Resch 197; MBR 537; Nemzeti 90 (same dies); Davenport 8804. In NGC encapsulation 8378314-010, graded AU 53. ($2000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 41 (19 March 1997), lot 2830.

United Nations Pattern

816. UNITED NATIONS. 1945-pres. AR Ducaton Essai (35mm, 12h). Struck by the Medallic Art Company, New York. By Karl Gruppe. Dated 1946. Flags of France, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the Republic of China; above, MONETARY UNITY/ WORLD PEACE; below, UNITED NATIONS/ ESSAI · DUCATON/ 1946 / Four groups of figures; FREEDOM ABOVE, in circle at center. FEAR · WANT · RELIGION · SPEECH. KM (X) 1; HK 871. In NGC encapsulation 3620288-005, graded MS 63. Mintage of 750. ($500)

When the United Nations was founded, American coin dealers Abe Kosoff and Hans M.F. Schulman thought to design a pattern for what they hoped may become a global currency. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York, the pair is rumored to have presented a gold specimen to U.N. Secretary-General Trygve Lie, in hopes that the design would be referred to a committee. Obviously, nothing came of this scheme.

817. VIETNAM (ANNAM), Nguyễn dynasty. Hiến Tổ (Thiệu Trị). 1841-1847. AR Lang – 10 Tìên (64mm, 38.43 g, 12h). Sun, moon, five planets, and six clouds over central hole; below, three mountains with three trees emerging from waves; to right, Thiu Tri Thong Bao in Han-nom characters; to left, Vanh The Vinh Lai in Han-nom characters / Kuyet Hong Thien Nien Hoa, Dang Lu Van The Truyen, Thu Huan Chong Huu Duc So Bao Gia Duy Hien in Han-nom characters around central hole. Schroeder 241; cf. BN, Vietnamiennes Supp. 449 (for type in gold); Thierry, Extrême –; KM 295. Deeply toned, holed as usual for type, plugged, a few scratches, minor edge marks. EF. Rare. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 88 (7 September 1984), lot 738.

818. VIETNAM (ANNAM), Nguyễn dynasty. Dực Tông (Tự Đức). 1847-1883. AR 2½ Tìên (34mm, 9.31 g, 12h). Tu Duc Thong Bao, Trieu Dan Lai Chi in Han-nom characters / Facing dragon in clouds coiled around central hole. Schroeder 350; BN, Vietnamiennes Supp. 500; Thierry, Extrême –; KM 429. Toned. In PCGS encapsulation 50722822, graded MS 61. ($2000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 90 (4 October 1985), lot 6.

819. VIETNAM (ANNAM), Nguyễn dynasty. Dực Tông (Tự Đức). 1847-1883. AR 2 Tìên (27mm, 7.46 g, 12h). Tu Duc Thong Bao in Han-nom characters / Su Dan Phu Tho in Han-nom characters. Schroeder 351B; cf. BN, Vietnamiennes Supp. 498-9; Thierry, Extrême 230; KM 423. Toned. In PCGS encapsulation 50722819, graded AU 58. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 90 (4 October 1985), lot 7.

820. VIETNAM (ANNAM), Nguyễn dynasty. Dực Tông (Tự Đức). 1847-1883. AR Tìên (27mm, 7.46 g, 12h). Tu Duc Thong Bao in Han-nom characters / Su Dan Phu Tho in Han-nom characters. Schroeder 351C; BN, Vietnamiennes Supp. 498; cf. Thierry, Extrême 230; KM 421. Toned. In PCGS encapsulation 50722820, graded AU 58. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 90 (4 October 1985), lot 9.

821. VIETNAM (ANNAM), State of Vietnam. 1949-1955. AL Piedfort Essai Set. Paris mint; différents: cornucopia and wing. Dated 1953. Includes: Piedfort AL Essai de 50 Xu (30mm, 8.08 g, 12h). MCF 7; KM PE3. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-011, graded MS 62. Top Pop // Piedfort AL Essai de 20 Su (26mm, 4.51 g, 12h). MCF 6; KM PE2. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-012, graded MS 62 // Piedfort AL Essai de 10 Su (22mm, 2.84 g, 12h). MCF 5; KM PE1. In NGC encapsulation 8375924-013, graded MS 62. All NGC graded. Three (3) coins in lot. ($750)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

WORLD MEDALS

Argentinian Railroad Medal

822. ARGENTINA, Republic. 1861-pres. AV Medal (40mm, 39.73 g, 12h). 25th Anniversary of the Western Railway – Inauguration of the Hasta-Pergamino Line. By Rosario Grande. Dated 30 August 1882. FERRO CARRIL DEL OESTE, VIGESIMO QUINTO ANIVERSARIO, locomotive under steam right; agricultural implements below / ★ GOBERNADOR DARDO ROCHA ★ PROVINCIA DE BUENOS AIRES, coat-of-arms surmounted by rising sun; all within wreath; below, INAUGURACION/ DE LA LINE A/ HASTA EL PERGAMINO/ 30 DE AGOSTO. 1882. Marks, hairlines, edge marks and dings. Good VF. Rare in gold. Only bronze and silver examples in CoinArchives. ($2500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Wayte Raymond Collection (Part II, NASCA [11], 6 June 1978), lot 1981 (part of).

The Relief of Vienna

823. AUSTRIA, Holy Roman Empire. Leopold I. Emperor, 1658-1705. AR Schautaler (48mm, 37.16 g, 12h). The Relief of Vienna. Wien (Vienna) mint. Dated 14 July 1683 W. DU ADLER SITZ GOTT IST DEIN SCHUTZ DEM MAHOMET ZU SPOTT UND TRUTZ, Ottoman camp before the walls of Vienna; above, crowned double-headed eagle with wings spread, holding scepter and globus cruciger, collared coat-of-arms on breast / Laureate and armored bust of Leopold right within wreath of palm fronds; legend in fourteen lines. Hirsch 56; Voglhuber 241. Richly toned, adjustment marks, minor edge marks. EF. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Bowers & Ruddy (25 June 1976), lot 3651.

The Siege of Vienna in 1683 was the second attempt by the Ottoman Empire to seize control of the city and conquer the rest of Austria. A relief army consisting of various Holy Roman Empire contigents and forces from the Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania led by their king Jan III Sobieski rushed to relieve the city before it could fall to the Ottomans. The garrison of Vienna was able to repel numerous Ottoman assaults and the arrival of the Polish and HRE forces split their attention. Successes by the Polish and HRE infantry enabled Sobieski to order a cavalry charge that crushed the remaining Ottoman resistance. Sobieski summarized the battle by paraphrasing Julius Caesar, “Venimus, vidimus, Deus Vicit.” The massive defeat sent the Ottoman Empire into a downward spiral, marking the end of their territorial expansion into Europe and the loss of Hungary and many of their other European possessions.

824. AUSTRIA, Holy Roman Empire. Leopold I, with Eleanora Magdelena. Emperor, 1658-1705. AR Medal (45mm, 30.74 g, 12h). The Coronation of Josef as King of Rome. By G. Hautsch. Dated 10 and 26 January 1690. IN MEM · CORON · ELEON · MAGD · THER · AVG · MATR · ET IOSEPH · I · AVG · FILII, laureate and draped bust of Leopold right, LEOPOLDVS MAG · ROM · IMP · P · P around, and bust of Eleonora facing slightly left, ELEONORA MAGD · THER · L · M · XV · III · around, each in medallion suspended from beak of crowned double-headed eagle facing with wings spread holding scepter and sword; below, AVG · V · IND ·/ 10 · ET · 26 · IAN · 1690 · / Laureate and draped bust of Josef right, surrounded by seven medallions depicting the electors. Stunning deep iridescent toning, edge marks. Good VF. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex El Dorado 3 (27 October 1984), lot 28.

Top Pop Austrian Gold Medal

825. AUSTRIA, Austro-Hungarian Empire. Franz Josef I. 1867-1916. AV Medal (25mm, 13.91 g, 12h). 50th year of his reign. By A. Scharff. Dated 2 December 1848 and 1898. MDCCCXCVIII, old uniformed bust of Franz Josef right, set on olive branches; to left, II ·/ DEC ·; to lower left, TE/ SALVO/ AVSTRIA/ SALVA / MDCCCXLVIII, young uniformed bust of Franz Josef left; to left, II ·/ DEC ·. In NGC encapsulation 8378325-001, graded MS 67. Top Pop ($5000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA [27] (27 May 1980), lot 101.

826. BOHEMIA. Jan Hus, early church reformer. Circa 1370-1415. AV Medal (34mm, 9.90 g, 10h). By Michael Hohenauer. Dated 1415, though struck circa 1530. + CREDO · VNAM · ESSE · SCAN · CATHO · ECCLE/ IOAN HVS, capped bust right / + CENTVM · REVOLV · (AN)IS · DEO REDD · RO(EM) :/ · ET · MICHI · · CON · NAT, Jan Hus burning at stake; 1415 in right field. Katz 69. Edge marks and filing, wavy flan, scratches. VF. Very rare in gold. ($2000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (10 April 1985), lot 615 (illustrated on front cover).

Jan Hus was an ordained Catholic priest in Bohemia in the 14th and 15th centuries who also taught at Charles University in Prague. Hus frequently preached against various aspects of the Catholic Church in Bohemia and as a result pope Alexander V excommunicated him but declined to enforce the excommunication. Hus’ continued opposition to the Bohemian Catholic Church under Alexander V’s successor, the Antipope John XXIII, led to the excommunication actually being enforced and Hus was forced to flee. Eventually, Hus was tricked into returning to present his dissenting views to the church and he was arrested and eventually burned at the stake for heresy. Hus’ views did not die with him as his followers, the Hussites, took up his cause and refused to allow a Catholic monarch to sit on the Bohemian throne. The Hussites defeated five papal crusades that were sent against them in an eleven-year period from 1420-1431. Bohemia and Moravia would continue to be majority Hussite until the 1620s.

Victory of Royalist Forces in the Bolivian War of Independence

827. BOLIVIA, Colonial (as Alto Perú). José Manuel de Goyeneche y Barreda, general. 1776-1846. AR Medal (42mm, 43.03 g, 12h). The Battle of Huaqui. Potosí mint. By Moncayo. Dated 1811. D · D · JOSEPHUS EMANUEL AA GOYENECHE AREQUIENSIS ORIGINE, uniformed bust right / Legend in fourteen lines. Fonrobert 9395. Lightly toned, hairlines. Good VF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex El Dorado 3 (27 October 1984), lot 515.

