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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Featured Collections| ▸ |Ray Nouri Collection||View Options:   | | | Ray Nouri, of Upstate New York, began assembling this collection with his father in the 1950s, and has continued to add to the collection until today. The collection reflects the love for ancient history and for the beauty of ancient numismatic art that Ray and his father shared. Ray writes, "These were the main factors that drove my father to collect and study these ancient coins. He spent countless hours mapping the origin, routes and background that each coin followed. He used to say to me, 'Do you know you are holding a piece of history in your hands when you hold one of these coins?'" Here we list only some of the several thousand coins in the collection, coming from across the ancient world, including the Holy Land. More will be added over time. Ray shares his wishes for new owners of these coins, "I truly hope you enjoy them as much as my father and I have throughout the years." |
From Mesopotamia, across the Levante and Arabia, to Egypt, Persian satraps, Egyptian pharaohs, and local rulers struck imitative Athenian type tetradrachms. Some were struck with styles much different from the Athenian originals. Some included monograms or inscriptions in Aramaic or other local scripts. The style of this coin is unusual enough that it undoubtedly an imitative. An old surface find brought over with the family when they immigrated to the United States from Jordan.SH94516. Silver tetradrachm, Syrian Hoard pl. 6, 103 ff.; cf. SNG Cop 40; Svoronos Athens pl. 17, 18; HGC 4 1597, VF, high relief, tight flan, dark patina on all but the highest part of the obverse, unusual style, weight 13.982 g, maximum diameter 24.6 mm, die axis 270o, unofficial mint, c. 450 - 350 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 into ear; reverse owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, AΘΕ downward on right, all within incuse square; from the Ray Nouri Collection; SOLD
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy V Epiphanes, 204 - 180 B.C.
Svoronos attributed this type to Ptolemais due to the monogram, but symbols between the eagle's legs are usually control marks, not mint marks, and the club in the left field is typical of Tyre. We believe this rare type was the last struck under Ptolemy V at Tyre, before the Seleucids under Antiochus III invaded Phoenicia and took the city in 198 B.C.GP94517. Bronze hemidrachm, Svoronos 1058 (2 spec., Ptolemy III, Ptolemais mint), Malter 144 (same), Weiser -, Noeske -, SNG Cop -, SNG Milan -, aVF, attractive depiction of Zeus, well centered, some flatness of strike, light marks, small edge cracks, beveled obverse edge, central depressions, weight 35.503 g, maximum diameter 36.5 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, c. 204 - 198 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ (King Ptolemy), eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, filleted cornucopia on shoulder, club left, ΠTo monogram between legs; from The Ray Nouri Collection, Coin Archives records only two sales of this type in the past two decades, all known specimens apparently share the same obverse die; very rare; SOLD
Seleukid Kingdom, Demetrius III, c. 96 - 87 B.C.
The inscription on the reverse of this coin translates, "King Demetrios, the god, father-loving, savior." He was nicknamed Eucaerus ("the Timely") by the Syrian Greeks but was called Acaerus ("the Untimely) by the Jews. He defeated the Hasmonaean priest king Alexander Jannaeus but was forced to withdraw from Judaea by the hostile population. While attempting to dethrone his brother, Philip I Philadelphus, he was defeated by the Arabs and Parthians, and taken prisoner. He was held in confinement in Parthia by Mithridates II until his death in 88 B.C.SL94921. Silver tetradrachm, Houghton-Lorber 2450(3); Newell LSM 116a corr. (control ex. in error); Cohen DCA 303; HGC 9 1305; BMC Seleucid p. 101, 1 var. (different controls), NGC Ch XF, strike 5/5, surface 3/5 (5771210-004, in error has date yr. 218, 95/4 BC), weight 16.852 g, maximum diameter 30.2 mm, die axis 0o, Damaskos (Damascus, Syria) mint, 96 - 95 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Demetrios III right, fringe of curly beard at jawline, fillet border; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ / DHMHTPIOY / ΘEOY - ΦIΛOΠATOPOΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ, cult image of Atargatis standing facing, holding flower, barley stalk behind each shoulder, A over N (controls) outer left, date ΞIC (Seleucid Era year 217) in exergue, laurel wreath border; from the Ray Nouri Collection, NGC| Lookup; scarce; SOLD
Seleukid Kingdom, Demetrius III, c. 96 - 87 B.C.
