Le più belle rappresentazioni di guerrieri

[King John]

Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXV	Auction date: 22 September 2022
Lot number: 129 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Sicily, Syracuse AV 100 Litrai - Double Dekadrachm. Dionysios I, circa 405-400 BC. Head of Arethusa to left, hair in sphendone ornamented with two stars, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace; [ΣYPAKOΣIΩN before], pellets flanking neck / Herakles kneeling to right, strangling the Nemean Lion. Bérend 15,10 (this coin); SNG ANS 329 (same dies); SNG Lockett 985 (same dies); Pozzi 605 (same dies); Jameson 814 (same obv. die); HGC 2, 1275. 5.78g. NGC graded AU 5/5 - 4/5 Fine Style (6158586-002). This coin published in D. Bérend, 'Le monnayage d'or de Syracuse sous Denys I' in CCISN 8 (Rome, 1993); Ex Heritage World Coin Auctions, ANA Signature Sale 3048, 11 August 2016, lot 32011; Ex Dr. Lawrence A. Adams collection, Classical Numismatic Group, Triton XIX, 5 January 2016, lot 2018; Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Triton VI, 14 January 2003, lot 110; Ex Spink & Son Ltd, Auction 32, 30 November 1983, lot 11; Ex Ars Classica S.A., Auction XV, 2 July 1930, lot 375. Described by Cicero as "the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all" (Against Verres, 2.4.52), Syracuse became the major power in Sicily during the late 5th century BC. Its political and cultural power is borne out in its large-scale issues of what is undoubtedly some of the finest coinage in all of antiquity, with its prominence attracting eminent artists and famous die-engravers from all across the Mediterranean. This particular issue dates to circa 405 BC, following the election of Dionysios as supreme military commander of Syracuse in recognition of his achievements in the war against Carthage and his subsequent seizure of total power. Syracuse had only recently repelled an Athenian invasion of Sicily that resulted in the complete destruction of Athens' expeditionary force and ultimately contributed significantly to Athens' defeat at the hands of Sparta in the Peloponnesian War. Then under Dionysios in 405 BC, despite the ruin of great cities such as Akragas and Gela, Syracuse overcame a Carthaginian invasion that might have resulted in a comprehensive conquest of the island. Such glory was short-lived, however, as the rule of Dionysios' son and successor was to bring civil strife that would weaken the power of Syracuse. Never again would the city issue coinage on such a grand scale, and this coin represents part of the last great flourishing of classical numismatic art at Syracuse before two centuries of steady decline and eventual conquest at the hands of the Romans. The wonderful Syracusan 100 litrai or double dekadrachms are considered amongst some of the finest gold coinage of the Greek world, and are associated with the magnificent dekadrachms of Euainetos, whose signature also appears on the earlier dies of the gold denomination issue. The serenely graceful head of the sea-nymph Arethusa, rendered in very similar style to the great die-engraver Euainetos, is presented in delightful contrast to the dynamic rendering of the first labour of Hercules, the slaying of the Nemean lion, on the reverse. The die-engraver's masterful composition within the bounds of a circular constraint produces a scene of great power and climax, both Herakles' and the lion's backs arched as the hero bends to tighten his grip around the lion's neck and it strains desperately against him to escape. As a great Doric hero and ancestor of the Doric city of Syracuse, Herakles' defeat of the lion, the symbol of Africa, has powerful connotations for Syracuse's own conflict with the African city of Carthage. Estimate: 25000 GBP ILLUSTRAZIONE: 1) Ercole e il leone di Nemea sull'oinochòe’ attica a figure nere su sfondo bianco proveniente da Vulci e attribuita al Pittore di Londra B 620 (British Museum, 520-500 a.C.). 2) Stamnos attico a figure rosse del Pittore di Kleophrades con Ercole che strangola il leone di Nemea (University of Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia, 490 a.C.).

[King John]

Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXV	Auction date: 22 September 2022
Lot number: 1103 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Alexander III 'the Great' of Macedon Æ Contorniate. Rome, late 4th - early 5th century. ALEXANDER MAGNVS MACEDON, bust to right, wearing lion skin headdress / Olympias reclining to left on couch, feeding coiled serpent; dolphin to right, OLYMPIAS above, REGINA in exergue. Mittag Alexander II; Alföldi 3.1; Stutzinger 188; BM R.4803. 27.03g, 37mm, 6h. Good Very Fine; contact mark at 11h. Very Rare. The term 'contorniate' refers to late antique coin-like objects which can be distinguished from other coins and medallions by their raised edge and deepened groove on the inside of the rim. The ancient term for these objects is unknown to us and several different interpretations have been proposed as to their origin and intended purpose. Alföldi argued that contorniates such as this were produced in the state mint of Rome and concluded that, due to the frequent use of pagan imagery, they were intended for pagan city prefects. They were therefore a means of propaganda for a senatorial anti-Christian agenda and represented a less than cohesive relationship between pagans and Christians in the late antique (Mitagg, pp. 1-2). Others have argued however that there is a strong connection between the representations found on contorniates with the circus and amphitheatre (Mitagg, ibid). There are many reverse types which depict chariot races and contests in the amphitheatre, but also the Emperors who are most frequently depicted are known to have given enthusiastic patronage to contests in the circus (Nero, Trajan and Caracalla). Contorniates therefore may have played a functional role at sporting contests and given as gifts to spectators. There are various notable figures of Greek and Roman history and literature depicted on contorniates, such as Alexander the Great and his mother Olympias represented on this example. Mitagg has argued that there is case to be made for both the obverse and reverse of this contorniate serving as an amulet (p. 165). The legacy of Alexander is difficult to exaggerate and there may have been a magical appreciation of his image in the late Roman period. Ausonius, the Roman poet and rhetor, reports that old Macedonian gold coins were given away the imperial court on New Year's day (epigram 18,5-6). Whilst Macedonian coins may have been appreciated as being particularly valuable, an episode recorded in the Historia Augusta specifically makes mention of the magical power of Alexander's image was believed to bestow. In the 'thirty tyrants' it is reported that the Macriani family decorated jewellery, clothes and objects with the head of Alexander because it was believed this aided them in everything they attempted (Tyranni XXX, 14). The reverse depiction of Olympias with a serpent possibly alludes to a myth of Alexander's conception as told in the so-called Alexander Romance. The original Greek text is believed to date from the third century BC and was translated into Latin in the fourth century by Julius Valerius Alexander Polemius. This apocryphal story describes how Alexander was fathered by a refugee Egyptian Pharaoh, Nektanebo II, who was also a great magician. Whilst King Philip was absent on a campaign, the exiled Nektanebo succeeded in deceiving Olympias into receiving his advances by taking the form of a serpent. Anticipating Philip's anger at finding his wife pregnant upon his return, Nektanebo sent him a magical dream which convinced him that the father of his child was a god and Olympias was therefore blameless. Philip however was not totally convinced and was overheard by Nektanebos accusing Olympias of adultery with a human creature. Later Nektanebo appeared at a banquet in the form of a serpent and brought fear and confusion to the diners. Olympias however recognised the serpent and sat upright on her couch to greet it with her outstretched right hand. Nektanebos placed his jaw in the palm of her hand and projecting his forked tongue kissed her, and then transformed into an eagle and flew to the sky. Upon seeing this Philip was reconciled with Olympias and congratulated himself because he would be called the father of a child divinely begotten (see W. Kroll, Historia Alexandri Magni I, Berlin, 1958, pp. 10-11). The scene depicted therefore could be interpreted as the moment just before Olympias receives redemption from Philip. For Mittag, this can be interpreted as an example of the connection between gods and human beings with the help of magical practices. Furthermore, the redemption Olympias receives via the magic of Nektanebo symbolises the personal benefits amulets secure for the wearer through their supernatural powers (pp. 165-6). Estimate: 5000 GBP

[VALTERI]

Al diritto, bella testa di guerriero con elmo laureato : al rovescio cavallo al galoppo a briglia sciolta, con sotto un elmo corinzio .

E' un piccolo bronzo ( 316-290 a.C. / 6,43 g . 19 mm ) dei mercenari campani in Entella , classificato HGC 2 , 251 .

Sarà l' 8 Settembre in vendita RomaNum, Anders collection al n. 173 

[Pxacaesar]

Ciao, posto mio denario dell'imperatore Caracalla (coniato nel 213 d. C) con al rovescio la rappresentazione del più guerriero di tutti, il dio Marte?. 

ANTONIO 

MM 18,50     G 3,57     RIC 223

Modificato 23 Agosto, 2022 da Pxacaesar

[VALTERI]

Una bella testa con elmo crestato, attribuita ad Ares, anepigrafe, al diritto ed una corta spada in fodero, con etnico e monogramma al rovescio .

E' un piccolo bronzo ( 100-85 a.C. / 7,85 g - 21 mm ) di epoca ellenistica, da Amisos del Ponto .

Sarà il 13 Settembre in vendita Solidus 105 al n. 179 .

[King John]

Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG > Auction 376	Auction date: 18 October 2022
Lot number: 4414 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: GRIECHISCHE MÜNZEN. MOESIA. KALLATIS AR-Tetradrachme (Alexandreier), 250/225 v. Chr.; 17,19 g. Herakleskopf im Löwenfell r.//Zeus Aetophoros sitzt l., davor Monogramm. Price 924. Prachtexemplar. Feine Tönung, vorzüglich Aus der Sammlung "Alexander der Große". Exemplar der Auktion Tkalec, Zürich 18. Februar 2002, Nr. 31 und der Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 304, Osnabrück 2018, Nr. 206. Estimate: 750 EUR ILLUSTRAZIONE: ALESSANDRO IL GRANDE TRA IL PADRE FILIPPO II E LA MADRE OLIMPIADE

[King John]

Roma Numismatics Ltd > The Anders Collection	Auction date: 8 September 2022
Lot number: 519 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Sicily, Panormos Æ 21mm. Circa 208-180 BC. Me-, quaestor. Laureate head of Zeus to left / Warrior standing to left, holding patera and spear; shield at side, monogram of ME (of quaestor) above monogram of ΠAP to left. Cf. HGC 2, 1071 (L•ME). 4.80g, 21mm, 4h. Extremely Fine; smoothed and tooled. From the Anders Collection, collector's tickets included. Estimate: 5 GBP

[King John]

Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 23	Auction date: 22 August 2022
Lot number: 3675 Price realized: 650 CHF   (Approx. 678 USD / 675 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: Uncertain, 2nd-3rd centuries AD. Gnostic Amulet (?) (Orichalcum, 25 mm, 9.30 g). XABPAXΦ / NHNXAT / ΦIΧΡΟΦ / NYPWΦI / WLWBW / XIHWAI in six lines on stela; all incuse. Rev. Mummy (of Osiris?) lying right, surrounded by serpent with head to left; above, raven with closed wings standing right on mummy; above the head of the serpent, globe; all incuse. A fascinating piece with an intriguing reverse. Light pitting, otherwise, extremely fine. As indicated by the nonsensical obverse legend and the complex iconography, this interesting amulet likely had a magical purpose and/or played some role in Gnostic belief. As is usually the case with such items, however, the iconography was highly symbolic, and thus difficult to interpret. Firstly, the obverse legend appears to be inscribed on a stela shaped like a funerary monument. The theme of death is carried over to the reverse, which shows a mummy lying right. This might be the mummy of the Osiris (see Leu 7 (2020), 1516, for a depiction of Osiris on another Gnostic amulet), but it lacks any of his specific attributes, such as the atef crown. The serpent surrounding him is shaped like a heka crook, which was strongly associated with Osiris, though this may just be mere coincidence. Regardless of its identity, the mummy obviously served as a symbol of spiritual rebirth and eternal life. The serpent itself had a dual nature in both the Graeco-Roman and Egyptian worlds, appearing at times as a bringer of good fortune or as a harbinger of destruction. Curiously, the scene also includes a raven, associated with Apollo in Greek mythology, though as a carrion bird, it may symbolize an evil force threatening the mummy, which is protected by the serpent (who appears to lift his head at the raven). Finally, the globe likely represents the Sun, again representing cyclical renewal. Taking everything together, the amulet appears to symbolize the rebirth of the soul, which could only be attained by seeking the true wisdom offered by Gnosticism. Starting price: 100 CHF

[King John]

Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXV	Auction date: 22 September 2022
Lot number: 78 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Kingdom of Mauretania, Bogud AR Denarius. Uncertain Western Mauretanian mint, circa 47-46 BC. Griffin attacking stag to left / REX BOCVT, griffin standing to right; winged solar disk above, thunderbolt below. RPC I 854; MAA 57 (same dies); Mazard 104 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 536 (same dies). 3.79g, 20mm, 6h. Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; RPC cites only 5 examples, 3 of which are in museum collections, with the present specimen being the finest known. From a private English collection. Bogud, son of King Bocchus I of Mauretania, was joint king of Mauretania with his elder brother Bocchus II, with Bocchus ruling east of the Moulouya River and his brother west. An important ally of Julius Caesar, Bogud later supported Marc Antony in the power struggle between Antony and Octavian. He was deposed by his brother and was killed at the siege of Methone in 31 BC prior to the Battle of Actium. Estimate: 4000 GBP ILLUSTRAZIONE: Funerary urn decorated with a griffin attaching a stag Alabaster bas-relief (h. 37, w. 40 cm) II Century BC From Volterra, Tuscany Volterra, Museo Etrusco Guarnacci Exhibition “Monsters” Roma, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

[King John]

Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXV	Auction date: 22 September 2022
Lot number: 182 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Lokris, Lokri Opuntii AR Stater. Circa 360-350 BC. Wreathed head of Demeter to left, wearing pearl necklace and triple-pendant earring / Ajax, nude but for crested Corinthian helmet, advancing to right on rocky ground, holding sword and shield decorated with coiled serpent; broken spear on ground behind, ΟΠΟΝ-ΤΙΩΝ around. BCD Lokris-Phokis 41 (same rev. die); SNG Copenhagen 46 (same obv. die); SNG Lockett 1694 (same dies); Dewing 1476; HGC 4, 990. 12.07g, 24mm, 12h. Extremely Fine; an exceptional specimen, beautifully centered on the flan with subtle blue iridescence complementing a subtle cabinet tone. This coin published in H.B. Andersen, Apollo to Apollo: The Hunt for the Divine and Eternal Beauty (2019); From the Apollo to Apollo Collection (www.apollotoapollo.com); Ex A. Tkalec AG, Auction February 2001, 19 February 2001, lot 90. Estimate: 7500 GB

[King John]

Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 132	Auction date: 30 May 2022
Lot number: 190 Price realized: 48,000 CHF   (Approx. 50,167 USD / 46,836 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: Gela Dilitron circa 416-405, AV 1.74 g. Rider on horse pacing r., wearing chiton, Phrygian helmet and boots, holding in r. hand reins and in l. spear. Rev. ΓΕΛΑΣ Forepart of man-headed bull (the river-god Gelas) r.; above, barley grain. Rizzo pl. XIX, 6 (these dies). BMC 1. de Luynes 939 (these dies). AMB 292 (these dies). Jenkins 490. Of the highest rarity, the fifth specimen known and one of only three in private hands. A very interesting and fascinating issue struck on a very large flan. Almost invisible marks, otherwise extremely fine From an Exceptional Collection assembled between the early 70s and late 90s. Despite the rising power of Syracuse as the fifth century progressed, Gela still retained much influence among the Greek cities of Sicily. In 415 B.C., a congress at Gela established an alliance that thwarted Athenian attempts to conquer the island and ultimately led to the destruction of the Athenians at the siege of Syracuse in 413 B.C. Thanks to Gela, the Greek cities of Sicily had weathered the storm and remained independent of the faltering Athenian Empire. Unfortunately, a new menace loomed on the horizon in the form of the Carthaginians. When a great Punic army marched against Agrigentum and destroyed it in 406 B.C., the Geloans gave refuge to the survivors. Knowing that their wealthy city would be the next target, the Geloans begged for assistance from Dionysios I, the ruling tyrant of Syracuse. The Carthaginians lay siege to Gela in 405 B.C. and probably would have taken the poorly fortified city immediately if not for the bravery of the defenders. The Geloans managed to hold out until Dionysios I arrived with an army, but when this was defeated they were forced to surrender the city to plunder and destruction by the Carthaginians, escaping with their families to Leontini. This gold dilitron was struck as an emergency issue in the dark days as the Punic noose began to tighten around Gela. Estimate: 20000 CHF