In the early 19th Century, Spanish authority in South America began to break down. The Napoleonic wars back in Spain began to sew increasing distrust in the Colonies, resulting in a revolution breaking out in Argentina. Led by the revolutionary troops of the Primera Junta, the rebels began a military campaign in Bolivia, then known as Upper Peru in 1810. After a few initial victories such as in Suipacha, they faced off against Royalist forces in Huaqui, under the command of General José Manuel de Goyeneche y Barreda. General Goyeneche decided to directly attack the revolutionary troops, forcing an eventual retreat. The royalist troops were able to overrun the Argentine cavalry, and earned a decisive victory. As a result, the Argentine campaign in Bolivia collapsed. The royalist victory also foiled a planned revolution in Peru, as the defeated forces had been expected to move to assist them. While the royalist troops gained some momentum, it was not enough to defeat the independence movements, and the South American nations would in time gain their independence.

828. CHILE, Republic. 1818-present. AR Medal (34mm, 13.07 g, 12h). The Constitution of 1828. Dated 18 September 1828. UNION (star) SEGURIDAD (star) FUERZA, anchor with fasces; six stars below / CONSTITUCN POLITICA/ DE CHILE/ JURADA/ EN 18 SETIEMBRE/ DE 1828; radiant star above; all within wreath. Fonrobert 9851. Iridescent toning, hairlines, usual die break and weakness. Good VF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 93 (25 July 1986), lot 6874.

829. EGYPT, Ottomans. ‘Abbas Hilmi II. AH 1309-1333 / AD 1892-1914. Gilt Æ Medal (67mm, 150.0 g, 12h). International Exhibition, Cairo. By Stefano Johnson. dated 1895. S. A. ABBAS HILMI PACHA KHÉDIVE D’EGYPTE, uniformed bust facing, wearing fez / EXPOSITION INTERNATIONALE DU PROGRES (star) LE CAIRE 1895 (star), four figures standing with two camels before Sphinx; Great Pyramids in background, palm fronds to lower left. Hairlines, scuff. UNC. In original case of issue. ($750)

From the Collection of an Alexandrine Numismatist, formed before 1955.

830. GERMANY, Harz. AR Tauftaler – Baptismal Taler (52mm, 29.23 g, 1h). Zellerfeld mint; Ernst Peter Hecht, mintmaster. Struck 1723-1731. St. John the Baptist kneeling right, baptizing Jesus Christ standing facing in River Jordan, hands crossed over breast; dove of the Holy Spirit and radiate name of God above / Biblical passages in ten lines. Davenport 2935; Katsouros 17; Fassbender 2808. Iridescent toning, minor edge marks. EF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection, purchased from Collector’s Den, January 1978.

831. IRAN, Qajars. Muzzafar al-Din Shah. AH 1313-1324 / AD 1896-1907. AR Medal of 5000 Dinars (5 Krans) (38mm, 25.01 g, 12h). Visit of the Shah to the Belgian Mint in Brussels, August 1900. By A. Michaux. Dated AH 1318 (AD 1900). Bust facing slightly right; al-sultan muzaffar al-din shah qajar khallad allah mulkahu wa shayyada allah saltanatahu (the Sultan Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar, may God make his kingdom everlasting and illuminate his reign) in Persian around / be-yadgar va meymanat-e tashrif-farma’i-ye bandegan a’la-hazrat-eaqdas-e homayun shahanshah-e koll-e mamalek-e mahruseh-ye iran be-dar al-zarb-e bruksel sana 1318 hijri (As a remembrance to the arrival of His Majesty, the most pure, Imperial King of Kings of the entire protected Kingdom of Iran to the Brussels Mint, year 1318 of the hijra) in six lines. Cf. Rabino di Borgomale pl. 46, 72; M. Moshiri, neshan-ha va medal-ha-ye iranazaghaz-e saltanat-e qajariyeh ta emruz (Tehran: SH 1354), p. 63. In NGC encapsulation 6934778-004, graded AU Details, cleaned. ($1500)

Ex Numismatica Genevensis SA 17 (15 November 2022), lot 1197.

832. ITALY, Papal (Vatican City). John XXIII. 1958-1963. Set of three (3) AV Medals. Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican. Struck 1962. All medals: • IOANNES • XXIII • • PONT • MAX •, bust left wearing mantum and tiara / Papal coatof-arms on crossed keys, surmounted by tiara. Includes the following diameters and weights: (39mm, 20.03 g, 6h) // (26mm, 9.98 g, 6h) // (19mm, 4.99 g, 6h). Cameo effect. UNC. Three (3) medals in lot. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 61 (10 December 1976), lot 706.

Extremely Rare Yokohama Subway ‘Oban’

833. JAPAN, Modern. Shōwa era. 1926-1989. AV Medal (52x83mm, 95.03 g). Opening of the Yokohama Municipal Subway. In the style of an antique gold oban coin. Dated December 1972. 1000 series train in stylized tunnel / Legend in two lines in Hanji; 1972 · 12 below. UNC. In original case of issue. Evidently quite rare, as this cataloger could find no other examples. ($3000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA [27] (27 May 1980), lot 787.

834. MALTA, Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Emmanuel de Rohan. Grandmaster, 1775-1797. Cast Æ Medal (48mm, 47.39 g, 12h). On his election. Cast 1775. EMMANUEL DE ROHAN MELITÆ PRINCEPS, cuirassed and draped bust right / GLORIA EIUS PER ORBEM TERRARUM, angel seating right on cloud, head right, holding wreath and blowing trumpet. Schembri 3. Brown surfaces. Near VF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA [21] (16 July 1979), lot 2290.

Very Rare Silver Medal Issued by the Academia de San Carlos de Mexico

835. MEXICO, Colonial. Carlos III. King of Spain, 1759-1788. AR Medal (66mm, 110 g, 12h). On his death. Issued by the Academia de San Carlos de Mexico. By Geronimo A. Gil. Struck 1788. * CAROLUS * III * HISPANIARUM * ET * INDIARUM * REX * MEXICANA * ACADEMIA * FUNDATORI * SUO, draped bust right / QUI * INGENUAS * * REVOCAVIT * ARTES *, the elaborate sepulcher of Carlos III; in exergue, * EXTINCTUS */* AMABITUR * IDEM *. Grove K-84a. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 6928236-001, graded MS 61. Very rare in silver. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 89 (19 April 1985), lot 1670.

836. MEXICO, Colonial. Fernando VII. Second reign, 1813-1833. AR Medal (45mm, 47.68 g, 11h). Restoration of the Consulate in Mexico City. By P.V. Rodriguez. Dated 1814. FERDINANDO VII HISP · ET IND · REGI PROFLIGATIS HOSTIBVS DIVINITUS RESTITU · MEXICI · CONSULATUS, laureate and draped bust right; below, MDCCCXIV / SUB CLIPEO SUO FELICITER PROGREDIOR · on banner above, Mercury alighting right, holding banner and caduceus; in background, ship and city view; radiant crown to upper right. Grove F-30. Toned, light hairlines and scratches, extensive edge marks. Near EF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 88 (7 September 1984), lot 1063.

Chinese Residents Commemorate Peruvian Independence

837. PERU, Republic. 1821-pres. AR Medal (30mm, 12.22 g, 12h). Centennial of Independence – Chinese Residents of Peru. Dated 28 July 1921. Emblems of Peru and China; oak branch in background / RECUERDO/ DE LA/ COLONIA CHINA/ CONMEMORANDO/ EL PRIMER/ CENTENARIO/ DEL PERU./ 28 DE JULIO/ DE 1921. L&M 997. In PCGS encapsulation 50722841, graded MS 62. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex H. Christensen 88 (7 September 1984), lot 790.

838. RUSSIA, Empire. Anna Ioannovna. 1730-1740. CU Jeton Novodel (20mm, 4.11 g, 12h). Peace with the Ottoman Empire. Dated 7 September 1739. АННA · Б · М · IMПEРAT · ICAMOДEPЖ · BCEPOC, crowned bust right / CЛABA IMПEPIИ, Diakov 81.5; Bitkin Ж421. In NGC encapsulation 6916566-005, graded MS 64 BN. Top Pop ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

839. SOUTH AFRICA, South African Republic. 1961-pres. AV Medal (31mm, 18.37 g, 12h). Independence. Dated 31 May 1961. (star) REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA (star) REPUBLEIK VAN SUID-AFRIKA, coat-of-arms with antelope supporters surmounted by ornately crested helmet / Stylized view of Cape Town Castle; 31 - 5 - 1961 at center. Hallmarks below. UNC. 9 kt gold. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA [27] (27 May 1980), lot 1069 (part of).

840. SWITZERLAND, Swiss Confederation. 1848-present. AV Medal (27mm, 13.41 g, 12h). Federal Shooting Festival in Bern. By Holy. Dated 1910. EIDGENOSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST, bear standing left, head right, holding coat-of-arms; Zytglogge clock tower to left / BERN 1910, bust of Helvetia right, wearing traditional headdress. Richter 263a. Toned. EF. Rare – only 400 struck. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection, purchased from Chattanooga Coin & Stamp, December 1978.