The inscription on the reverse of this coin translates, "King Demetrios, the god, father-loving, savior." He was nicknamed Eucaerus ("the Timely") by the Syrian Greeks but was called Acaerus ("the Untimely) by the Jews. He defeated the Hasmonaean priest king Alexander Jannaeus but was forced to withdraw from Judaea by the hostile population. While attempting to dethrone his brother, Philip I Philadelphus, he was defeated by the Arabs and Parthians, and taken prisoner. He was held in confinement in Parthia by Mithridates II until his death in 88 B.C.SL94920. Silver tetradrachm, Houghton-Lorber 2450(2); HGC 9 1305; cf. BMC Seleucid p. 101, 1 (SE 217, same controls); SNG Spaer 2863 (SE 219, different controls), NGC Ch XF, strike 5/5, surface 3/5 (5771210-005), weight 16.501 g, maximum diameter 30.10 mm, die axis 0o, Damaskos (Damascus, Syria) mint, 97 - 96 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Demetrios III right, fringe of curly beard at jawline, fillet border; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ / DHMHTPIOY / ΘEOY - ΦIΛOΠATOPOΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ, cult image of Atargatis standing facing, holding flower, barley stalk behind each shoulder, two monograms (controls) outer left, date CIS (Seleucid Era year 216) in exergue, ΔΗ monogram (control) in exergue on right, laurel wreath border; from the Ray Nouri Collection, NGC| Lookup; scarce; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constans II, September 641 - 15 July 668 A.D. (Or Heraclonas, April - Sep 641)
Philip Grierson (DOC II) and Cecile Morrisson (Morrisson BnF) attribute this type to the short reign of Heraclonas, April - Sep 641 A.D.SH94501. Gold solidus, DOC II, part 2, Heraclonas 2d; Morrisson BnF Heraclonas 12/Cp/AV/02; Hahn MIB 4a; Sommer 12.2; SBCV 937; Wroth BMC -; Tolstoi -; Ratto -, VF, light scratches and marks, die wear, die breaks, weight 4.267 g, maximum diameter 20.3 mm, die axis 180o, 10th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 641- 647 A.D.; obverse D N CONSTANTINVS P P AVG, bust facing with short beard indicated by a single row of dots, wearing chlamys, tablion ornamented with pellets, and crown with cross on circlet, globus cruciger in right hand; reverse VICTORIA AVGY I (victory of the Emperor, 10th officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOBK in exergue; 640from the Ray Nouri Collection; scarce; SOLD
Leo I, 7 February 457 - 18 January 474 A.D.
RIC X divides this type into two phases. The earlier phase (457 - 468) is distinguished by an angular form of the letter G and the spear usually pointing between the second P and E of PERPET. The later phase (468 - 473) the G's are rounded and the spear sometimes points between the E and T.SH94511. Gold solidus, RIC X 605 (S), DOCLR 524, Ratto 244, Depeyrot 93/1, SRCV V 21404, Hunter V -, VF, well centered, flow lines, scratches and marks, edge bumps/scrapes, weight 4.362 g, maximum diameter 21.4 mm, die axis 180o, 5th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, earlier phase, 457 - 468 A.D.; obverse D N LEO PERPET AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, spear in right hand over right shoulder, shield on left arm decorated with horseman trampling a barbarian; reverse VICTORIA AVGGG E (victory of the three emperors, 5th officina), Victory half left, head left supporting long jeweled cross in right hand, star right, CONOB in exergue; from the Ray Nouri Collection; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Maurice Tiberius, 13 August 582 - 22 November 602 A.D.
