| Archaic Origins |  |
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| Athens, Greece, Old Style Tetradrachm, 449 - 413 B.C. |   | The old-style tetradrachm of Athens is famous for its almond shaped eye, archaic smile and charming owl reverse. Around 480 B.C. a wreath of olive leaves and a decorative scroll were added to Athena's helmet. On the reverse a crescent moon was added.
During the period 449 - 413 B.C. huge quantities of tetradrachms were minted to finance grandiose building projects such as the Parthenon and to cover the costs of the Peloponnesian War. |
| SH64571. Silver tetradrachm, SNG Cop 31 ff., SGCV I 2526, VF, countermark on reverse, weight 17.008 g, maximum diameter 25.3 mm, die axis 270o, Athens mint, 449 - 413 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse AQE right, owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, all within incuse square; $900.00 (€693.00) |
| Athens, Greece, Old Style Tetradrachm, 449 - 413 B.C. |  | The old-style tetradrachm of Athens is famous for its almond shaped eye, archaic smile and charming owl reverse. Around 480 B.C. a wreath of olive leaves and a decorative scroll were added to Athena's helmet. On the reverse a crescent moon was added.
During the period 449 - 413 B.C. huge quantities of tetradrachms were minted to finance grandiose building projects such as the Parthenon and to cover the costs of the Peloponnesian War. |
| SH64149. Silver tetradrachm, SNG Cop 31 ff., SGCV I 2526, gVF, weight 17.136 g, maximum diameter 25.1 mm, die axis 270o, Athens mint, 449 - 413 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse AQE right, owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, all within incuse square; $900.00 (€693.00) |
| Kaunos, Caria, c. 490 - 470 B.C. |  | Caria was made a Persian satrapy in 545 B.C. The area rebelled along with Ionia c. 497 B.C. but was subdued by 493 B.C. After Xerxes defeats, the Persians withdrew from the western Anatolian coast and Kaunos joined the Delian League, founded in 477 B.C. This type, among the earliest from Kaunos, was struck during this tumultuous period or shortly after.
In 387 B.C. Kaunos again fell under Persian rule. It was conquered by Alexander III of Macedon in 334 B.C.
The baetyl, a stone cult object, was found in Kaunos, broken in two parts, in the ruins of a round building near the harbor. Made of limestone, over 4 meters high and 1.5 meters wide, it appears the stone was originally worshipped in the open. The temple was built around it in the 4th century B.C. |
| SH59841. Silver stater, Konuk 11 (O9/R8); Troxell Winged 6 (same dies), SNG Keckman 810 (same obv die); Asyut 684 (same); BMC Cilicia p. 95, 3; SNGvA 2344; Rosen 622, VF, weight 11.766 g, maximum diameter 18.7 mm, die axis 180o, Kaunos mint, c. 490 - 470 B.C.; obverse Iris running-kneeling right, open curved wings, arms extended, head turned back left, wearing long chiton and winged shoes, two scrolls curling from top of her head; reverse conical baetyl within a crude square incuse; $525.00 (€404.25) |
| Euesperides, Kyrenaica, c. 480 - 435 BC. |  | Euesperides, the westernmost city of Kyrenaica, would later be renamed after Berenike II, and is now Benghazi, Libya. Buttrey in "Coins and Coinage at Euesperides," describes the early silphium / dolphin drachms of Euesperides as crude imitations of the Cyrenean. The later Euesperides coins of finer style were actually struck at Cyrene.