Enigmatic Medal

Photos reduced

841. WESTERN EUROPE. Cast “Æ Medal” (174mm, 473.50 g, 12h). Dated 1497 or 1503 (in Roman numerals), but a later production. Laureate male bust right; · VMILITAS ·/τΑωύροςις (sic) in two lines below; Hebrew inscription in two lines around; Hebrew acrostic noting Benjamin, son of the papal physician Elijah ben Shabbetai Be’er, across fields / POST TENEBRA SPERO LVCEM FELICITATIS IVDEX DIES VLTIMVS • D • III • M, incuse of obverse bust. Armand II 142, 16; Hill 878; Stern 211; Friedenberg, p. 73; Peus 412, lot 759. Brown surfaces, worn at high points, fields smoothed, edge marks, possible mount or sprue removed at 12 o’clock. As made. An enigmatic and historically important piece. ($2000)

Since the discovery of the original example in Lyon in 1656, from which all subsequent copies – including this example – were cast, a number of conflicting opinions have arisen over its purpose and meaning. While this medal has clear Judaic connections, the association of it with Pope Julius II and his end of the persecution of Jews by the papacy is based on circumstantial evidence and subjective reasoning, and should be questioned. Dr. Rebekka Voß, Frankfurt Professor of the History of German and European Jewry at Goethe University, who translated the blundered and defective Hebrew legend for the Peus specimen, has argued that the medal is connected with Jewish Messianic expectation at the turn of the 16th century. It appears to have an association with Ascherben Meir Lemlein, a northern Italian rabbi, kaballist, and alleged harbinger of the Jewish Messiah. Elijah ben Shabbetai Be’er, whose name appears in acrostic, was a well-known physician who served popes, Italian nobility, as well as Henry IV of England. A teacher of medicine at the University of Pavia, he was awarded for his services a knighthood and Roman citizenship in 1405. His son, Benjamin, may be the portrait here, referencing his possible connection to the messianic association. For more information on Jewish Messianism, see Rebekka Voß, Umstrittene Erlöser Politik. Ideologie und jüdisch-christlicher Messianismus in Deutschland, 1500-1600 (Göttingen, 2011).

OLYMPIC MEDALS

842. V Olympic Winter Games, Saint-Mortiz. AV Commemorative Medal (32mm, 27.15 g, 12h). Bern mint. By Emil Wiederkehr. Dated 1948 B. CITIVS ALTIVS FORTIVS, male figure kneeling right, holding torch / VES JEUX OLYMPIQUES + D’HIVER ST. MORITZ 1948, olive branch behind Olympic rings. Gadoury & Vescovi –. Hairlines. UNC. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Lepczyk 35 (13 June 1980), lot 289.

WORLD ORDERS & DECORATIONS

843. ITALY, Republic of Italy. Medal of Honor for Long Naval Service. Gold (34mm, 31.25 g). Italia standing right, holding olive branch and resting hand on coat-of-arms; ships in background to left; REPUBBLICA ITALIANA in exergue / MEDAGLIE D’ONORE/ PER LUNGA NAVIGAZIONE COMPIUTA on tablet; anchor and globe in background. Some wear on ribbon. 0.917 fine gold. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Lepczyk 41 (29 September 1981), lot 300.

UNITED STATES COINAGE

Popular Oak Tree Shilling – Ex Ezra Cole

844. Colonial. 1652 Massachusetts Oak Tree Shilling. Salmon 3-D; Noe 5; W-470. NGC AU 58. 8375923-005. John Hull’s (Boston) mint. Struck 1660-1667. Attractive, even toning with a flan shape typical for roller press issues. ($5000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Ezra Cole Collection (Bowers & Merena, 23 January 1986), lot 1104.

845. Colonial. 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Shilling. Small planchet. Salmon 11-F; Noe 29; W-930. NGC AU 50. 8375923-006. John Hull’s (Boston) mint. Struck 1667-1682. Richly toned and well struck. ($3000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Ezra Cole Collection (Bowers & Merena, 23 January 1986), lot 1109.

846. Colonial. 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Shilling. Small planchet. Salmon 11-F; Noe 29; W-930. NGC VF Details, cleaned. 8378300-003. John Hull’s (Boston) mint. Struck 1667-1682. ($2500)

From the Drewry Family Collection, purchased from Early American Numismatics, 1968.

The Only Officially Authorized Colonial Coinage

Produced in Britain for an American Colony

847. Colonial. 1773 Virginia Halfpenny. Dot, 7 strings. Newman 25-M; W-1580. NGC MS 63 RB. 8375923-002. London mint. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection.

Attractive Nova Constellatio – Ex Ezra Cole

848. Pre-Federal. 1785 Nova Constellatio. Large date, pointed rays. Crosby 3-B; W-1895. NGC AU 58 BN. 8375923003. Uncertain mint in Birmingham(?). Warm brown surfaces. Both dies in a fairly early state, with only the beginning of the diagnostic break on the reverse. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Ezra Cole Collection (Bowers & Merena, 23 January 1986), lot 1149.

The “eye of Providence” and wreathed U.S. designs seen on this coin were earlier used on patterns for a proposed coinage for the Confederation Congress. That proposal was a dead end, but the same types were later used on this series of privately issued coppers. Struck in Britain, likely Birmingham, they were imported in great numbers by Constable, Rucker & Co. of New York City.

849. Federal contract coinage. 1787 Fugio Cent. STATES UNITED variety. Newman 12-X; W-6820. NGC XF 40 BN. 8375923-008. New Haven, Connecticut mint. Warm brown surfaces. The usual die breaks and areas of weak strike common for this die pair. ($500)

From the Norman Frank Collection.

850. 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent. PCGS MS 64 RB. 50722633. An attractive example of this key date in the series. ($1000)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

851. 1867 Liberty Seated Dollar. Original Proof. OC-P1. Rarity 3-. PCGS PR55. 50411819. The reverse was struck using 1866 PA, which is identified by a heavy die line under GOD in the motto. Other die lines pass through the center of N and WE. Several die lines can be seen in the unfinished areas around the leaves. Osburn and Cushing estimate the total number of proofs existing at 450 pieces, as of February 2019. ($750)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

852. 1872-S Liberty Seated Dollar. OC-1. Rarity 3-. PCGS XF40. 50411820. Mintage of only 9,000 examples, all struck from a single die pair. ($1000)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

853. 1891-CC Morgan Dollar. PCGS MS64. 50411824. Attractive iridescent toning around the peripheries. ($750)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

854. 1892-CC Morgan Dollar. PCGS MS60. 50408747. ($750)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

855. 1892-S Morgan Dollar. PCGS AU53. 50408748. Attractive iridescent toning graces this elusive, higher-grade example. ($1000)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

856. 1894-S Morgan Dollar. PCGS MS63. 50408749. Appealing peripheral iridescent toning frames this example. ($750)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

857. 1895-O Morgan Dollar. PCGS AU58. 50408750. Pretty iridescent toning about the peripheries. The two lowest mintages from the New Orleans Mint are the 1893-O and 1895-O, but the 1895-O is rarer, especially in better grades. ($1500)

the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

From

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

858. 1901 Morgan Dollar. PCGS AU58. 50411821. Hints of handsome peripheral iridescent toning. ($500)

859. 1902-S Morgan Dollar. PCGS MS64. 50411823. A pleasing example. ($500)

860. 1903-O Morgan Dollar. PCGS MS65. 50411825. Attractive peripheral iridescent toning. ($500)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

861. 1856-S Three-Dollar Gold Piece. PCGS AU53. 50722636. The 1856-S is elusive in high grade. Most survivors are in the VF to EF range. ($1000)

862. 1908 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. No Motto. UNC. ($1500)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

858

859

863. Classic Commemorative. 1915-S Panama-Pacific Exposition Gold Dollar. PCGS MS65. 50722645.

An attractive coin in hand.

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

864. Classic Commemorative. 1922 Grant Memorial Gold Dollar. With Star. PCGS MS64. 50722648. Pleasing luster and strike. One of only 5,016 examples struck. ($750)

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

865.

From the Samuel K. Clark Collection.

1915-S

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

Lustrous.

($500)

Classic Commemorative.

Panama-Pacific Exposition Gold Quarter Eagle. PCGS MS65. 50722647. Lustrous. From a small mintage of 6,749 pieces. ($2000)

866. Kingdom of Hawaii. 1883 Half Dollar (Hapalua). NGC MS 62. 8378300-001. ($750)

UNITED STATES INGOTS

Unique Presentation Silver Ingot from a Croatian ‘49er

867. Presentation Silver Ingot. Undated (circa 1860s-1870s). DOWNYBROOK/ LEDGE. in two lines on the face. N. BAROVICH/ TO/ CARLOTA.CASTRO in three lines on the back. The ingot itself measures 64.5mm wide, 20.5mm tall, 10.5mm deep, 156g = 5.015 troy ounces pure silver. A presentation piece. Unique. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection. Ex Chas. H. Fisher (7 December 1935), lot 162.

Nicholas Barovich, a pioneer resident of San Jose, California, was born on 31 December 1830 in Dalmatia, then part of the Austrian empire, now part of the Republic of Croatia. “Big Nick,” as he was known, was a 6-feet, 4-inch “giant” according to a local history article published in the San Francisco Examiner on 8 May 1979 (p.58) about Yugoslavians in early San Francisco. He emigrated from Janjina, near Dubrovnik, in 1849, and “made more money running a general merchandise store than panning gold.” By 1857 he owned two bars in San Francisco, the Constitution Saloon and the Sebastopol on the corner of Davis and Sansome streets. In 1864 he married Dolores Castro, a member of an old and prominent Spanish pioneer family from Alta California, after which they moved to Austin, Nevada during the silver boom and opened a bar and restaurant named the San Francisco Coffee Stand. Nicholas also operated saloons in Austin–Barovich’s Saloon and Shooting Gallery, the Alhambra, and Sazerac. After the silver boom, Nicholas and his family moved to San Jose in 1881, and lived there until his death on 2 June 1897.

One of Dolores Castro’s sisters was named Carlota Castro. This silver ingot was personalized and presented from N. (Nicholas) Barovich to his sister-in-law Carlota Castro.

Fullerton Co. Mixed Metal Ingot. FULLERTON/ Co./ GOLD 5/ SILVER 993/ SIL. $7.09/ G. $.69/ VALUE/ $7.78 on the face. NO 739/ OZS. 5.55 in two lines on the back. Poured. The ingot itself measures 31.5mm wide, 57.5mm tall, 9mm deep. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

868.

869. North Star Silver Mining Co. Silver Ingot. Undated (circa 1877). All stamps are on the front face: SILVERTON/ N.S.S.M. in two lines. The ingot itself measures 29mm wide, 15mm tall, 9mm deep, 34.67g. Cf. Heritage 1294 (26 April 2019), lot 5240 and cf. Heritage (6 January 2006), lot 6197 (realized $6,900). Rare. ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

The two examples in Heritage auctions carried the following information: “This small, trapezoidal silver ingot is suggestive of the style of John Taylor. It is most likely from the early period of this mine and was very likely made as a souvenir at the onset of production. The mine was owned by Albert Conyers, a distant relative of Buffalo Bill Cody. The North Star Silver Mining Company was most productive from 1877-1885, but remained active through the first part of the 20th century. Much more background information can be found in Holabird’s Auction # 17, page 165.”

