An

Unpublished Tetradrachm of Nikomedes I

1,200

Kings of Bithynia, Nikomedes I AR Tetradrachm. Nikomedia, circa 265-255 BC. Diademed head to right / Artemis-Bendis seated to left on rock, holding two spears and heavy sword in scabbard, round shield with rings or rivets resting by side; in background, stump of tree with spoils of war; [Β] ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, [Ν]ΙΚΟΜΗΔΟΥ to left, monograms in inner left field and exergue. De Luynes 2421 var. (monograms - same obv. die) = RG, pl. XXIX, 1 = EHC 414; SNG Copenhagen -; cf. HGC 7, 606; Roma XXV, 335 and following lot (same dies). 16.75g, 29mm, 2h.

Extremely Fine; cleaning marks, lightly smoothed in areas, but boasting a deep cabinet tone and a bold portrait of Nikomedes, struck in marvellous Hellenistic style by a master engraver. Exceedingly Rare; unpublished with these monograms, only two examples have come to auction in the last two decades.

From a private UK collection.

Nikomedes I was the second king of the independent kingdom of Bithynia, succeeding his father, Zipoetes I, in 278 BC. He began his reign in ruthless fashion by executing two of his three brothers. The third was able to escape, however, and rapidly went about raising a insurrection. This brother, known to us as Zipoetes II, succeeded in making himself sovereign master of a considerable portion of the kingdom. In response to this, in 277, Nikomedes forged an alliance with the marauding Celts, led by Leonnorius, who were at that time based in Thrace and had recently besieged Byzantion. After assisting them in crossing the Bosporos, which led to them eventually populating the region that came to be known as Galatia, Nikomedes then engaged many of these Celts as auxiliaries. His army greatly bolstered with capable and battle-hardened warriors, Nikomedes was able to swiftly defeat his brother Zipoetes II and reunite the kingdom (Justinus, ‘Epitome of Pompeius Trogus’, XXV.2).

A philhellene ruler of immense energy, ambition, skill, and cunning, Nikomedes greatly expanded his previously landlocked kingdom during his reign (278-255), and is principally remembered today for his founding of Nikomedia, which prospered as one of the most affluent cities in Asia Minor for over six centuries.

Kings of Bithynia, Nikomedes I AR Tetradrachm. Nikomedia, circa 265-255 BC. Diademed head to right / Artemis-Bendis seated to left on rock, holding two spears and heavy sword in scabbard, round shield with rings or rivets resting by side; in background, stump of tree with spoils of war; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, [ΝΙ]ΚΟΜΗΔΟΥ to left, monograms in inner left field and exergue. De Luynes 2421 var. (monograms - same obv. die) = RG, pl. XXIX, 1 = EHC 414; SNG Copenhagen -; cf. HGC 7, 606; Roma XXV, 335 and preceding lot (same dies). 16.84g, 29mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine; featuring a stunning old cabinet tone and bold portrait struck in fine Hellenistic style. Exceedingly Rare; unpublished with these monograms, only two examples have come to auction in the last two decades.

From a private European collection.

Asia Minor

4,500

Asia Minor, uncertain mint EL Hekte. Circa 625/0-600 BC. Phokaic standard. Head of ram to left / Quadripartite incuse square. SNG von Aulock 7775; cf. SNG Kayhan 1565 (1/24 stater); otherwise unpublished. 2.74g, 10mm.

Extremely Fine.

From a private European collection.

The motif of the ram’s head is known from several electrum issues, but in rather different styles than seen on the present coin (cf. Weidauer 50 & Boston MFA 1756), and thus this issue might often be catalogued as being from Ionia. In contrast, Classical Numismatic Group have postulated that this issue might be from Kebren in Troas, due to the striking similarity of style to the early silver issues of that mint.

Ionia, uncertain mint EL 1/12 Stater. Circa 650-600 BC. Lydo-Milesian standard. Striations / Straited square divided incuse punch. M. Kerschner and K. Konuk, ‘The Artemision of Ephesus’ in White Gold: Studies in Early Electrum Coinage (2020), 4; Weidauer 9 var. (1/12 Stater); Traité I 14; SNG Kayhan 681; SNG von Aulock 7766; Linzalone Ln1038; Roma E-89, 415 (same punch). 1.21g, 7mm.

Extremely Fine.

From the inventory of a UK dealer.

Traces of an Ant Design?

Ionia, uncertain mint EL Trite. Circa 650-600 BC. Lydo-Milesian standard. Plain type (?). Plain globular surface, or possibly traces of an ant or insect design (?) / Two incuse square punches. Weidauer 5; Traité I 11 var. (equal size punches); SNG Kayhan 673; Boston MFA 1749. 4.65g, 11mm.

Good Very Fine.

From the JTB Numismatic Collection - collector’s ticket included; Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Mail Bid Sale 66, 19 May 2004, lot 459 (hammer: 1,600 USD).