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| SH57724. Silver drachm, cf. BMC Cyrenaica p. 109, 1 (dolphin left); Buttrey Euesperides -, Müller Afrique -; SNG Cop -; SNG UK -; SNG BnF -; Rosen -; Asyut Hoard -, F, granulated, porous, weight 2.815 g, maximum diameter 14.2 mm, Euesperides mint, c. 480 - 435 BC.; obverse silphium plant; reverse dolphin right, over uncertain symbol or inscription, all in an incuse square; apparently unpublished with the dolphin right; extremely rare; $520.00 (€400.40) |
| Cilicia (Uncertain City, Kelenderis?), 4th Century B.C. |  | |
| SH34910. Silver obol, SNG Levante 253, SNG BnF -, Choice aEF, weight 0.572 g, maximum diameter 9.9 mm, die axis 0o, Kelenderis? mint, obverse head of Athena facing, wearing triple-crested helmet; reverse Pegasos right, uncertain symbol or letter above, within shallow incuse square; rare; $510.00 (€392.70) |
| Persian Empire, Dynasts of Lycia, Uncertain Dynast, c. 520 - 480 B.C. |  | | Minted in Lycia, Anatolia while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| SH63914. Silver stater, SNG Cop Supp. 370, SNGvA 4049 - 4050, VF, soft strike, weight 8.701 g, maximum diameter 23.3 mm, die axis 90o, Lycian mint, c. 520 - 480 B.C.; obverse forepart of a boar left; reverse Incuse with square projections entering from three sides, transected by crossed narrow lines; $500.00 (€385.00) |
| Taras, Tarentum, Calabria, Italy, c. 500 - 430 B.C. |  | Nearly all the similar litra of Taras clearly depict a female, the nymph Satyrion, Taras' mother (his father was Poseidon). This head appears to be male. In Vlasto, Ravel identifies it as Taras(?). |
| SH63460. Silver litra, Vlasto 1160 (same dies), VF, weight 0.816 g, maximum diameter 9.9 mm, die axis 135o, Taras mint, c. 500 - 430 B.C.; obverse cockle shell, linear border; reverse head of Taras(?) left, in round incuse; very rare; $400.00 (€308.00) |
| Thasos, Thrace, c. 525 - 463 B.C. |  | Nymphs are nature spirits who appear as beautiful, young nubile maidens. They dwell in mountains, valleys and groves, by springs and rivers, and also in trees and cool grottoes. Nymphs love to dance and sing and are the frequent target of satyrs. Satyrs are male companions of Pan and Dionysus with goat-like features, including a goat-tail, goat-like ears, and sometimes a goat-like phallus. As Dionysiac creatures, Satyrs are lovers of wine and women and ready for every physical pleasure. They are obsessed with nymphs. |
| SH63504. Silver stater, SNG Cop 1008 ff., SGCV I 1357, F, struck with a typically worn, damaged die, weight 8.865 g, maximum diameter 20.6 mm, die axis 315o, c. 525 - 463 B.C.; obverse naked ithyphallic satyr in kneeling running attitude right carrying in his arms a struggling nymph who raises her right hand in protest; reverse quadripartite incuse square; $380.00 (€292.60) |
| Thasos, Thrace, c. 525 - 463 B.C. |  | Nymphs are nature spirits who appear as beautiful, young nubile maidens. They dwell in mountains, valleys and groves, by springs and rivers, and also in trees and cool grottoes. Nymphs love to dance and sing and are the frequent target of satyrs. Satyrs are male companions of Pan and Dionysus with goat-like features, including a goat-tail, goat-like ears, and sometimes a goat-like phallus. As Dionysiac creatures, Satyrs are lovers of wine and women and ready for every physical pleasure. They are obsessed with nymphs. |
| SH63528. Silver stater, SNG Cop 1008 ff., SGCV I 1357, VF, weight 8.935 g, maximum diameter 21.1 mm, die axis 0o, Thasos mint, c. 525 - 463 B.C.; obverse naked ithyphallic satyr in kneeling running attitude right carrying in his arms a struggling nymph who raises her right hand in protest; reverse quadripartite incuse square; $350.00 (€269.50) |
| Gela, Sicily, 490 - 475 B.C. |  | In 485, Gelo, the tyrant of Gela, took advantage of an appeal by the descendants of the first colonist of Syracuse, the Gamoroi, who had held power until they were expelled by the Killichiroi, the lower class of the city, and made himself master of that city. He left his brother Hieron in control of Gela. |
| SH59551. Silver didrachm, SNG Cop 255 - 258, BMC Sicily p. 68, 19 ff., F, corrosion, weight 7.277 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 0o, Gela mint, 490 - 475 B.C.; obverse naked horseman galloping right, brandishing spear overhead in right; reverse GELAS, forepart of man-faced bull right; $300.00 (€231.00) |
| Assos, Troas, c. 480 - 450 B.C. |  | Assos was a harbor city on the Gulf of Adramytteion, just north of the island of Lesbos. Hermias, a student of Plato, ruled Assos for a time during the 4th century B.C. He invited Plato's most famous student, Aristotle, who lived and taught in Assos for more than three years. When the Persians took the city, they executed Hermias and Aristotle fled to Lesbos. After visiting Alexandria Troas, Paul walked to Assos and visited the Christians there (Acts 20:13).