870. North Star Silver Mining Co. Silver Ingot. Undated (circa 1877). All stamps are on the front face: SILVERTON/ N.S.S.M. in two lines. This small trapezoidal ingot itself measures 27mm wide, 14mm tall, 7mm deep, 24.54g. Cf. Heritage 1294 (26 April 2019), lot 5240 and cf. Heritage (6 January 2006), lot 6197 (realized $6,900). ($1000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

An Unnamed Ingot Apparently By Thomas Price

871. Thomas Price, Assayer. San Francisco, California. Silver & gold assay ingot number 7471. Undated (18751885). Although unnamed, the style and the distinctive use of a lower case logotype for “fine” suggest Price as the assayer. Face and back are outlined by a crenellated ornamental border. All stamps are on the front face: NO 7471/ OZ 2.91/ G.30½/ S.966 fine/ G $1.83/ S $3.63/ V $5.46 in seven lines; all within border. The ingot itself measures 22.5mm wide, 55.5mm tall, 6.5mm deep. Cf. John J. Ford, Jr. Collection: Western Assayer’s Ingots (Part XXI, Stack’s, 16 October 2007), lot 3534 (realized $8,050). Very rare, perhaps the sixth known. ($3000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

872. Thorne Mining and Refining Co., Arizona. Fantasy Silver Ingot. All stamps are on the front face: (Thorne Assay Scale Logo) above/ MONETARY VALUE/ 4 DOLS. 10 CTS./ CONTAINS/ 3.18 OZS. TROY/ GOLD.000/ SILVER.9998 FINE/ SERIAL NO. 286. The ingot itself measures 27.5mm wide, 51mm tall, 7.5mm deep. The website www.allengelhard. com provides an estimated mintage of fewer than 90 examples for this type. Cf. Stack’s Bowers Galleries (26 November 2024), lot 10510 (realized $16,800) and lot 10511 (realized $26,400). ($3000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

873. Thorne Mining and Refining Co., Arizona. Fantasy Silver Ingot. All stamps are on the front face: (Thorne Assay Scale Logo) above/ MONETARY VALUE/ 9 DOLS. 44 CTS./ CONTAINS/ 7.323 OZS. TROY/ GOLD.000/ SILVER.9998 FINE/ SERIAL NO. 201. The ingot itself measures 33mm wide, 59mm tall, 11mm deep. The website www.allengelhard.com provides an estimated mintage of fewer than 90 examples for this type. Cf. Stack’s Bowers Galleries (26 November 2024), lot 10510 (realized $16,800) and lot 10511 (realized $26,400). ($3000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

874. Thorne Mining and Refining Co., Arizona. Fantasy Silver Ingot. All stamps are on the front face: (Thorne Assay Scale Logo) to right/ To left: MONETARY VALUE/ 4 DOLS. 10 CTS./ 3.18 OZS. TROY/ GOLD.000/ SILVER.9998 FINE/ SERIAL NO. 240. The ingot itself measures 52mm wide, 28mm tall, 7mm deep. The website www.allengelhard.com provides an estimated mintage of fewer than 10 examples for this type. Cf. Stack’s Bowers Galleries (26 November 2024), lot 10510 (realized $16,800) and lot 10511 (realized $26,400). Extremely rare. ($3000)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

UNITED STATES MEDALS

Important American Geographical Society Medal Presented to Dr. George Babcock Cressey

875. The American Geographical Society – George Davidson Medal. AV Medal (75mm, 232.3 g, 12h). By Paul Manship. Struck by the Medallic Art Co., New York. Presented to Dr. George Babcock Cressey, 1952. AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY THE GEORGE DAVIDSON MEDAL, bust of Davidson right / Hand holding drafting compass over globe set on clouds; in script above, “For Research in the/ Pacific Area,” engraved on scroll below, DR GEORGE B. CRESSEY/ 1952. Spot of toning on reverse. UNC. 10K gold. Extremely rare gold medal. The first medal to be presented, with only seven further recipients to the present day. ($7500)

From the Drewry Family Collection.

BRITISH COINAGE

876. CELTIC, Atrebates & Regni. Verica. Circa AD 10-40. AV Stater (20mm, 5.29 g, 2h). Warrior Rex type (Atrebatic J). Cavella mint. Tablet inscribed COÂ • F / Warrior, preparing to hurl spear, on horse leaping right; lituus to lower left; uir above, rex below. Allen & Haselgrove Series Series C, 14-16 (Dies F/d); Bean VERC2-1; ABC 1190; Van Arsdell 500–1; SCBC 120. Thin flan crack. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection.

877. CELTIC, Atrebates & Regni. Verica. Circa AD 10-40. AV Stater (17mm, 5.32 g, 2h). Vine Leaf Viri type (Atrebatic K). Southern mint. Vine leaf / Horseman with spear and shield on back, leaping [between two platforms]. Allen & Haselgrove Series D, 86-9 (dies H/n); Bean VERS3-1b; ABC 1193; Van Arsdell 520-1; SCBC 121. Slightly off center. Good VF. ($1000)

Ex 2011 Vine Leaf Hoard (PAS Ref. HAMP-6DFB33).

878. CELTIC, Trinovantes & Catuvellauni. Uninscribed. Circa 60-20 BC. AV Stater (17mm, 5.85 g, 6h). Early Whaddon Chase type (Trinovantian D). Wreath, cloak and crescents; rounded wing motif above wreath / Celticized horse right; wing motif and three pellets above, lozenge before, pellet and annulet below. ABC 2433; Van Arsdell 1476-1; SCBC 32. VF. ($750)

From the Meander Collection. Ex White Rose Collection (Spink 23004, 3 April 2023), lot 383.

879. CELTIC, Trinovantes & Catuvellauni. Tasciovanus. Circa 20 BC-AD 10. AV Stater (17mm, 5.55 g, 12h). Tasciovanus Hidden Faces type (Trinovantian M). First coinage. Crossed vertical and horizontal wreaths with opposed crescents at center; annulets and sprays forming hidden faces in quarters / Horse leaping right; bucranium and annulet within ring of pellets above; hook-like object below. Kretz, Early obv. type C, rev. type III; ABC 2553; Van Arsdell 1680-1; SCBC 214. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Meander Collection. Ex Morton & Eden (14 December 2015), lot 99; Sotheby’s (4 October 1990), lot 298.

880. CELTIC, Trinovantes & Catuvellauni. Tasciovanus. Circa 20 BC-AD 10. Æ Half Unit (13mm, 1.00 g, 12h).

Tasciovanus Goat type (Trinovantian M). Bearded head left / Goat leaping right; pellet-in annulet below, floral motif above. Kretz, Bronze A4; Van Arsdell 1715-1; ABC 2709; SCBC 256. Green-brown patina. Good VF. Very rare. ($500)

881. CELTIC, Trinovantes & Catuvellauni. Cunobelin. Circa AD 10-43. AV Quarter Stater (11mm, 1.24 g, 12h).

Biga type (Trinovantian T). Camulodunum (Colchester) mint. CÂL in tablet, flanked by pellet-in-annulets, joined to vertical wreaths; alternating flower motifs and heart-shaped faces in quarters / Two horses galloping left, pellets above back and below tail; leaf above; four-spoked wheel below. CCI 20. 0297 (this coin); Kretz, Biga Early type A2, dies B/3; ABC 2807 var. (rev. pellets, style) Van Arsdell 1913-1 var. (same); SCBC 290. Usual tight flan. Good VF. ($750)

Ex Chris Rudd 173 (15 November 2020), lot 32. Found Chelmsford, Essex.

After succeeding to the throne of the Catuvellauni circa AD 9-10, Cunobelin, the son of Tasciovanus, extended his control over several other tribes in Southeastern Britannia. He controlled so much of the island that the Roman historian Suetonius later referred to him as “king of the Britons.” Whether this expansion was by conquest or mutual accord is not known. His extensive coinage was struck at Camulodunum (modern Colchester), capital of the Trinovantes tribe, as well as at Verlamion (St. Albans), a Catuvellaunian town. His coinage features Latin inscriptions and uses many Roman motifs, indicating his had friendly relations with the Romans, if not the status of client king. Britons seemed to thrive during his long reign, and the island did a lucrative cross-channel trade in grain, precious metals, iron, hides and hunting dogs. His physical decline and death circa AD 40-43 touched off a dynastic dispute between his sons, Adminius, Togodumnus, and Caratacus that became the pretext for a full-scale Roman invasion under Claudius in 43, with Caratacus becoming leader of the resistance. In later centuries Cunobelin’s reign took on the sheen of a “golden age,” and he entered mythology under several different variants of his name, including Shakespeare’s Cymbeline.

882. ANGLO-SAXON, Secondary Sceattas. Circa 710-730. AR Sceatt (12mm, 1.02 g, 6h). Mint in East Anglia (Northwest Norfolk). Two figures standing facing, holding long cross in outer hands, with inner hands jointly holding a single long cross; trefoil above / Quadruped standing/crouching right, head left; pellets in fields. Abramson 63.40; MEC 8 Series Qa; North –; SCBC 808. Toned. Good VF. ($1000)

883. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Northumbria. Aldfrith. 685-705. AR Sceatt (11mm, 1.12 g, 4h). York mint. ม aዢčŊ l ዢčк˝ around central pellet-in-annulet / Quadruped with forked tail standing left. Booth, Sceattas 1-6 (unlisted dies); Chapman 1-8; Pirie, Guide 1.2; North 176; SCBC 846. Deposits, faint porosity, usual tight flan. Good VF. ($1000)

884. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Northumbria. Alchred. 765-774. AR Sceatt (14mm, 1.16 g, 6h). York mint.  down right side,  down left side, cross pattée / Quadruped standing right, raising foreleg; small cross pommée below. Booth, Sceattas 1-13 (unlisted dies); Chapman 103 (same dies); Pirie, Guide 2.5b; North 179; SCBC 849. Toned with some iridescence. Good VF. An attractive example. ($2000)

Exceptional Eanred Styca

885. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Northumbria. Eanred. 810-841. AR Styca (14mm, 1.19 g, 6h). Phase Ia. York mint; Huaetred, moneyer. Struck circa 810-830. 