Ionia, uncertain mint EL Hekte. Circa 625-600 BC. Phokaic standard. Raised clockwise swastika pattern / Quadripartite incuse square. Rosen 314; Traité I 117-8; SNG von Aulock 1777; Boston MFA 1781. 2.37g, 10mm.

Extremely Fine.

From the JTB Numismatic Collection - collector’s ticket included; Ex Stack’s Bowers Galleries (& Ponterio), January 2022 NYINC Auction, 14 January 2022, lot 3068; Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction V, 23 March 2013, lot 309.

Ionia or Northern Greece, uncertain mint (Mylasioi in Pangaion?) EL Hekte. Circa 600-550 BC. Phokaic standard. Scorpion / Irregular incuse square. CNG Triton XXVI, 257 (same dies); Roma VII, 472 = Nomos 5, 183 = Gorny & Mosch 190, 245 = A. Tsintsifos, Perix Pangaion Epeiros, p. 161, 1; cf. Traité I 113 = BMC p. 12, 57 (1/48 stater); cf. Leu 30, 1982, 173 (hemihekte of the same types). 2.85g, 10mm.

Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; one of four known specimens, and of great numismatic interest.

From a private European collection.

It has been occasionally suggested that this remarkable type struck on the Phokaic standard may have been produced in the Thraco-Macedonian region, with the rough nature of the reverse incuse cited as evidence in favour of this proposition. Similarities to coins now understood to have been produced in this area lend credence to this idea; a similar scorpion appears on later silver coins which is now attributed to northern Greece (previously attributed to Asia Minor). A. Tsintsifos, in his recent work ‘Perix Pangaion Epeiros’, proposes that the coins of northern Greek origin bearing the scorpion device should be attributed to settlers from Mylasa who arrived in the Pangaion region around the beginning of the 6th century, probably with the Samians. If this should be the case, it is indeed likely that they would have struck coins bearing their native city’s devices, but on a weight standard that was more convenient to them for trade.

Extremely Rare

Ionia, uncertain mint EL Hekte. Circa 600-550 BC. Forepart of horse to right; palm branch behind / Quadripartite incuse square. Rosen Sale 32 = Pozzi 2295; Roma E-32, 344. 2.10g, 10mm.

Near Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; an unusually complete example evidencing a palm branch behind the horse.

From a private European collection.

Ionia, uncertain mint EL 1/12 Stater. Imitating Kingdom of Lydia. Circa 600-561 BC. Head of roaring lion to right, sunburst (without rays) on forehead / Incuse square punch. For Lydian prototype cf. GRPC Lydia G30; cf. Weidauer group XVI, 90; cf. Traité I 47; cf. SNG Kayhan 1015; cf. Rosen 654; cf. Elektron I 72. 1.12g, 8mm.

Near Extremely Fine; light scratches to obv. Very Rare.

From the JTB Numismatic Collection; Ex Numismatik Naumann, Auction 62, 4 February 2018, lot 301.

The unusual style of this coin indicates that it is a contemporary imitation of the well-circulated lion’s head series struck by the Kingdom of Lydia.

Extremely Rare

Ionia, uncertain mint EL 1/24 Stater. Circa 600-550 BC. Lydo-Milesian standard. Facing head of lion / Incuse square. SNG Kayhan 1548; Klein -, cf. 416; Rosen, cf. 370 (twelfth?); Weidauer -, cf. 162-265 (twelfth); Nomos obolos 22, 366 (same die and punch, hammer: 800 CHF). 0.67g, 6mm.

Extremely Fine; a charming stylistic obv. design. Extremely rare in this denomination.

From a private European collection.

Ionia, uncertain mint EL 1/24 Stater. Circa 600-550 BC. Lydo-Milesian standard. Facing head of lion / Incuse square. SNG Kayhan 1548; Klein -, cf. 416; Rosen, cf. 370 (1/12 stater?); Weidauer -, cf. 162-265 (1/12 stater); Nomos obolos 22, 366 (same die and punch, hammer: 800 CHF). 0.68g, 6mm. Extremely Fine; a charming stylistic obverse. Extremely rare in this denomination.

From a private European collection.

Ionia, uncertain mint EL 1/24 Stater. Circa 600-550 BC. Phokaic standard. Lion seated to right, with open jaws / Incuse square. CNG 97, 215; Nomos 19, 135; cf. SNG von Aulock 177 var. (hekte). 0.65g, 8mm. Near

Ionia, uncertain mint EL Stater. Circa 550-525 BC. Lydo-Milesian standard. Forepart of bridled horse to left; rosette of pellets before chest, floral symbol (lotus?) above / Two incuse squares flanking central rectangular incuse. Fischer-Bossert, Horses, Series I, 2o (H2/H1-H3, this coin); Weidauer 138-9; ACGC 56; Konuk & Lorber fig. 7; SNG Kayhan 714 (same punches); Traité I 70, pl. II, 24. 14.28g, 23mm. Good Extremely Fine. Previously encapsulated and graded by NGC, AU 3/5 - 4/5 (#4884540-003). Rare.