An astragalos was a gaming piece, made from the knuckle-bone of a sheep or goat, used in antiquity for divination and games in a manner similar to dice. |
| GA63461. Silver tetartemorion, Klein 475 (Teos), SNG Kayhan -, BMC Ionia -, SNG Cop -, SNGvA -, VF, broad flan, weight 0.203 g, maximum diameter 6.7 mm, Assos mint, 480 - 450 B.C.; obverse griffin leaping right; reverse astragalos within incuse square; extremely rare; $280.00 (€215.60) |
| Kebren, Troas, 5th Century B.C. |  | |
| SH58954. Silver diobol, SNGvA 1546, SNG Cop -, SNG München -, BMC Troas -, VF, weight 1.172 g, maximum diameter 9.6 mm, die axis 180o, Kebren mint, 5th Century B.C.; obverse head of Apollo left; reverse ram's head left within square incuse; wonderful Archaic style; rare; $250.00 (€192.50) |
| Persian Empire, Judaea (Yehudah), 375 - 333 B.C. |  | | Minted in Judaea while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| JD59398. Silver obol, Meshorer TJC 5, Hendin 1051, aF, weight 0.487 g, maximum diameter 8.4 mm, c. 375 - 333 B.C.; obverse oriental style head of Athena; reverse Aramaic inscription: "YHD" (Yehudah), owl standing left, head facing, olive spray right; rare; $245.00 (€188.65) |
| Therma, Macedonia, 510 - 480 B.C. |  | Around 315 B.C., King Cassander of Macedonia, founded Thessalonica on or near the site of the ancient town of Therma.
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| SH63538. Silver tetrobol, cf. AMNG III p. 117, 30; Rosen 115, SNG Cop 343, SNG ANS -, VF, weight 2.400 g, maximum diameter 12.8 mm, die axis 225o, Macedonia, Thermai mint, 510 - 480 B.C.; obverse Pegasos forepart right, with curved wing; reverse irregular incuse punch; ex Münhandlung ATHENA GmbH (Munich); rare; $225.00 (€173.25) |
| Dikaia, Thrace, c. 492 - 475 B.C. |  | Dikaia was located in Thrace, in the region between the river Nestos and the river Hebros. |
| GA63565. Silver drachm, Schönert-Geiss Bisanthe 28 (V1/R1), SNG Cop 552 (same dies), Traité II 1795 (different dies, Selymbria), F, toned, weight 3.170 g, maximum diameter 15.8 mm, die axis 180o, Dikaia mint, 480 - 450 B.C.; obverse Herakles' head right, clad in Nemean lion scalp headdress; reverse rooster standing right dotted, square border, all within shallow incuse square; rare; $200.00 (€154.00) |
| Lesbos, c. 550 - 480 B.C. |  | In 570 B.C., Lesbos took part in the founding of Naucrate, the Greek Colony in Egypt. This coin, depicting an African, and others with Egyptian related types, likely relate to Lesbos' role at Naucrate.