, small cross pattée / 

, small cross pattée. Pirie, Guide 3.4a-j var. (moneyer); SCBI 68 (Lyon), 88 (same rev. die); North 186; SCBC 860. Lustrous, a few spots. EF. Exceptional metal quality for reign. ($500)

Ex P. Moffat Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 90, 23 May 2012), lot 2347.

886. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. Burgred. 852-874. AR Penny (21mm, 1.47 g, 10h). Lunette type D (BMC d). London mint; Hussa, moneyer. Phase IIb, circa 866-868/70. Diademed bust right / ม ዡ⎍ӲӲ¥ across central field; ዦɭዡ ዞ˸¥ (ornamental O) in lunettes above and below. MacKay V2.27 var. (dies O–/R2 [unlisted obv. die]); SCBI 67 (BM), 440 (same rev. die); North 426; SCBC 941B. Toned. VF. ($500)

887. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. Burgred. 852-874. AR Penny (20mm, 1.40 g, 3h). Lunette type D (BMC d). London mint; Diga, moneyer. Phase IIIa, circa 868/70-874. Diademed bust right / ม ዝዢű¥ ḧḧ across central field; ዦɭዡ ዞ˸¥ in lunettes above and below. MacKay V5.91 var. (dies O–/R7 [unlisted obv. die]); SCBI 16 (Norweb), 102 (same rev. die); North 423; SCBC 942D. Toned, minor deposits. VF. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex L.R.S. Collection (Stack’s, 29 November 1990), to 1382.

888. ANGLO-SAXON, Anglo-Viking (Danish East Anglia). St. Edmund memorial coinage. Circa 895-918. AR Penny (19.5mm, 1.34 g, 6h). Mint in East Anglia (Ipswich?); Adradus, moneyer. Large ¥ / ม aዝʼaዝ⎍S ⎍⎍ɭɉ , small cross pattée. Cf. BMC 184; North 483; SCBC 960. Old cabinet toning. VF. Well struck. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Victor England MBS (14 September 1979), lot 162.

In the southern Danelaw ‘a large coinage struck by some 70 moneyers evoked the name of the last king of East Anglia, Edmund, whom the Danes had murdered in 869 and now venerated as saint. These coinages are known mainly from one vast Viking treasure chest, found in 1840 at Cuerdale (Lancashire), that contained over 7000 coins and much silver bullion.’ Grierson, p.49.

889. ANGLO-SAXON, Anglo-Viking (Danish Northumbria). Cnut. Circa 900-905. AR Penny (20mm, 1.35 g, 3h). Class IIe/Cunneti type. York mint. Inverted patriarchal cross with pellets in lower angles / Short cross pattée with pellets in first and fourth quarters. L&S class IIe; North 501; SCBC 993. Old collection toning. EF ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection.

890. ANGLO-SAXON, Anglo-Viking (Danish Northumbria). Cnut. Circa 900-905. AR Penny (20mm, 1.42 g, 12h). Class IIe/Cunneti type. York mint. Inverted patriarchal cross with pellets in lower angles / Short cross pattée with pellets in second and third quarters. L&S class IIe; North 501; SCBC 993. Old collection toning. Near EF. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex L.R.S. Collection (Stack’s, 29 November 1990), lot 1374.

891. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Wessex. Edward the Elder. 899-924. AR Penny (23mm, 1.43 g, 10h). Small cross/ Horizontal-Trefoil 1 (HT 1) type (BMC ii). Wessex dies; Æthelstan, moneyer. Struck circa 920-924. Small cross pattée / ®T ዞ⌦Ӳ / ˸©n ዦ!ɭ in two lines; three crosses, trefoils above and below. CTCE 57iv; SCBI 26 (East Anglia), 128; North 649; SCBC 1087. Deeply toned, spots of verdigris, minor scratch, rusted dies. Good VF. ($750)

892. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Æthelred II. 978-1016. AR Penny (20mm, 1.44 g, 3h). First Hand type (BMC iia, Hild. B1). York mint; Wulfstan, moneyer. Struck circa 979-985. Diademed and draped bust right / ม ዩ⎍⌦ZͿ©n ዦ!ɭ ዞዟዞዩ , manus Dei descending from clouds; barred © ѽ flanking. SCBI 7 (Copenhagen), 325 (same obv. die); North 766; SCBC 1144. Lightly toned, peck marks, double struck. Near EF. ($500)

893. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Æthelred II. 978-1016. AR Penny (20mm, 1.46 g, 10h). Crux type (BMC iiia, Hild. C). Exeter mint; Ælfstan, moneyer. Struck circa 991-997. Draped bust left; trefoil-tipped scepter to left / ม ® ⌦ዟӲͿ©n ዦ!∂ ዞ©ҟü , voided short cross; ü ʽ ⎍ ҟ in quarters. SCBI 1 (Fitzwilliam), 654 (same dies); North 770; SCBC 1148. Iridescent toning, peck marks. EF. ($500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 61 (25 September 2002), lot 2542.

894. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Harold I Harefoot. 1035-1040. AR Penny (18mm, 1.01 g, 4h). Jewel Cross type (BMC i, Hild. A). Lincoln mint; Kolgrimr, moneyer. Struck 1035-circa 1038. Diademed bust left / ม üɭnʼዢn ɭn ⌦ዢnüɭ⌦ , cross composed of four ovals united at base by two concentric circles enclosing a pellet. Mossop pl. LVII, 20 var. (unlisted dies); SCBI 68 (Lyon), 1002 (same obv. die); North 802; SCBC 1163. Toned, weak strike, peck marks, other minor marks. Good VF. Rare. ($750)

Fargrimr – Unrecorded at Lincoln

895. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Harold I Harefoot. 1035-1040. AR Penny (18mm, 1.08 g, 7h). Fleurde-lis type (BMC vc, Hild. B). Lincoln mint; Fargrimr, moneyer. Struck circa 1038-1040. Diademed bust left; shield and lis-tipped scepter to left /

, voided long cross; pellet in circle in center, fleur-de-lis (flanked by pellets) in angles. Mossop –; SCBI –; North 803; SCBC 1165. Find patina, wavy flan, peck marks. VF. Unrecorded moneyer for this mint. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (12 November 1986), lot 497. Fargrimr was active at Stamford, making the appearance of his name with the LI mint signature (presumably for Lincoln) quite unusual.

896. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Harthacnut. 1035-1042. AR Penny (18mm, 1.25 g, 12h). Arm and Scepter type (BMC ii, Hild. B). Stamford mint; Godwine, moneyer. Struck 1040-1042. Diademed bust left, holding trefoiltipped scepter / ม űɭዝዩዢnዞ ɭn SͿ©ዦ , quadrilateral, with pellet in center and angles, over voided short cross. Cf. SCBI 40 (Stockholm), 1714; North 811; SCBC 1168. Light golden toning, peck mark. Good VF. Rare. ($1500)

Pedigreed to 1913

897. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Edward the Confessor. 1042-1066. AR Penny (18mm, 1.10 g, 4h).

Radiate/Small Cross (BMC i, Hild. A). Lewes mint; Osweald, moneyer. Struck circa 1044-1046. Radiate and draped bust left / ม ɭ˨ዩɭ⌦ዝዝ ɭn ⌦ ® ዩዞ , short cross pattée. King 213 (this coin); Freeman 122 (this coin cited); SCBI 54 (Stockholm), 431; North 816; SCBC 1173. Minor marks under tone. VF. Rare. ($750)

Ex Sidney W. Harl & Kenneth W. Harl Collection; Spink Numismatic Circular CVII.3 (April 1999), no. 1331; R.J. Eaglen (Baldwin’s 18, 13 October 1998), lot 1424; Sussex Mints Collection (Glendining, 14 October 1985), lot 136; H. King; F.A. Walters (Sotheby, Wilkinson, & Hodge, 26 May 1913), lot 36.

898. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Edward the Confessor. 1042-1066. AR Penny (15mm, 1.14 g, 12h). Small Flan type (BMC iia, Hild. B var.). York mint; Ælfwine, moneyer. Struck circa 1048-1050. Diademed and draped bust left / ม

, voided short cross with pellet at center; annulet in one quarter. Freeman 14; SCBI 11 (Reading), 145 (same dies); North 818; SCBC 1175. Old cabinet toning. Near EF. Well struck. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection, purchased from Dave Hess, March 1968. Ex H. A. Parsons Collection (Glendining, 11 May 1954), lot 193 (part of; with ticket).

Extremely Rare

899. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of All England. Harold II. 1066. AR Penny (20mm, 1.37 g, 9h). Pax type (BMC i, Hild. A). Sudbury mint; Folcwine, moneyer. Crowned head left, scepter to left / ม

across central field. Braintree Hoard 107 (this coin); SCBI –; North 836; SCBC 1186. Toned, slightly wavy flan. EF. Of the highest rarity. ($5000)

Ex 2019 Braintree Hoard.

900. NORMAN. William I ‘the Conqueror’. 1066-1087. AR Penny (19mm, 1.16 g, 10h). Two Stars type (BMC v). Canterbury mint; Wulfric, moneyer. Struck circa 1074-1077. Crowned facing bust; stars flanking / ม ዩ⎍⌦ዟʼዢü ɭn ünͿ , cross botonnée with central annulet over quadrilateral with incurved sides. SCBI –; BMC –; North 845; SCBC 1254. Toned, edge chip. VF. ($500)

Ex Timeline Auctions 116 (2 June 2019), lot 3419; R. Dalton Collection. Loaned to and exhibited at Canterbury Cathedral.

The Battle of Hastings, fought on 14 October 1066, is one of the decisive events in English history. The death of Harold II, felled famously by an arrow in the eye, marked the end of some 500 years Anglo-Saxon rule and civilization. On Christmas Day 1066, the victor, William, Duke of Normandy, was crowned in Westminster Abbey and by 1070 the Norman conquest of England was effectively complete. In his new realm William found a highly efficient monetary system that he wisely retained.