[King John]

Classical Numismatic Group > Auction 121	Auction date: 6 October 2022
Lot number: 346 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Circa 150-140 BC. AR Oktobol (22mm, 5.53 g, 1h). Attic standard. Dionysios, son of Demetrios, "magistrate". Warrior, holding couched lance, on horse rearing right; Δ (mark of value [4 diobols = oktobol]) below / Bull butting left; MAΓNHTΩN above, ΔIONYΣIΟΣ/ΔHMHTPIOY in two lines in exergue; all within circular maeander pattern border. Kinns, Two 15 (O13/R3) = Bement 1458 (this coin); SNG Copenhagen 825 = Rhousopoulos 3718. Toned. Superb EF. Struck on a broad flan. Ex Sheikh Saud Al-Thani Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica 126, 17 November 2021), lot 228; Nomos 5 (25 October 2011), lot 185; Gemini I (11 January 2005), lot 162; Lanz 102 (28 May 2001), lot 267; John Work Garrett/Johns Hopkins University Collection (Part II, 16 October 1984), lot 266, purchased from Chapman, 24 March 1925; Clarence S. Bement Collection (Part II, Naville VII, 23 June 1924), lot 1458; Theodor Prowe Collection (Egger XLVI, 11 May 1914), lot 949; J. Hirsch XVI (5 December 1906), lot 636. Estimate: 7500 USD

[King John]

Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG, Auction 39, lot 10, 16/05/2007

The Barry Feirstein Collection of Ancient Coins Part I
Greek Coins
Camarina
No.: 10
Estimate: CHF 65000
d=24 mm
Didrachm signed by Eyainetos before 405, AR 8.55 g. Bust of young river-god Hipparis, facing three- quarter l., with horns on forehead and hair in long loose curls; a fish downwards on either side. On neck, signature [EYAI]. The whole within border of stylised waves. Rev. KAM - A - RI - NA The nymph Camarina, with head l., dressed in low-necked chiton leaving the breast partly bare and with crossed legs, riding on swan l. over curved waves. She clasps with l. hand the swan’s neck while r. holds billowing chiton. In field r., fish amid waves. SNG Lloyd 876 (these dies). Rizzo pl. 7, 9 (these dies). SNG Hunterian 5 (these dies). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 54, 152 (these dies). Westermark-Jenkins 162.7 (this coin, the different weight is due to the cleaning).
Extremely rare, only eight specimens known. An issue of tremendous
fascination with an interesting reverse composition and a portrait of
enchanting beauty work of one of the most celebrated Sicilian
master-engravers. Minor flan crack at eleven o’clock on obverse,
otherwise about extremely fine / extremely fine
Privately purchased from Harlan J. Berk. From the A.D.M. collection.
During the era of this didrachm, four artists signed at Camarina: VL , EXE, Exakestidas and Euainetos. The latter is the most famous of those artists, and is the one who signed the obverse die of the coin offered here. For this particular issue of didrachms only three dies are recorded, two obverse and one reverse. The other obverse die has no visible signature, though its quality assures us it was the work of a master artist – perhaps Euainetos or Exakestidas; it is known only from a single specimen, on which a die break obscures the base of the neck, and thus probably also the artist’s signature. On this obverse Euainetos creates a placid image in line with Kimon’s facing-head Arethusa of Syracuse (from which it probably was inspired), and which bears a striking resemblance to a very rare drachm of Syracuse (SNG Lloyd 1397). The countenance of our river-god Hipparis is calm and reflective; even the turn of his head toward the viewer seems naturally posed. The reverse scene, which recalls the myth of Leda and the swan, is similarly placid, and no less accomplished, for it shows a light-hearted and playful scene unfolding before our very eyes. The nymph Camarina devotes her attention to assuring her chiton billows in the wind above her head as she reclines carelessly on the back of her swan, steadying her position by placing her right hand upon the swan’s breast. At this very moment the powerful, yet elegant bird is preparing to take flight or has just landed on the water; as its great wings are sprung into action, waves crest below and two fish, in response to the alarming state of affairs, are stirred, one propelling itself skyward. The inscription does not interfere with the delicate composition of this complex design, which required an optimal effort from a renowned engraver. Camarina was located near the estuaries of the Oanis and Hipparis rivers on the southern coast of Sicily. It may be of some consequence that both the obverse and the reverse of this coin show two fish; they could represent the two nearby rivers, or, perhaps even more likely, they could symbolize the river and the sea, both of which were important to Camarina. The Hipparis, the larger and more important of the two rivers, issued into the sea less than two miles from Camarina, and the Oanis was closer still. The Hipparis was personified in god-form and is honored on Camarina’s coins. On this issue he is shown nearly full-facing, and on other didrachms of this period (bearing inscription that name him) he is shown in profile.