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| GA63980. Billon 1/12th stater, BMC Lesbos p. 153, 45; SNG Cop 295; SNGvA -; SNG München -; Traité -; Rosen -, F, porous, weight 0.824 g, maximum diameter 7.8 mm, die axis 90o, Lesbos mint, c. 550 - 440 B.C.; obverse Nubian head left; reverse quadripartite incuse square; rare; $200.00 (€154.00) |
| Miletos, Ionia, c. Late 6th Century B.C. |  | One of the earliest coins struck in silver. |
| GA63297. Silver 1/12 stater, SGCV II 3532; SNG Kayhan 476; BMC Ionia p 185, 22, Choice VF, weight 1.010 g, maximum diameter 8.85 mm, die axis 45o, Miletos mint, c. late 6th century B.C.; obverse forepart of lion right, head turned back left; reverse ornamental pattern in incuse square; $180.00 (€138.60) ON RESERVE |
| Scythian Kingdom of Thrace, Sparadokos, c. 464 - 444 B.C. |  | Sparadokos was the first of the Odrysians to strike coinage. Ancient historians do not identify him as one of the Thracian kings but he was the brother of the king Sitalkes and father of Sitalkes' successor, Seuthes I. The numismatic evidence indicates he was likely a co-ruler with Sitalkes. |
| GA32331. Silver diobol, Youroukova 20; SNG Tübingen 951; Peter 63, fig 2; SNG Cop 1067, aVF, weight 1.223 g, maximum diameter 11.0 mm, die axis 90o, c. 464 - 444 B.C.; obverse SPA, forepart of galloping horse left; reverse SPA, eagle facing, wings spread, head left, serpent in beak, within shallow incuse square; rare; $165.00 (€127.05) |
| Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Artaxerxes I - Artaxerxes II, c. 455 - 375 B.C. |  | | Minted in Lydia, Anatolia while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| GA57457. Silver siglos, Carradice Type IV A/B; SGCV II 4683, aVF, uneven strike, weight 5.556 g, maximum diameter 16.6 mm, obverse kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, dagger in right, bow in left, bearded, crowned; reverse irregular oblong punch; $165.00 (€127.05) |
| Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Artaxerxes I - Artaxerxes II, c. 455 - 375 B.C. |  | | Minted in Lydia, Anatolia while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| GA12113. Silver siglos, Carradice Type IV A/B; SGCV II 4683, VF, weight 5.607 g, maximum diameter 14.7 mm, obverse kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, dagger in right, bow in left, bearded, crowned; reverse irregular oblong punch; $160.00 (€123.20) |
| Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Darius II - Artaxerxes II, c. 420 - 375 B.C. |  | | Minted in Lydia, Anatolia while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| GA56988. Silver siglos, Carradice Type IV (middle) B, Carradice Price p. 73 and pl. 19, 217 ff.; SNG Kayhan 1033; SGCV II 4683, VF, weight 5.420 g, maximum diameter 17.2 mm, obverse Kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, dagger in right, bow in left, quiver on right shoulder, crowned, waist indicated, pellets on sleeves; reverse irregular oblong punch; $160.00 (€123.20) |
| Teos, Ionia, 5th Century B.C. |  | Teos was a flourishing seaport until about 540 B.C., when the Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great invaded Lydia and Ionia. The town survived but most of the citizens fled to the newly founded colonies of Abdera and Phanagoria. Under the Roman Empire, the town was noted for its wine, a theater and its Temple of Dionysus. The site is now farmland. |
| GS49479. Silver hemiobol, SNG Kayhan 600 (called tetartemorion); SNGvA 8018 (no symbol noted); cf. BMC Ionia p. 311, 15 (ivy-leaf), VF, weight 0.270 g, maximum diameter 7.5 mm, Teos mint, obverse griffin seated right, forepaw raised, uncertain symbol below; reverse quadripartite incuse square; rare; $150.00 (€115.50) |
| Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Darius II - Artaxerxes II, c. 420 - 375 B.C. |  | | Minted in Lydia, Anatolia while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| GA56974. Silver siglos, Carradice Type IV (middle) B, Carradice Price p. 73 and pl. 19, 217 ff.; SNG Kayhan 1033; SGCV II 4683, F, weight 5.556 g, maximum diameter 14.6 mm, obverse Kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, dagger in right, bow in left, bearded, crowned, pellets on sleeves; reverse irregular oblong punch; $140.00 (€107.80) |
| Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Darius II - Artaxerxes II, c. 420 - 375 B.C. |  | | Minted in Lydia, Anatolia while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| GA56981. Silver siglos, Carradice Type IV (middle) B, Carradice Price p. 73 and pl. 19, 217 ff.; SNG Kayhan 1033; SGCV II 4683, aVF, weight 5.468 g, maximum diameter 15.1 mm, obverse Kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, dagger in right, bow in left, quiver on right shoulder, crowned, waist indicated, pellets on sleeves; reverse irregular oblong punch; $140.00 (€107.80) |
| Persian Empire, Lydia, Anatolia, Darius II - Artaxerxes II, c. 420 - 375 B.C. |  | | Minted in Lydia, Anatolia while under Persian control, prior to Alexander the Great's conquest. |
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| GA56989. Silver siglos, Carradice Type IV (middle) B, Carradice Price p. 73 and pl. 19, 217 ff.; SNG Kayhan 1033; SGCV II 4683, VF, weight 5.597 g, maximum diameter 14.7 mm, obverse Kneeling-running figure of the Great King right, dagger in right, bow in left, quiver on right shoulder, crowned, waist indicated, pellets on sleeves; reverse irregular oblong punch; $140.00 (€107.80) |
| Lesbos, c. 500 - 450 B.C. |  | A most unusual use of illusion on a coin. The two confronting boars' heads can also be viewed as the facing head of a panther. |
| GA62588. Billon 1/10th stater, SGCV II 3488, Rosen 542, aVF, weight 1.083 g, maximum diameter 9.0 mm, Lesbos mint, c. 500 - 450 B.C.; obverse confronting boar heads, creating the illusion of a facing head of a panther; reverse incuse square punch; $125.00 (€96.25) |
| Dikaia, Thrace, 5th Century B.C. |  | Although unpublished in the major references another was offered in H. D. Rauch GmbH auction 77 (unsold with an estimate of 180?). We first assumed this was a normal man-headed bull reverse struck with a damaged reverse die; however, the very similar Rauch coin was struck with a different reverse die. Rauch described their reverse, which was equally obscure, as a dolphin in an incuse punch. We aren't sure what it is. |
| GS35950. Silver diobol, unpublished in major references; Schönert-Geiss Bisanthe -, Klein -, SNG ANS -, SNG Keckman -, SNG Kayhan -, SNG Cop -, AMNG -, BMC -, F, weight .96 g, maximum diameter 9.7 mm, Dikaia mint, 5th Century B.C.; obverse rooster standing right, possibly a snake or worm in its beak; reverse uncertain design, possibly a dolphin, within an incuse irregular square punch; very rare; $120.00 (€92.40) |
| Laranda, Lyconia, 4th Century B.C. |  | This type was minted with a progression of reverses, first with an incuse square, then a square border of dots, and finally with a circle of dots. The original archaic punch reverse gradually evolved into a regular die, nearly identical to an obverse die. This coin type is near the end of that evolution. |
| GS56760. Silver obol, SNG BnF 449 (uncertain Cilicia); cf. Göktürk 57 (square reverse border), SNG Levante 225 (horns up, uncertain Cilicia), F, struck with worn dies, weight 0.460 g, maximum diameter 9.3 mm, die axis 0o, Laranda mint, 4th Century B.C.; obverse Baal seated left, stalk of grain and bunch of grapes in right, long scepter vertical behind in left; reverse wolf forepart right, crescent above with horns downward, circle border of dots; $95.00 (€73.15) |
| Persian Empire, Sidon, Phoenicia, Tennès, c. 352 - 351 B.C., Ancient Counterfeit |  | Cyrus the Great conquered Phoenicia in 539 BC. The Persians divided Phoenicia into four vassal kingdoms: Sidon, Tyre, Arwad, and Byblos. It is likely that much of the Phoenician population migrated to Carthage and other colonies following the Persian conquest. In 350 or 345 B.C. a rebellion in Sidon led by Tennes was crushed by Artaxerxes III. |
| GA55034. Fouree silver plated 1/16 Shekel, cf. Betlyon 37, Rouvier 1124 (silver, official, year 1), gF, weight 0.709 g, maximum diameter 9.9 mm, die axis 0o, mid 4th Century B.C.; obverse war galley moving left with oars, row of shields along bulwarks, two lines of waves below, border of dots, uncertain date numeral above; reverse Great king advancing right reaches with left to grab lion, draws back a dagger in his right, Phoenician letters tav ayin in center, all in incuse square; $90.00 (€69.30) |
| Anatolia (Uncertain City), c. 400 B.C. |  | Experts are uncertain which city struck this type. |
| GA55058. Silver obol, SNG Keckman II 340, VF, weight 0.590 g, maximum diameter 8.2 mm, uncertain mint, obverse facing panther head; reverse quadripartite incuse square; $90.00 (€69.30) |
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