Rare Series F/E Mule

901. PLANTAGENET. Edward III. 1327-1377. AV Noble (33mm, 7.69 g, 8h). Fourth coinage, Pre-Treaty period. Series F/E mule. Tower (London) mint; im: –/cross 2. Struck 1356. Edward standing facing in ship, holding sword and shield; ornaments -11-11-, ropes 3/3, quatrefoils 3/3 / Voided short cross potent over cross fleurée; in each angle, crown over lion passant over annulet; at center, E within quadrilobe; all within polylobe, with trefoils in spandrels. Lawrence AM/63; cf. Schneider 31 (for mule) and 26 (for same rev. die with regular Series E obv.); North 1173/1160; SCBC 1489/1488. Creased, edge dings. Good VF. Very rare mule. ($2000)

902. PLANTAGENET. Edward III. 1327-1377. AV Noble (35mm, 7.60 g, 10h). Fourth coinage, Post-Treaty period, Group III. Calais mint. Struck 1369-1377. Edward standing facing in ship, holding sword and shield; ornaments 1-1-1-1, ropes 3/1, quatrefoils 4/4, lis 4; flag at stern / Voided short cross potent over cross fleurée, pellets flanking top and bottom lis; in each angle, crown over lion passant over voided trefoil; at center, E / within quadrilobe; all within polylobe, with trefoils in spandrels. Lawrence 7; cf. Schneider 115 (for type); North 1281; SCBC 1521. Creased, double struck, slightly ragged spot. Near EF. ($3000)

903. YORK (Restored). Richard III. 1483-1485. AR Groat (25mm, 2.73 g, 8h). Type 2b. London (Tower) mint; im: boar’s head 2. Struck 20 July 1483 to June 1484. Crowned facing bust within tressure of arches; lis at lower cusps / Long cross pattée; triple pellets in quarters. MEG type 2b; North 1679; SCBC 2156. Toned, ding near edge, scattered marks and minor scratches. Good Fine. ($1000)

904. TUDOR. Henry VIII. 1509-1547. AV Angel (28mm, 5.12 g, 12h). First coinage. Tower (London) mint mint; im: castle. Struck circa 1509-1513. Archangel Michael slaying dragon to lower right, spear topped by cross-crosslet / Ship bearing shield and cross; ƌ and rose flanking cross. Schneider 557 var. (stops); North 1760; SCBC 2265. Lightly toned, edge marks. VF. ($2500)

From the G. Savonarola Collection. Ex Jonathan P. Rosen Collection (Triton XXI, 9 January 2018), lot 1416; Classical Numismatic Group 102 (18 May 2016), lot 1513 (incorrect im and references noted).

905. TUDOR. Henry VIII. 1509-1547. AV Crown of the Double Rose (27mm, 3.05 g, 1h). Third coinage. Tower (London) mint; im: pellet-in-annulet. Struck 1544-1547. Crowned double rose; crowned ƌ ˊ flanking / Crowned coat-of-arms; crowned ƌ ˊ flanking. Schneider 632; North 1834; SCBC 2307. In NGC encapsulation 6872545-004, graded AU 58. ($2000)

Ex Dr. Baumhauer Collection; V.J.E. Ryan (Glendining, 28 June 1950), lot 164.

906. TUDOR. Edward VI. 1547-1553. AV Crown of the Double Rose (23mm, 2.99 g, 12h). Southwark mint; im –/E. Struck in the name of Henry VIII, 1547-1551. Crowned double rose; crowned Ɗ ˊ flanking / Crowned coat-of-arms; crowned Ɗ ˊ flanking. Cf. Schneider 667 (for type); North 1868; SCBC 2398. Lightly toned, clipped, scattered marks. Near VF. ($1500)

Ex P. Finn FPL 14 (1998), no. 10; P. Finn FPL 9 (1997), no. 11.

907. TUDOR. Edward VI. 1547-1553. AR Halfgroat (21mm, 1.17 g, 10h). First period. Canterbury mint; im –. Struck April 1547-January 1549. Crowned and mantled bust right; EDOARD / CIVI TAS CAN TON, coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée. North 1897; SCBC 2459 (plate coin in earlier editions). Slight double strike in legends. Toned. VF. Charming portrait. Very rare. ($2500)

Ex James P. Rosen Collection; R.A. Shuttlewood (Spink 151, 15 March 2001), lot 226; J.F. Chown (Glendining, 4 April 1979), lot 136; R. Carlyon-Britton Collection (purchased en bloc by Seaby, 1959); E.C. Carter Collection (purchased en bloc by Baldwin’s, 1951); Sir John Evans Collection.

The distinct rendering of the king’s name as EDOARD is indicative that the engraver who produced this handsome and rare piece was French.

908. TUDOR. Edward VI. 1547-1553. AR Penny (14mm, 0.58 g, 8h). First period. Bristol mint; im: –. Struck April 1547-January 1549. Crowned and mantled bust right / Coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée. North 1903; SCBC 2462. Toned, usual tight flan. Near VF. Very rare issue. ($750)

Ex James P. Rosen Collection, purchased from Spink, August 2000.

Unlisted Reverse Die

909. TUDOR. Edward VI. 1547-1553. AR Crown (42mm, 30.70 g, 2h). Tower (London) mint; im: У. Dated 1551. Edward on horseback riding right, holding sword and reins / Coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée. Woodbridge A/– (unlisted rev.); North 1933; SCBC 2478. Toned, edge marks, scratches, flan flaws. Good VF. A rare, seemingly unlisted reverse die. ($1000)

Ex Webb, Lord Grantley, and Lockett

910. TUDOR. Philip & Mary. 1554-1558. AR Halfgroat (20mm, 0.95 g, 4h). Tower (London) mint; im lis. Crowned bust of Mary left / Coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée. North 1974; SCBC 2509. Toned, slightly wavy flan with associated crack. VF. Very rare denomination. ($5000)

Ex James P. Rosen Collection; R.A. Shuttlewood (Spink 151, 15 March 2001), lot 300; R.C. Lockett (Glendining, Part II, 11 October 1956), lot 1946; Lord Grantley (Glendining, 20 April 1944), lot 1533; B. Roth (Sotheby, Wilkinson, & Hodge, 19 July 1917), lot 278; H. Webb (Sotheby, Wilkinson, & Hodge, 9 July 1894), lot 308.

Ex Captain Douglas & V.J.E. Ryan

911. TUDOR. Philip & Mary. 1554-1558. AR Penny (16mm, 0.47 g, 4h). Tower (London) mint; im lis. Crowned bust of Mary left / Coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée. North 1975; SCBC 2510. Die break at base of bust and a few minor marks under tone. Otherwise a full and pleasing example. VF. Very rare and exceptional for issue. ($4000)

Ex James P. Rosen Collection; Spink 170 (6 October 2004), lot 550; V.J.E. Ryan (Part II, Glendining, 22 January 1952), lot 1023; Capt. R.J.H. Douglas (sold privately circa 1912).

912. TUDOR. Elizabeth I. 1558-1603. AR Threepence (20mm, 1.49 g, 6h). Milled coinage. Tower (London) mint; im: star. Dated 1561. Crowned bust (A) left, with plain dress, wearing ruff; rose to right / Coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée. Borden & Brown 44, dies O1/R1; North 2033; SCBC 2602. Broad flan. A few light scratches under dark mottled tone. Hint of luster. VF. Rare. ($1000)

Ex James P. Rosen Collection; Spink 190 (27 September 2007), lot 574.

913. STUART. Charles I. 1625-1649. AV Unite (33mm, 8.87 g, 8h). Crown gold coinage, group B, class I. Tower (London) mint; im: cross calvary. Struck 1625-1625. Crowned second bust left; XX (mark of value) to right / Crowned coat-of-arms. Brooker 30-1 var. (legend); Schneider 120-1 var. (same); North 2148; SCBC 2687. Polished, mount marks. VF. ($1000)

Pedigreed to 1891

914. STUART. Charles I. 1625-1649. AR Halfcrown (34mm, 14.95 g, 12h). York mint; im: lion passant. Struck 16431644. Charles on horseback left, holding sword and reins; EBOR below / Crowned coat-of-arms, oval shield; crowned C R flanking. Bull 572; Brooker 1083 (same dies); North 2314; Besly, York 3B; SCBC 2868. Deep cabinet toning. In NGC encapsulation 6916566-001, graded AU 58. ($2000)

Ex Motcomb Collection (Morton & Eden 126, 26 April 2024), lot 99; Spink Numismatic Circular List 3 (March 1946), no. 36980; Spink Numismatic Circular XXVIII.9-10 (September-October 1920), no. 88507; J.G. Murdoch Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson, & Hodge, 8 June 1903), lot 205 (part of); J. Gibbs Collection (purchased en bloc by Spink before 1891 [per Manville]).

915. STUART. Charles I. 1625-1649. AR Half Pound (48mm, 60.19 g, 4h). Declaration type. Oxford mint; im: plume with bands. Dated 1643. Charles on horseback left, holding sword and reins, trampling small pile of arms below; Oxford plume to right / RELIG : PROT/: LEG : ANG :/LIBER : PAR : in three lines within cartouche; above, three plumes above -X- (mark of value); below, 1642. Morrieson, Oxford A/1; Brooker Appendix I 15; North 2404; SCBC 2945A. Toned, a few light scratches, small flan flaw on reverse. VF. ($2000)

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 106 (13 September 2017), lot 1132.

916. STUART. Charles I. 1625-1649. AR Shilling (32mm, 6.08 g, 4h). Bristol mint; mm: -/Br. Dated 1644. Crowned bust left; plume to left, XII (mark of value) to right / RELIG : PRO/ LEG : ANG/ LIB : PAR :; three plumes above, 1644. Morrieson, Bristol C-1; Brooker 996 (same dies); North 2499;

areas

917. STUART (ORANGE). William III & Mary. 1688-1694. AV Guinea. Dated 1689. Bull, Gold 360; MCE 148; SCBC 3426. Toned. In NGC encapsulation 8221325-001, graded AU 58. ($5000)

SCBC 3015. Toned, double struck, edge marks, usual

of weak strike. Good VF. ($1000)

918. STUART (ORANGE). William III & Mary. 1688-1694. AR Halfcrown. Dated 1689 and RY PRIMO. Plain caul, plain interior, pearls. First shield. Bull 835; ESC 507; SCBC 3434. Iridescent toning, a few light scratches. Good VF. ($500)

919. STUART (ORANGE). William III. 1694-1702. AR Crown. Dated 1695 and RY OCTAVO. First bust. Bull 991; ESC 87; SCBC 3470. Toned. In PCGS encapsulation 51341065, graded MS 62. ($2000)

920. HANOVER. George II. 1727-1760. AV Half Guinea. Dated 1759. Bull, Gold 660; MCE 365; SCBC 3685. In NGC encapsulation 6916566-002, graded MS 62. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex NASCA 58 (10 December 1985), lot 535.