ILLUSTRAZIONE: Roma. Ara Pacis. Pannello di Tellus. Dettaglio. 

[King John]

Classical Numismatic Group > Auction 121	Auction date: 6 October 2022
Lot number: 74 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: LUCANIA, Thourioi. Circa 410-400 BC. AR Dinomos – Distater (26mm, 15.71 g, 3h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated on its bowl with Skylla scanning, and on its neck guard with griffin advancing right / Bull butting right, ligate VE on its hind quarter; ΘOYPIΩN above, IΣTOPOΣ on ground line; in exergue, fish right. Noe, Thurian B6 (same dies); HN Italy 1781; de Luynes 581 (same dies); Naville V, lot 551 (same dies); E.S.G. Robinson, "Coins of Thurium from the Collection of the Marchese Ginori" in NC 1927, 4 (same dies). Toned, small mark in field on obverse, minor die shift on reverse. EF. Boldly struck in high relief. From the Father & Son Collection, purchased from Pars Coins, 10 February 2019. Ex Bertolami Fine Arts 24 (22 June 2016), lot 112. 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 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; some scholars have postulated a connection to the mathematician-philosopher Pythagoras, who was active in Italy during this period. Estimate: 7500 USD

[King John]

Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXV	Auction date: 22 September 2022
Lot number: 432 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Rhodos, Rhodes AR Didrachm. Circa 250-230 BC. Mnasimachos, magistrate. Head of Helios facing slightly to right / Rose with bud to right; MNAΣIMAXOΣ above, P-O flanking stem; in left field, Athena Nikephoros standing to left, holding aphlaston. HNO 395 (temporary); Ashton 208; SNG Keckman 537-9; HGC 6, 1439. 6.66g, 21mm, 12h. Good Extremely Fine; stunning old cabinet tone with iridescence around devices. Ex Nomos AG, Auction 9, 21 October 2014, lot 169; Ex private Swiss collection, acquired in the late 1980s. Estimate: 1500 GBP illustrazione: Helios in his chariot, relief sculpture, excavated at Troy, 1872; in the State Museums of Berlin

[King John]

Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXV	Auction date: 22 September 2022
Lot number: 475 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy I Soter, as satrap, AV Stater. Alexandria, circa 312/11 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander to right, wearing elephant skin and aegis, horn of Ammon over ear / Prow of galley to right, adorned with one large and one small protective eye. CPE 38; Svoronos 25; Zervos Type V, Issue 87; Gulbenkian 1071 = Jameson 999; Saida 41; Triton XIX, 2076 = Nomos 7, 149 = NAC 46, 303. 8.54g, 18mm, 12h. Extremely Fine; some flattening around the edge and rims, ex-jewellery. Extremely Rare; one of only seven known, and one of only four in private hands (the others in Athens, Lisbon, and Paris). Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XVII, 28 March 2019, lot 552. One of the great rarities of the Ptolemaic coinage, this type is not only wonderful in its simplicity but stunningly beautiful in its execution. Bearing neither inscription nor control symbols – a unique feature that makes it stand out from the rest of Ptolemy's coinage – the type nonetheless is inextricably linked to the Athena Promachos and Zeus Aëtophoros tetradrachms and a unique gold stater (NAC 66, 77) which all use the deified head of Alexander wearing an elephant skin headdress as the obverse type, as well as small bronzes which feature a portrait of Ptolemy I and a prow on the reverse. Lorber notes that the obverse portrait closely parallels that of a transitional tetradrachm minted at Alexandria and argues this, along with find site information, provides a terminus post quem for the issue of 312. Zervos, in his study of the early coinage of Ptolemy I, although certain that the type was contemporary to the Attic weight silver coins and minted at Alexandria, was unable to ascribe it to a historical context. The occasion for the striking of this coin may have been the reconquest of Cyprus in 313/312 from cities who had switched their allegiance to Antigonus Monophthalmos and thus, a celebration of Ptolemy's naval exploits. Although his own Cypriot allies had been conducting operations against those aligned with Antigonos for several years with some success, Ptolemy himself proceeded to Cyprus at the head of a significant army and fleet. Once there he swiftly eliminated the pro-Antigonid factions, capturing and killing the king of Kition, and subduing Marion and Lapithos-Kyrenia, the former of which was destroyed. Many of the formerly independent kingdoms of Cyprus were subjugated or absorbed by his local allies. The use of the head of Alexander on the obverse of this coin and others mentioned above is a clear illustration of Ptolemy's claim to be the legitimate successor to the legacy of Alexander. Intercepting the body of Alexander in 322/1 in Syria as it was being moved from Babylon to Macedon and diverting it to Memphis was a very direct statement of this claim, since by custom, Macedonian kings asserted their right to the throne by burying their predecessor. Lorber points out that the dating of the coin corresponds to the transfer of Ptolemy's capital from Memphis to Alexandria and the minting of the coin there may commemorate the new base of the Egyptian fleet within a city sacred to Alexander. Estimate: 25000 GBP

[King John]

