Yet another Phanes stater

[glebe]

The Phanes stater used to be one of the great rarities of ancient coins. Today it is (almost) common.
The top coin below is the latest offering, the 11th example known to me, while the bottom coin appeared only last April.
Both of these coins are new to the market, with no provenance provided, except that both are described as being from the Jonathan Rosen collection, which tells us little as neither coin appeared in Waggoner's 1983 catalog of coins from the Rosen collection, or in the Monnaies et Medailles 1987 sale of some of the Rosen coins.
So, how many more examples of this type can we expect to see? - this is surely a question that potential buyers would be asking.

Ross G.

[glebe]

As well here is another example (from 2014) described as being from the Rosen collection, which once again did not appear in the Waggoner catalog or the Rosen sale.

Ross G.

[JBF]

Were the catalogue sales of the Jonathan Rosen collection, the tip of the ice berg?  Or did they represent the lion's share of his coin collection.  Should we expect other coins from his collection?  Or is such a provenance awfully convenient?  Of course, just because it is convenient does not mean it is not true.

These days, one has a lot of BCD extras on the market, from outside of the auctioned sales, but I find that quite believable.  Is it believable in the case of another multimillionaire Jonathan Rosen?  Maybe....

[glebe]

Presumably these coins have been through the Rosen collection at some time, but of course we are not told when.
If I was paying $100,000+ for coins like these I would want to see a convincing pre-1970 provenance, not just a vague "ex Rosen collection" tag.

Ross G.

P.S. Notice by the way that the Gemini XIII coin of last April apparently didn't sell with a starting price of $140,000. (the price of Eu280,000 under the image in the initial post is incorrect).

[glebe]

It seems the Phanes stater didn't sell at $149,500.
Neither did the Croesus prototype Lot 5.

Ross G.

[JBF]

It seems to me that BCD bought hoards (or so it seems), and so had multiple examples of the same type.  Did Rosen do the same thing?  Of course, I agree with you for such a price tag, one should have the provenance free and clear.

[glebe]

Actually the starting price for the Phanes was $130,000 - $149,500 was the estimate.
Now they are offering it at $149,500 less 10%, so you could have bought it for $130,000, and now you can have it for $134,550.
Actually there's also a buyer's fee of 12.5% on the after sale price, (which would also have applied in the original sale to any offer below the estimate), so your all up price is now $151,368.75, if my understanding of all this is correct.

Ross G.

[n.igma]

Both of these coins are new to the market, with no provenance provided, except that both are described as being from the Jonathan Rosen collection, which tells us little as neither coin appeared in Waggoner's 1983 catalog of coins from the Rosen collection, or in the Monnaies et Medailles 1987 sale of some of the Rosen coins.

Possibly illicit.

For years Rosen was also the business partner of Robert Hecht, a leading dealer of looted antiquities to American museums.

Their Manhattan gallery Atlantis Antiquities was the source of several looted objects, including some that the Getty Museum has returned to Italy....
Refer  
https://chasingaphrodite.com/tag/jonathan-rosen/
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Hecht
and
https://www.ial.uk.com/cornell-university-to-forfeit-ancient-iraqi-tablets/

The Rosen provenance is hardly confidence inspiring - caveat emptor!

So, how many more examples of this type can we expect to see? - this is surely a question that potential buyers would be asking.

As well as "Will this coin be subject to a Turkish Government claim for restitution?"

[n.igma]

Or the punters can go for the matching Phanes EL trite with the same Rosen "provenance" for a third the price!  

HJB Buy or Bid 203, lot 2....
Ionia, Ephesus; c. 625-600 BC, EL Trite, 4.74g. Weidauer-40. Obv: Spotted stag grazing r.; above, retrograde, ΦΑΝΕΟΣ ("Of Phanes"). Rx: Two rough geometric incuse punches (Reverse "F"). Ex Jonathan Rosen Collection Unusually nice for this issue. Stag has complete head with eye. Legend is sharp though the tops of the two final letters (OS) are off flan. aEF  Reserve: $35,000.00 (now with 10%off the reserve!)

Same dubious provenance, same risk exposure, but lower quantum at risk!

I very much doubt these coins were in the Rosen collection unless you interpret the inventory of his now defunct side business, Atlantis Antiquities,  as part of his collection!  

No doubt dealer is relying on people's short memories to bury the odium of the Rosen/Atlantis Antiquities association.