Extremely Rare Soho Pattern Restrike

921. HANOVER. George III. 1760-1820. Pattern CU Halfpenny (30mm, 14.42 g, 11h). Soho mint. Dies by Küchler. Dated 1795. Taylor restrike. GEORGIUS III · D : G · REX ·, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / (inverted lis) BRITANNIA (inverted lis), Britannia seated left atop globe, raising hand and resting arm on shield and spear; 1795 (quatrefoil) in exergue. Peck 1173/1049 (for obv./rev.). In NGC encapsulation 6916566-011, graded MS 64 BN. Extremely rare. A variety seemingly unknown to Peck. Top Pop. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

This pattern, one of the many fascinating restrikes made by Taylor in the 1860s, combines an obverse used for 1797 pattern halfpennies with a 1795 reverse.

922. WINDSOR. George VI. 1936-1952. AV Proof Set. Dated 1937. Includes: AV 5 Sovereign. In NGC encapsulation 2926104-001, graded PF 64 // AV 2 Sovereigns. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-013, graded PF 64 // AV Sovereign. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-014, graded PF 63 // AV Half Sovereign. In NGC encapsulation 6928253-015, graded PF 62. SCBC PS15. All NGC graded. With original case of issue. Four (4) coins in lot. ($7500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

923. WINDSOR. George VI. 1936-1952. Proof AV Two Pounds. Dated 1937. Bull, Gold 1455; W&R 437; SCBC 4075. In NGC encapsulation 2926098-007, graded PF 64.

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex R. M. Smythe (11 May 2000), lot 1820.

924.

From the Georges Albert Haikel Collection.

($2000)

WINDSOR. Elizabeth II. 1952-2022. AV 5 Sovereigns (36mm, 39.94 g, 12h). Dated 1988. SCBC SE5. Proof. Mintage of 3,315. Struck in 22k gold. In original case of issue. ($2000)

925. WINDSOR. Elizabeth II. 1952-2022. AV 5 Sovereigns (36mm, 39.94 g, 12h). 500th Anniversary of the Sovereign. Dated 1989. SCBC SE6. Proof. Mintage of 2,937. Struck in 22k gold. In original case of issue. ($2000)

From the Georges Albert Haikel Collection.

926. SCOTLAND. Mary. 1542-1567. AR Ryal (40mm, 30.41 g, 5h). Fourth period, Mary and Henry Darnley. Edinburgh mint; im: thistle. Dated 1566. Countermarked for the Revaluation of 1578. Crowned coat-of-arms; thistles flanking / Tortoise climbing on crowned palm tree; thistle countermark. SCBC 5425. For c/m: SCBC p. 76. Iridescent toning, a few light scratches, edge marks. VF. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Bowers & Merena (26 January 1990), lot 3300.

927. IRELAND, Hiberno-Norse. Phase V. Circa 1065-1085/95. AR Penny (18mm, 0.97 g). Phase V coinage, Long Cross type. Draped bust left; X to left / Voided long cross, with triple crescent ends; ‘hand’ symbol and quatrefoil of pellets in opposing quarters. SCBI 8 (BM), 208; SCBI 22 (Copenhagen), –; SCBI 32 (Ulster), –; D&F 28; SCBC 6138. Toned, flat strike with areas of weakness. VF. Extremely rare. ($750)

Ex ‘Good Money’ Collection (Noonans 259, 27 September 2022), lot 563.

928. IRELAND. Edward IV. First reign, 1461-1470. AR Penny (16mm, 0.74 g, 5h). Anonymous ‘Crown’ coinage. Dublin mint. Struck circa 1460-1463. Large crown within tressure of 9 arches with trefoils of pellets at upper cusps; small cross in top spandrels / Long cross pattée; triple pellets in quarters. IHP N-2; D&F 93; SCBC 6282A (6277). Find patina, some ghosting, small flan split, slightly off center on reverse. VF or better. Extremely rare. ($2000) Ex Hibernia Collection.

929. IRELAND. Mary. 1553-1554. AR Shilling (28mm, 4.99 g, 11h). Tower (London) mint. Dated 1553. Crowned bust left / Crowned harp; crowned M R flanking. D&F 226; SCBC 6495. Toned, scratches and scrapes. VF. A good example of this rare issue. ($1500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Norman Applebaum Collection (Superior, 11 December 1992), lot 1487.

930. IRELAND. Mary. 1553-1554. AR Shilling Fantasy Restrike (32mm, 7.48 g, 10h). By Edward Emery. Dated 1553, though struck 1840s. Crowned bust left / Crowned harp; crowned M R flanking. Pagan, “Mr. Emery’s Mint,” in BNJ 40 (1971), 89. Toned. EF. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Norman Applebaum Collection (Superior, 11 December 1992), lot 1580.

931. IRELAND. James II. 1685-1691. CU Halfpenny. Limerick mint. Dated 1691. Withers, Gunmoney 18/20; SCBC 6594. Brown surfaces. EF. Overstruck on a large size Gunmoney shilling. ($500)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (10 February 1993), lot 1298.

High

Grade Irish Proof

932. IRELAND. George III. 1760-1820. Proof AR Six Shillings Token. Bank of Ireland coinage. Soho (Birmingham) mint. Dated 1804. D&F 616; SCBC 6615. Iridescent toning. In NGC encapsulation 3827997-017, graded PF 64. ($3000)

BRITISH MEDALS

The Founders of Wadham College, Oxford

933. STUART. Nicholas & Dorothy Wadham, landowners and benefactors of Oxford. 1531-1609 and 1534/5-1618. AR Cliché Medal (44x54mm, 13.99 g, 12h). Struck circa 1618. WHERE CHRIST WHO IS OUR LIFE SHALL APPEAR, bust of Nicholas Wadhman facing, wearing ruff; all within wreathed border with skulls at cardinal points / WE SHALL APPEARE WITH HIM IN GLORY, bust of Dorothy Wadhman facing, wearing hat and ruff; all within wreathed border with skulls at cardinal points. MI 220/73; Eimer 98. Toned, mount marks (as made?). Good VF. Extremely rare – only one on CoinArchives. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Galerie des Monnaies of Geneva (25 June 1976), lot 309.

City View of London

934. STUART. Charles I. 1625-1649. Cast AR Medal (41mm, 14.42 g, 11h). Return to London from Edinburgh. By N. Briot(?). Dated 1633. CAROLVS AVGVSTISS’ · ET INVICTISS’ · MAG’ · BRIT’ · FRAN’ · ET HIB’ · MONARCHA, Charles on horseback rearing left, holding baton and reins; rayed Eye of Providence above, plumed helmet below; ·:1633:· in exergue / SOL ORBEM REDIENS SIC REX ILLVMIN AT VRBEM, personification of the sun shining over the London cityscape. Eimer 124b; MI 266/62. Toned, slightly wavy, chased as made. Good VF. ($750)

935. STUART. Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex. 1591-1646. Cast Oval AR Badge – Military Reward (22x27mm, 5.48 g, 12h). Possibly by T. Simon. Cast circa 1642. Collared and armored bust facing / Crowned coat-of-arms. Platt & Platt type GMI 298/117; Eimer –. Toned, chased as made. Good VF. ($600)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Galerie des Monnaies of Geneva (10 June 1978), lot 3142.

The grandson of Francis Walsingham, the Principal Secretary and ‘spymaster’ of Elizabeth I, as well as the son Elizabeth’s favorite, Robert Devereux figured prominently in the First English Civil War. At its outset, he became the first Captain-General of Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, known as the ‘Roundheads.’ However, unable and unwilling to defeat the Royalist forces during the Lostwithiel Campaign in 1644, Devereux became overshadowed by the ascending Oliver Cromwell and, less than six months after resigning from his commission, died without an heir in 1646.

936. STUART. Charles II. 1660-1685. Hollow Cast AR Medal (70mm, 88.88 g, 12h). Embarkation at Scheveningen. By P. v. Abeele. Dated 2 June 1660. CAROLUS · II · D : G · MAGNÆ · BRIT · FRA · ET · HIB · REX ·, armored bust facing slightly right / + IN NOMINE MEO EXALTABITUR CORNU EIUS · PSAL · 89 ·, fleet under sail left on sea; above, Rumor flying left, blowing horn and holding banner inscribed SOLI DEO GLORIA; below, shell inscribed S. M. is úit Hollant/van Scheveling afgevaren/naer fÿn Conincrÿken A° 1660 Júni 2 in three lines. MI 455/44; Eimer 210. Toned, ballast hole on edge as made. Near EF. Skillfully chased as made. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex World-Wide Coins of California (James F. Elmen) VI (24 May 1984), lot 592.

937. STUART (ORANGE). William III. 1688-1702. AR Medal (40mm, 31.35 g, 12h). Restoration of Ireland (The End of the Jacobite War in Ireland). By G. Hautsch. Dated 1691 (in Roman numerals). WILH · III · D · G · ANG · SCO · FR · ET · HIB · REX · DEF · FID ·, laureate, draped, and armored bust right / William rearing right on horseback, with English forces behind, rushing forward against Irish forces; in background, cityscapes of Drogheda and Dublin; above, Victory flying right, holding trumpet and palm frond, and surrounded by five genii holding six decorated shields and inscribed WATERFORT, ATHLONE, LIMRICH, KINSAL, LONDONDERY, and GALOWAY; in two lines in exergue, RESTITVTORI/HIBERNIÆ. Edge: ANNORVM GESTA DVORVM CERNIS : QVID PLVRES FACIENT?. MI 41/224; Eimer 341; Woolf –. Toned, a few marks, edge mark. Good VF. ($1000)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Lepczyk 58 (27 July 1984), lot 727.

Important Original/Early Trial Strike – Die Later Used by Matthew Young

938. STUART. James III (The Old Pretender). 1688-1766. PB Trial Strike (29mm, 10.13 g). The Accession of James III(?). By N. Roettier. Struck circa 1701. IACOBUS · TERTIUS ·, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left / Blank textured surface. Cf. Woolf 16:1 (for this die in a later state, restruck by Matthew Young with a 1716 pattern guinea die); cf. Eimer 379 (for similar type of 1699); cf. MI 202/516 (same). Pierced, scratches, a few light marks. Good VF. Extremely rare. ($500)

From the Alexander Christopher Collection.