This coin cited in W. Fischer-Bossert, ‘Horses with and without wings’, in M. Asolati, et al, eds., Suadente nummo vetere. Studi in onore di Giovanni Gorini (Padova, 2016), p. 7; From the JTB Numismatic Collection - collector’s ticket included; Ex Hess-Divo AG, Auction 329, 17 November 2015, lot 92.

This Coin Published in Studi Gorini, 2016 Apparently Unique and Unpublished

Ionia, uncertain mint AR Tetrobol. 5th century BC. Corinthian helmet to left / Quadripartite incuse square. Apparently unique and unpublished, cf. Rosen 109 (obol, ‘Skione’); cf. SNG Kayhan 743 (obol, Ionia or Caria). 2.23g, 12mm.

Fine. Apparently unique and unpublished. Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XXII, 7 October 2021, lot 299.

243.

Ionia, Ephesos AV Stater. Circa 155-140 BC. Draped bust of Artemis to right, wearing stephane, bow and quiver over shoulder / Cult statue of Artemis of Ephesos, a fillet hanging from each hand; thymiaterion in inner right field, Ε-Φ across fields. G. K. Jenkins, Hellenistic Gold Coins of Ephesos, in Festschrift Akurgal, Ankara, 1987, p. 134, pl. B, 6 (BM) = R Fleuscher I, Artemis von Ephesos und der erwandte Kultstatue von Anatolien und Syrien, EPRO 35, 1973, pl. 53b (same dies); LIMC II, pl. 565, 23. 8.47g, 19mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine; minor marks, struck from slightly worn dies. Very Rare.

Acquired from Leu Numismatik AG.

The Hellenistic era gold coinage struck at Ephesos is extremely rare and rarely well preserved. It was previously thought to have all been struck during the Mithradatic wars, but this is now known not to be the case. Some seem to be dated by the era of the Province of Asia and the dates they bear are too early for them to be Mithradatic War issues. Certain other issues such as the present example appear to be part of extraordinary issue of gold struck in conjunction with an extremely rare gold stater type of Magnesia in the mid-second century. The style and fabric of both issues seem consistent with an emergency issue struck to meet an immediate expense.

The reverse of this coin depicts the famous cult statue of Ephesian Artemis, housed in the great temple of Artemis that is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The original image of the goddess was a wooden xoanon that had represented a pre-Hellenic goddess who the Greeks later equated with Artemis. This first image, which was kept decorated with jewellery, was possibly lost in a flood in the 8th or 7th century which destroyed the temple; excavations have discovered the tear-shaped amber drops of elliptical cross-section which must have dressed it. In circa 550 BC, when reconstruction of the temple was begun (partly financed by Kroisos), it was undertaken in grand style and was supposedly the first Greek temple to be built of marble. The wooden xoanon was replaced by a new ebony or grapewood statue sculpted by Enoidos, which presumably survived until the temple was again destroyed, this time by an act of arson on the part of one Herostratos. The second destruction of the temple coincided with the birth of Alexander the Great; Plutarch later noted that Artemis was too preoccupied with Alexander’s delivery to save her burning temple. The form of the goddess is distinctly near-eastern in appearance; characteristics such as her legs being enclosed in a tapering pillar-like term are closely related to Egyptian and Hittite images, and the curious feature of the many protuberances on her chest (usually described as breasts or eggs) are decidedly non-Greek in origin, and indeed have defied explanation or identification for centuries, though an association with fertility seems implicit.

Circa 165-140 BC. Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Pegasos flying to right above the foreparts of five galloping horses / Club to right, HPAKΛEΩTΩN above; below, monograms to left and right of Nike advancing to left, holding wreath, all within oak wreath. BMC 1; SNG von Aulock 1978; SNG Copenhagen 781. 16.40g, 34mm, 12h.

Near Extremely Fine; test cut.

From a private UK collection.

Ionia, Magnesia ad Maeandrum AR Tetradrachm. Circa 155-145 BC. Attic standard, Stephanophoric type. Pausanias, son of Pausanias, magistrate. Diademed and draped bust of Artemis to right, bow and quiver over shoulder / Apollo Delphios standing to left, resting on tall tripod behind and holding branch tied with fillet; ΠAVΣANIAIΣ ΠAVΣANIOY to left, MAΓNHTΩN to right, meander pattern below, all within laurel wreath. Jones 18 (same obv. die); SNG Copenhagen 844.

NGC graded Ch AU 4/5-5/5 (#6156331-015).

Acquired from Vilmar Numismatics; Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 117, 19 May 2021, lot 205.

1,800