Nomos AG > Auction 24	Auction date: 22 May 2022
Lot number: 152 Price realized: 360,000 CHF   (Approx. 370,332 USD / 349,779 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: CYCLADES, Ios. Circa 325-300 BC. Didrachm (Silver, 19 mm, 6.20 g, 9 h). ΟΜΗΡΟΥ Bearded head of Homer to right, wearing a simple taenia. Rev. ΙΗΤΩΝ within a laurel wreath tied at the bottom. Kraay & Hirmer 535 = Regling, Kunstwerk, 786 = Sheedy, Ios and Syros, Touratsoglou Studies, fig. 1, 1. (same obverse die). Monnaies et Médailles 76, 19 September 1991, 717 (Boutin Collection, same dies). Of the greatest rarity and importance, the finest and most famous of all the numismatic portraits of Homer. Beautifully toned and of the finest late Classical style. Nearly extremely fine. From the BCD Collection, acquired in the early 1970s from a aspiring collector who had just inherited it from his father-in-law, who had, in turn, seemingly acquired it from his own father prior to World War I. Homer, the apparent author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, is one of the greatest writers of all time: he was certainly the best known of all the poets of the ancient world. He is believed to have lived in the second half of the 8th and early 7th centuries BC and was closely connected to Ionia, though traditions vary: he is said to have been born on Chios, but also at either Smyrna or Kolophon. It is generally thought that he died on Ios. Most sources suggest that he was blind, though he has an eye with a pupil on the present coin. In fact, his portrait as shown here, has great affinities with the probably slightly earlier head of Zeus Lykaios that appeared on staters of the Arkadians struck in Megalopolis c. 363/2; except, of course, that Zeus wears a laurel wreath rather than a simple taenia. The extraordinarily high quality of the dies that produced these rare didrachms, along with the relative unimportance of the island of Ios itself, argues that these coins must have been produced for reasons of prestige, more than just commercial necessity. When this coin was acquired in the 1970s it was still covered in corrosion products as found, and its types were only just visible. It was brought to the late John Pett of Spink's, who offered to have it cleaned, but his specialist cleaner refused to attempt it. It was then given to F. Kovacs, the well-known expert from California, who happened to be in London at that time. After a few days of extremely careful and professional work, FK was able to remove all the deposits, thus revealing the original surfaces in all their glory! To get a partial idea of what the coin looked like prior to cleaning, do look at the Berlin piece, which was acquired in 1873 as part of the collection of General C. R. Fox (1796-1873). The possibility that both the present piece and the Berlin/Fox example originally came from the same 19th century find is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility. A note from BCD: I have been asked many times after the last BCD auction took place if there were any special coins kept back and not offered in the auctions. The answer was a very emphatic "No", as I wanted the catalogues to be as complete as possible. However, this amazing piece did not belong to any of my collecting areas and so I chose to keep it, treasure it and enjoy it for as many years as I could. Silvia Hurter pleaded with me to consign it for the Bank Leu auctions but all I did was to allow her to photograph it. This photograph, together with Frank's letter received with the coin after it was cleaned by him, are framed and hang over my desk in the library. As any collector who acquires a great rarity that is also historically important would, I searched through the commercial section of my library trying to locate other specimens. The 1952 A.N.A. Convention sale catalogue featured such a coin in comparable condition to mine: lot 931, estimated at $500 and hammered at $390! It seems the American collectors at that time did not appreciate its importance, or perhaps thought it was estimated too high. The note after the description in the catalogue points to the only other one known: "...the hitherto unique specimen formerly in the Berlin Cabinet, now in Russia". The cataloguer must either thought that East Berlin was part of Russia or that the Berlin coins moved to Russia! I mentioned the sale to Charles Hersh and asked for his help. He wrote to me that he spoke to Henry Grunthal who suggested he gets in touch with Ed Gans to try and find out the buyer. Sadly, the answer was a disappointment: Gans wrote back to Charles that he remembered the coin but did not make a note of who bought it and he didn't know what happened to the auction records. One other specimen turned up later in the trade: Vinchon, 13 April 1985, lot 314. This coin, although quite corroded, sold for 28000 French francs on an estimate of 7000 / 8000 to M+M who bought it for Serge Boutin. Bob Hecht was the underbidder (he never ignored rare coins at an auction, especially if he knew he could make money from them). Boutin had just sold his Cretan collection in October 1984 and was polishing up his Aegean Islands that went under the hammer on 20 September 1991 in M+M 76. There, the Ios fetched 13,000 Swiss Francs on an estimate of 7,500. The buyer was Baldwin's (against Tom Eden of Sotheby's) and the coin went to the Goulandris Museum in Greece. During my visit to East Berlin in the 70's, the Ios didrachm was at the top of the list of coins to view. It was not mentioned in Pinder's rare 1851 Berlin catalogue, it was absent from the 1873 edition authored jointly by Friedlaender and von Sallet and appears for the first time in the 1877 edition. Friedlaender published it with an etching in ZfN V (1878) in his article detailing the 1876 acquisitions and mentioned that it comes from the Fox collection. From then on it appears in all the Berlin handbooks and in the 1920 edition, authored by Kurt Regling, is finally listed as "Unicum". More recently, in 1997, Hans-Dietrich Schultz in an overview of the Berlin collection, chose the enlarged Homer portrait to grace the cover of his fine publication titled "Das Kabinett 3" This is all I could find on these great rarities but I hope the new owner will persevere and find out if this is really the third known coin with the earliest Homer portrait, or there is one more lurking in an unknown and secret collection, the coins of which have never seen the light of day because they are stored underground in rat infested vaults (as Alan Walker would say). Estimate: 40000 CHF

[King John]