This extraordinarily rare die was likely originally engraved for a medal on the accession of James III following the death of his father. No such medal was struck, however, and the die remained unused. In 1828, Matthew Young paired this die, now significantly rusted, with a reverse for a 1716 pattern shilling.

No definitively original examples are known to exist for any of Young’s various Jacobite restrikes, although one 1716 pattern crown and an accompanying copper striking in the National Museum of Scotland have been speculated as such (see Holmes, “A Jacobite Mystery: Thomas Coats’s 1716 Pattern Crown,” in NumCirc CXIII.4 [August 2005], p. 245-6). The state of the die used for this trial – lacking the die rust before the face, on the cheek, in the lower hair, and in the right field – clearly indicates that it was struck well before its circa 1828 reappearance. Accordingly, this piece is likely the sole original striking known of any of the dies used by Matthew Young.

Our thanks to Cameron Maclean at the National Museum of Scotland for help with cataloging this lot.

Beautiful Jacobite Medal

939. temp. HANOVER. James Francis Edward Stuart. Pretender, 1701-1766. AR Medal (50 mm, 49.71 g, 12h). The Support of James Francis Edward Stuart, “The Old Pretender” Against George I. By O. Hamerani. Dated 1721 (in Roman numerals). VNICA SALVS, draped and cuirassed bust of James right / QVID · GRAVIVS · CAPTA, Britannia seated right, in attitude of mourning as horse of Hannover tramples lion (England) and unicorn (Scotland); to right, three soldiers plundering; in background, view of London; MDCCXXI in exergue. Woolf 40; MI 454/63; Eimer 493. Iridescent toning, edge marks. ($1000)

From the W.B. & R.E. Montgomery Collection.

940. HANOVER. Victoria. 1837-1901. AV Medal (26mm, 12.75 g, 12h). Diamond Jubilee. London mint. By G.W. de Saulles, after T. Brock and W. Wyon. Dated 1837 and 20 June 1897 (in Roman numerals). VICTORIA ANNVM REGNI SEXAGESIMVM FELICITER CLAVDIT XX · IVN · MDCCCXCVII ·, crowned and veiled bust left / Head left, wearing bandeau, set on filleted olive branch; to left LONGI-/ TVDO/ DIERVM/ IN/ DEXTERA/ EIVS in six lines to left, ET IN/ SINISTRA / GLORIA in three lines to right. BHM 3506; Eimer 1817b. Hairlines, minor edge marks. EF. ($750)

From the Drewry Family Collection. Ex Davissons FPL (Fall 1989), lot 35A.

REPRODUCTIONS

941. ROMAN EMPIRE. Constantius I. As Caesar, AD 293-30. Gilt Cast “AV Medallion Multiple” (42.5mm, 28.91 g, 12h). After an original electrotype of a now-lost Treveri (Trier) mint issue of AD 297 medal from the Arras Hoard, discovered in 1922 and made by Étienne Bourgey in Paris, circa 1929. FL VAL CONSTA NTIVS NOBIL CAES, laurete, draped, and cuirassed bust right / R EDDITOR LVCIS AETERNA E, Constantius on horseback right, holding spear, approaching London kneeling in supplication before city gate, LON below; below, galley sailing right on Thames; PTR. Edge: 7. R DROUOT E. BOURGEY PARIS 101. Cf. RIC VI 34 = Beaurains 218 = Kent-Hirmer pl. 152, 585 = Toynbee pl. 8, 4 (for original). Gilding toned and worn in spots, hairlines, a couple of cleaning marks. Good VF. Important historical type. ($750)

End of Session 3

Banti

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

Please refer to our online bibliography at www.cngcoins.com for a complete listing of specialized and general references used, and abbreviations.

ANCIENT

A. Banti. I grandi bronzi imperiali 9 Vols. Florence. 1983-1986.

BMC Various authors. Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum. 29 Vols. London. 1873-1927.

BMCRE

BN

Bodenstedt

H. Mattingly et al. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum. 6 Vols. London. 1932-1962.

J. Giard. Bibliothèque Nationale, catalogue des monnaies de l’empire romain 3 Vols. Paris. 1976-present.

F. Bodenstedt. Die Elektronmünzen von Phokaia und Mytilene. Tübingen. 1981. Boehringer

E. Boehringer Die Münzen von Syrakus. Berlin and Leipzig. 1929. Bopearachchi

O. Bopearachchi. Monnaies Gréco-Bactriennes et Indo-Grecques Paris. 1991. Depeyrot

G. Depeyrot. Les monnaies d’or (Diocletian à Constantin I, Constantin II à Zenon). Wetteren. 1995-1996. Calicó X. Calicó. The Roman avrei catalogue. 2 Vols. Barcelona. 2002.

CNS R. Calciati. Corpus Nummorum Siculorum: la monetazione di bronzo. 3 Vols. Italy. 1983-87. Crawford M. Crawford. Roman Republican Coinage. 2 Vols. Cambridge. 1974.

CRI

D. Sear The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators 49-27 BC. London. 1998. Fischer-Bossert

W. Fischer-Bossert. Chronologie der Didrachmenprägung von Tarent 510-280 v.Chr. Berlin 1999. Flament

C. Flament. Le monnayage en argent d’Athènes. De l’époque archaïque à l’époque hellénistique (c. 550-c. 40 av. J.-C.). Lovainla-Neuve. 2007.

Hendin D. Hendin. Guide to Biblical Coins. 6th Edition. New York. 2021. HN Italy

N.K. Rutter, ed. Historia Numorum. Italy. London. 2001.

Kumar S. Kumar Treasures of the Gupta Empire. A Catalogue of Coins of the Gupta Dynasty. San Francisco. 2017. Meshorer

Y. Meshorer. A Treasury of Jewish Coins from the Persian Period to Bar Kokhba. Jerusalem. 2001.

MK R. Göbl. Münzprägung des Kušanreiches. Vienna. 1984.

MIR R. Göbl, et al. Moneta Imperii Romani. 5 Vols. Vienna. 1984-present.

Price

M.J. Price. The Coinage in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus. London. 1991.

Prieur M. Prieur A type corpus of the Syro-Phoenician tetradrachms and their fractions from 57 BC to AD 253. Lancaster. 2000.

RIC H. Mattingly, et al. The Roman Imperial Coinage. 10 Vols. London. 1923-1994.

RPC A. Burnett, et al. Roman Provincial Coinage. 9 Vols. London and Paris. 1992-present.

RSC D. Sear, et al. Roman Silver Coins 5 Vols. London. 1978-1987.

SC A. Houghton & C. Lorber. Seleucid Coins: A Comprehensive Catalog. 2 Parts. Lancaster. 2002 and 2008. Sellwood D. Sellwood. An Introduction to the Coinage of Parthia. 2nd edition. London. 1980.

SNG ANS Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, American Numismatic Society New York. 1969-present.

SNG BM Black Sea Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, British Museum, 1: The Black Sea. London. 1993.

SNG Copenhagen Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Danish National Museum. Copenhagen. 1942-1979.

SNG BN Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Cabinet des Médailles, Bibliothèque Nationale. Paris. 1993-2001.

SNG Kayhan Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Turkey 1: The Muharrem Kayhan Collection. Istanbul. 2002.

SNG Levante Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Switzerland; E Levante - Cilicia Bern. 1986.

SNG Lloyd Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Lloyd Collection. London. 1933-1937.

SNG Lockett Sylloge Nummorum Greacorum, Lockett Collection. London. 1938-1949.

SNG München Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, München Staatlische Münzsammlung Berlin. 1968-present.

SNG von Aulock Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock. Berlin. 1957-1968. Starr C. Starr Athenian coinage 480-449 BC. London. 1970.

Svoronos J. Svoronos.

Athens. 1904-08. Traité E. Babelon. Traité des monnaies grecques et romaines. 9 Vols. Paris. 1901-1932. Weidauer L. Weidauer. Probleme der frühen Elektronprägung. Fribourg. 1975.

BYZANTINE, MEDIEVAL, WORLD, and BRITISH

Album S. Album. A Checklist of Popular Islamic Coins 3rd ed. Santa Rosa. 2011. Biaggi E. Biaggi. Monete e zecche medievali italiane dal seculo VIII al seculo XV. Torino. 1992. Bitkin V. Bitkin. Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins. 2 vols. Kiev. 2003. BMC Vandals W. Wroth. Catalogue of the Coins of the Vandals, Ostrogoths and Lombards and of the Empires of Thessalonica, Nicaea and Trebizond in the British Museum. London. 1911. (Reprinted as Western and Provincial Byzantine Coins in the British Museum.) CIS S. Goron and J.P. Goenka. The Coins of the Indian Sultanates. New Delhi. 2001. CNI Corpus Nummorum Italicorum 20 Vols. Rome. 1910-1943. Davenport J.S. Davenport. Various works on European crowns.

ESC H.A. Seaby & P.A. Rayner. The English Silver Coinage from 1649. London. 1992. Friedberg R. Friedberg. Gold Coins of the World. 8th ed. Clifton. 2009.

KM C.L. Krause & C. Mishler Standard Catalogue of World Coins. Krause Publications. Iola. Levinson R.A. Levinson. The Early Dated Coins of Europe. Clifton, NJ. 2007. Lunardi G. Lunardi. Le monete delle repubblica di genova. Genoa. 1975.

MEC P. Grierson & M. Blackburn. Medieval European Coinage. Cambridge. 1986.

MIB W. Hahn. Moneta Imperii Byzantini 3 Vols. Vienna. 1973-81.

MIBE W. Hahn and M.A. Metlich. Money of the Incipient Byzantine Empire. Vienna. 2000.

MIR Various. Monete Italiane Regionali. 5 Vols. Pavia. ND.

NM G. Depeyrot. Le numéraire mérovingien. 5 vols. Wetteren. 1998-2001.

North J.J. North. English Hammered Coinage. 2 Vols. London. 1963, 1975.

SB D. Sear, et al. Byzantine Coins and Their Values. 2nd edition. London. 1987.

SCBC Standard Catalogue of British Coins. London. Annually.

SCBI Various authors. Sylloge of the Coins of the British Isles.