Maurice Tiberius achieved peace with Persia and stemmed losses in Italy and Africa, but lost much of the Balkans. When Focas, a junior officer, revolted Maurice and his son Theodosius were murdered.SH94509. Gold solidus, DOC I 5i (not in the collection, refs. Ratto), Ratto 1011, Wroth BMC 12, Morrisson BnF 7/Cp/AV/11, Grierson 24, Hahn MIB II 6, Sommer 7.5, SBCV 478, aVF, well centered, light marks, scratch near top edge on obverse, struck with worn dies, weight 4.405 g, maximum diameter 22.4 mm, die axis 180o, 9th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 583 - 602 A.D.; obverse D N mAVRC - TIb P P AVC, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, globus cruciger in right hand, fold of paludamentum over left shoulder, helmet with plum, circlet in front and pendilia; reverse VICTORI-A AVCC Θ, angel standing facing, staurogram (rho-cross) topped staff in right hand, globus cruciger in left hand, CONOB in exergue; from the Ray Nouri Collection; SOLD
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Cleopatra III and Ptolemy IX Soter II, 116 - 110 B.C. & 109 - 107 B.C.
After Ptolemy VIII died in 116 B.C., Cleopatra III ruled with her mother Cleopatra II and son Ptolemy IX. In 110 B.C., she replaced Ptolemy IX as co-regent with her second son Ptolemy X. Ptolemy IX regained the throne in 109 but was again replaced in 107 B.C. In 101 B.C., Ptolemy X had his mother Cleopatra III murdered and then ruled alone or with his niece and wife, Berenice III.GP94923. Silver tetradrachm, Svoronos 1659, pl. LVII, 1; SNG Cop 347; Cohen DCA 60/1, Weiser -, Noeske -, Malter -, VF, scratches, spots of corrosion, slightly uneven strike, reverse slightly off center, tight flan, weight 13.607 g, maximum diameter 27.2 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 116 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right wearing aegis; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, L A (year 1) left, ΠA right; from the Ray Nouri Collection; SOLD
Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D., Mule Mint Error
Woytek lists only one specimen of this type FORVM RB13602. This is the second specimen we have handled and only the second specimen known to us. The type appears to be a mule. The she-wolf reverse is proper to the Trajan bust obverse (BMCRE III 1061), while the Hercules obverse is proper to the boar reverse (BMCRE III 1062).RB94979. Copper quadrans, Woytek p. 488, 604A (FORVM RB13602 is the only specimen listed); BMCRE III -; RIC II -; SRCV II -; Cohen II -, gF, thick earthen patina, weight 2.834 g, maximum diameter 15.8 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 112 - 117 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES TRAIAN AVG GERM, diademed bust of Hercules right, lion's skin knotted below chin; reverse she-wolf walking left, S C (senatus consulto) in exergue; from the Ray Nouri Collection; extremely rare; SOLD
Islamic, Abbasid Caliphate, Abu-Ja'far, Harun al-Rashid, 786 - 809 A.D. (170 - 193 A.H.)
Ja'far ibn Yahya Barmaki (767-803) was a Persian vizier of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid. He was executed in 803, allegedly for having an affair with al-Rashid's sister Abbasa. His remains were left exposed in Baghdad for a year.SH94500. Gold dinar, Kazan 90 (same dies), Bernardi 69 (C), SICA III 1846, Album 218.11 (RR); no mint named, VF, scratches, marks, die wear, clipped, weight 4.043 g, maximum diameter 18.1 mm, die axis 0o, Misr (Egypt) mint, 180 A.H. (796 - 797 A.D.); obverse In center, Kalimah in three lines: There is no god but / God alone / He has no associate; around: Muhammad is the Apostle of God whom He sent with guidance and the religion of truth that he might make it supreme over all other religions (Qr IX, 33); reverse In center, in three lines: Muhammad (is the) / Apostle (of) / God / Ja'far; bismillah around: In the name of God this dinar was struck in the year eighty and one hundred; from the Ray Nouri Collection; SOLD
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