Asta n.6, Sovereign rarities

Macedon Skione silver Tetrobol c.480-450 BC

Macedon, Skione, silver Tetrobol, c. 480-450, male head right, rev. Σ[Κ]ΙΟ, retrograde, around Corinthian helmet right within incuse square, 2.91g, 9h (SNG Cop 319). Lightly porous, good early style, good very fine, rare.

https://auctions.sovr.co.uk/index.php?option=com_timed_auction&view=lot_detail&low_estimate=0&high_estimate=50000&keyword=&exclude_keyword=&sort_by=lot_number&image_filter=0&box_filter=0&paper_filter=0&export_issue=0&arr=0&auction_id=17&list_type=list_view&lots_per_page=18&page_no=2&lot_id=754596&search_type=&year=&month=&department_id=&cat_id=

Modificato 12 Settembre, 2022 da King John

[VALTERI]

Da Kaunos di Caria, un esemplare di emidrammo ellenistico ( 166-150 a.C. / 1,30 g - 10 mm ) con al diritto testa elmata attribuita ad Atena ed al rovescio corta spada in fodero, con leggenda .

Sarà il 23 Settembre in vendita N&N London 8 al n. 25 .

[King John]

 

Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction XXVAuction         date: 22 September 2022          Lot number: 1039

Lucius Verus AV Aureus. Rome, AD 166. L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate and cuirassed bust to right / TR P VI IMP IIII COS II, Victory standing to right, holding palm branch and placing on palm tree a shield inscribed VIC PAR. RIC III 564 (Aurelius); C. 278; BMCRE 430 note; Faces of Power 349 (this coin); Calicó 2190 (same obv. die). 7.34g, 20mm, 6h.

Fleur De Coin; a perfect coin in every respect, struck from dies of elegant and refined style.

This coin published in H. Gitler & G. Gambash, Faces of Power - Roman Gold Coins from the Victor A. Adda Collection (Jerusalem, 2017);
Privately purchased from B & H Kreindler;
Ex Numismatica Ars Classica AG, Auction 119, 6 October 2020, lot 127;
Ex Victor A. Adda Collection, Christie's, Highly Important Ancient Coins, 9 October 1984, lot 85.

Shortly after Lucius Verus succeeded to the position of co-Emperor in AD 161, a position he shared with Marcus Aurelius, the peace Antoninus Pius had negotiated with the Parthians collapsed. The Parthian king Vologases IV invaded the Kingdom of Armenia, then a Roman client state, expelling the king and installing his own. Both initial attempts to recover the territory of Armenia by the Governor of Cappadocia, Marcus Sedatius Severianus, and the Governor of Syria, L. Attidius Cornelianus, were unsuccessful. Marcus Aurelius took the decision to send his imperial colleague Lucius Verus to defend the Eastern territories in person. This aureus was struck following the successful invasion of Armenia and capture of Artaxata in AD 163 by M. Statius Priscus, the former Governor of Britain who had been sent to replace Severianus as the Governor of Cappadocia. The following year, Roman forces captured the Parthian capital of Ctesiphon. The obverse proudly boasts the titles Armeniacus and Parthicus, which were granted to Verus in AD 163 and AD 164 despite him having never seen combat. He is believed to have spent the majority of the campaign in Antioch, where his contribution to military matters is one of historical dispute. Nevertheless, he received a hero's welcome in Rome in AD 166 and basked in the glow of a triumph. The recovery of Armenia into the Empire as a subordinate client kingdom saw the end of the limited themes which had featured on the early gold issues of the two Augusti in favour of the new Minerva, Felicitas, Pax and Victory, who is depicted on the reverse of this coin.

Estimate: 25000 GBP

ILLUSTRAZIONE: LA VITTORIA ALATA CHE INCIDE SU UNO SCUDO LE IMPRESE DI TRAIANO, II SECOLO D.C., ACCADEMIA DI BRERA

 

[King John]

Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61288	Auction date: 18 September 2022
Lot number: 95316 Price realized: 3,600 USD   (Approx. 3,601 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: Ancients Basil II Bulgaroctonos (AD 976-1025). AR miliaresion (27mm, 2.86 gm, 7h). NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5, marks. Constantinople, AD 989. ΘCЄ bΘ, tOIS bASILS', nimbate bust of the Virgin Nikopoios facing, wearing pallium and maphorium, holding with both hands medallion with the draped, nimbate bust of the infant Christ; MHP (monogram)-ΘV (barred) across fields, triple border / + mЄR ΘЧ (barred) / DЄDOIASm / O ЄIS SЄ ЄL' / ΠIZwn OЧ / C AΠOt, X, legend in five lines; diamond of four pellets and two lines below, triple border. Sear 1809. DOC III 19. Rare; a fascinating type of great historical interest. Lightly toned with attractive earthen highlights and excellent eye appeal. From the Historical Scholar Collection The occasion for the minting of this very rare type was probably the conclusion of the second great civil war of Basil II's reign. The young Basil II faced two revolts in his early years on the throne, both from members of the Anatolian aristocracy named Bardas. The first revolt occured from 976-979 and was led by Bardas Skleros. Skleros was defeated by another member of the Anatolian military elite, Bardas Phokas, nephew of the former emperor Nicephorus II and leader of the forces loyal to the emperor. Ten years later, Phokas decided to rebel against Basil, marching with a large contingent of loyal troops towards the capital. He began to lay siege to the city of Abydus, which, if captured, would have allowed Phokas to blockade the Dardanelles. At just the right moment, reinforcements from the newly Christianized Kievan Rus arrived to fight on Basil's side. What followed is a dramatic scene that exemplifies Byzantine military life and the code of honor that accompanied it in the 9th and 10th centuries. With the two armies in sight of each other and preparing for battle, Phokas heroically galloped forward towards the emperor, seeking personal combat with him. This scene is emblematic of the behavior of Byzantine nobles and royalty of the period; a very similar scene occurs during the Byzantine national epic poem Digenis Akritas, in which a young Byzantine nobleman bravely engages in personal combat with an Arab emir to avoid a battle. As Phokas galloped towards the emperor, he suddenly suffered a seizure and died. Without its charismatic leader, the rebellion quickly collapsed, as it had not been a revolt of ideology but one of raw power. The two revolts had both severely threatened Basil's rule but left him stronger than he would have been without them, as he had an excuse to dramatically curtail the powers of the aristocracy for the rest of his reign. These miliaresia, originally attributed to John I, have been securely attributed by Philip Grierson not only to Basil II but to the successful defeat of Phokas' rebellion in 989. At Abydus, the Virgin Nikopoios had played a pivotal role in raising the morale of the imperial troops, and it is likely that Basil struck these coins in commemoration. The unusual obverse inscription translates to "O Virgin aid the emperors". The reverse inscription translates to "Mother of God, full of glory, he who puts his trust in you will never fail in his undertakings".

