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Author Topic: Old Auction Catalog Picture  (Read 1285 times)

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Offline PtolemAE

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Old Auction Catalog Picture
« on: April 05, 2021, 04:55:34 pm »
Hoping to find a clear hi-resolution photo and lot description from a (very) old auction catalog lot.

Asta Schlessinger

February 4, 1935

Lot 396

It's a silver coin from the early part of the reign of Hieron II of Syracuse.

Thanks,

PtolemAE

Offline Brennos

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Re: Old Auction Catalog Picture
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2021, 07:13:44 pm »
It is on the Heidelberg database , if it could help :




Offline Altamura

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Re: Old Auction Catalog Picture
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2021, 03:44:38 am »
... It is on the Heidelberg database ...
... and can be found completely here: https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schlessinger1935_02_04


Regards

Altamura


Offline PtolemAE

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Re: Old Auction Catalog Picture
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2021, 11:27:40 am »
... It is on the Heidelberg database ...
... and can be found completely here: https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schlessinger1935_02_04


Regards

Altamura



Thanks to you and Brennos for the exact find.

Now we can get a close look at that symbol on the reverse above the Hieronos name and to the right, under Pegasus's foreleg.  Anyone have any idea if it's a letter (maybe a 'T') or other symbol (torch, etc.) ?

Thank you again,

PtolemAE




Offline Altamura

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Re: Old Auction Catalog Picture
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2021, 09:05:15 am »
As far as I see it you have on these coins always a symbol on the obverse behind Athena's head and a letter (Π, B, A or none) beneath Pegasos.
On the coin here there seems to be a symbol (a cornucopiae?) between Athena's helmet and the crest, to the left of the crest and not to the right as usual.
So I would think that the thing beneath Pegasos is a letter.

There is a coin in the BnF with the same symbol on the obverse and probably a die match for the reverse, but with the legend and this thing minted even worse than on the coin here  :-\: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b85888245
Unfortunately there is no further description or reference given  :(.

Regards

Altamura


Offline PtolemAE

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Re: Old Auction Catalog Picture
« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2021, 04:32:43 pm »
As far as I see it you have on these coins always a symbol on the obverse behind Athena's head and a letter (Π, B, A or none) beneath Pegasos.
On the coin here there seems to be a symbol (a cornucopiae?) between Athena's helmet and the crest, to the left of the crest and not to the right as usual.
So I would think that the thing beneath Pegasos is a letter.

There is a coin in the BnF with the same symbol on the obverse and probably a die match for the reverse, but with the legend and this thing minted even worse than on the coin here  :-\: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b85888245
Unfortunately there is no further description or reference given  :(.

Regards
Altamura

Thanks again - checked the BnF coin just now. The obverse symbol on both coins is a cornucopia (the German auction catalog mentions it). The 'letter' under Pegasus' foreleg is some kind of symbol I'm unable to identify on either coin. This little inquiry came up in the course of a research project. Read an article by someone who claimed to know what the symbol is on the German auction coin (with consequent historic implications); and that the particular symbol on that specific coin is only seen on only one of the few dies used to strike those reverses (specifically, the one in the old German auction). The BnF coin might or might not have the same 'letter' but, being justifiably skeptical about such things, claims about what the little symbol means on either example aren't yet very persuasive.

PtolemAE


 

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