ILLUSTRAZIONE: LA VERGINE MARIA CON GESU' CRISTO, MOSAICO A FONDO ORO DATABILE AL 1118, BASILICA DI SANTA SOFIA, ISTANBUL

 

[King John]

Heritage World Coin Auctions > ANA Signature Sale 3101	Auction date: 25 August 2022
Lot number: 32133 Price realized: 3,200 USD   (Approx. 3,206 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description: Ancients Constantius II, as Augustus (AD 337-361). AV solidus (21mm, 4.43 gm, 5h). NGC AU 4/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, edge marks, flan deficit. Antioch, 5th officina, AD 355-361. FL IVL CONSTAN-TIVS PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, cuirassed bust of Constantius II facing, head slightly right, spear in right hand over shoulder, shield in left decorated with horseman motif / GLORIA-REI-PVBLICAE, Roma (on left) enthroned facing, spear in left hand, and Constantinopolis (on right) enthroned facing left, scepter in left hand, jointly holding between them with their right hands a shield inscribed VOT/XXX/MVLT/XXXX; SMANЄ in exergue. RIC VIII 165. Depeyrot 10/1. A truly impressive portrait of Constantius struck in high relief. Beautiful in hand. From the Historical Scholar Collection The armored three-quarter facing bust type seen on this solidus was an innovation by Constantius II that became the archetype for Late Roman and early Byzantine coinage struck at Eastern mints. Later die engravers took less care to produce a distinctive portrait, however, and from the reign of Arcadius onward the three-quarter imperial busts of this style became generic and virtually interchangeable, which was consistent with the evolution of the imperial image that occurred during the fourth century. During the Constantinian period (but one could argue this change began under Diocletian), the emphasis in imperial portraiture changed, both in sculpture and on coins, from the realism of the early empire to a focus on the trappings of power and the position of emperor itself, and thus imperial images grew ever more stylized. The shift of the portraiture on the coinage was a microcosm of the greater changes occurring in the empire, where the old Republican façade created by Augustus was discarded in favor of a new, more explicit version of absolute power that historians have labeled the Dominate.

[King John]

Asta in corso per questa bellissima Atena Itonia che brandisce la lancia.....

CNG Feature Auction 121, 6/10/2022,  lot 239 

DESCRIPTION

THESSALY, Thessalian League. Mid-late 2nd century BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 4.17 g, 1h). Kallistr– and Tima–, magistrates. Laureate head of Apollo right; HΛ monogram to left / Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear and holding shield; two stars above spear, T-I/M-Λ across in inner fields, KAΛΛ-I/ΣTP-A in small letters in two lines to inner right. BCD Thessaly 891.2; HGC 4, 213. Iridescent tone, slight die shift on obverse. EF. Rare.

 

[King John]

Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. > Buy or Bid Sale 221	Auction date: 17 November 2022
Lot number: 143 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Thessaly, Pelinna. AE 17; Thessaly, Pelinna; Late 4th-3rd cent. BC, AE 17, 6.03g. BCD-Thessaly II, 534.4. Obv: Veiled head of Mantho r. Rx: Thessalian warrior, holding spear, on horse rearing r.; S below.. EF Estimate: 200 USD

[King John]

Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. > Buy or Bid Sale 221	Auction date: 17 November 2022
Lot number: 424 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction
Lot description: Domitian. 40-as; Domitian; 81-96 AD, Rome, 86 AD, As, 10.91g. BM-394, RIC-500 (C3), Paris-420, C-647 corr. Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CENS PER P P Bust laureate r., fold of aegis on front shoulder and behind neck. Rx: VIRTVTI - AVGVSTI S - C Virtus standing r., l. foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium. From The Mark Gibbons Collection. A die break obscures the final P of the obverse legend. Cohen-554 (1st. ed.) correctly lists two bust varieties for this As, laureate right with or without aegis on shoulder. Cohen\'s second edition, however, no. 647, errs by leaving out the coin with aegis and citing only the variant without aegis.. EF Estimate: 950 USD