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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Quality| ▸ |Numismatic Fine Art||View Options:   | | | Ancient coins of particulary accomplished style and artistry. |
Mankind's first coin type with an obverse and reverse! Rare and important. The earliest dated coin hoard was deposited in the foundation of the Artemision, the temple of Artemis at Ephesos, as an offering during construction, c. 600 B.C. These earliest coins, which included this type, were struck from electrum, a natural alloy of gold and silver found as nuggets in the rivers and streams of Lydia and Ionia. This striated type is the first type to have an obverse design in addition to the reverse punch. Because of its simple obverse design, it is described by some authorities as the first true coin.SH82694. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Milesian standard; Weidauer 6, Traité I 12, SNGvA 1769, SNG Kayhan 680, Karwiese Artemision I.6, SNG Fitzwilliam -, Rosen -, Zhuyuetang -, VF, weight 2.365 g, maximum diameter 8.7 mm, Ionia, uncertain mint, c. 650 - 600 B.C.; obverse flattened striated surface; reverse two rough approximately square incuse punches; ex Harlan J. Berk; rare and important; SOLD
Phokaia, Ionia, c. 625 - 522 B.C.
Phocaea, or Phokaia, was an ancient Ionian Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia. Greek colonists from Phocaea founded the colony of Massalia (modern day Marseille, in France) in 600 B.C., Emporion (modern day Empúries, in Catalonia, Spain) in 575 B.C. and Elea (modern day Velia, in Campania, Italy) in 540 B.C.SH86204. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Triton XVI, lot 464; Bodenstedt - (cf. Em. 1), aEF, well centered and struck, small edge cracks, weight 2.575 g, maximum diameter 10.3 mm, die axis 0o, Phokaia (Foca, Turkey) mint, c. 625/0 - 522 B.C.; obverse forepart of seal right, dolphin swimming downward behind, annulet or ring below; reverse irregular incuse square punch; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 40, lot 270; extremely rare; SOLD
Lydian Kingdom, Uncertain King Before Kroisos, c. 625 - 546 B.C.
The knob on the lion's snout is also described as a "wart," and as the radiant Sun.SH85432. Electrum Trite (1/3 Stater), Weidauer Series XVI 86, SNGvA 2869, SNG Kayhan 1013, Rosen 655, Boston MFA 1763, VF, bumps and marks, earthen deposits, weight 4.709 g, maximum diameter 12.8 mm, Sardes (Sart, Turkey) mint, c. 625 - 546 B.C; obverse Head of roaring lion right, with knob rays atop snout; reverse two incuse squares; SOLD
Mytilene, Lesbos, c. 521 - 478 B.C.
Mytilene on the southeast edge of Lesbos, opposite the mainland, was founded about 1054 B.C. It was initially confined to a small island just offshore that later was joined to Lesbos, creating a north and south harbor. In the 7th century B.C., Mytilene successfully contested for the leadership of Lesbos with Methymna, on the north side of the island. Mytilene became the center of the island's prosperous eastern hinterland.SH86289. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Bodenstedt 9.1; BMC Lesbos p. 158, 25; Traité II 2135; Jameson 1472; HGC 6 933 (R1); SNG Cop -; SNGvA -; Boston MFA -; Weber - , Choice EF, well centered and struck on a tight flan, edge cracks, weight 2.573 g, maximum diameter 10.6 mm, die axis 0o, Mytilene mint, c. 521 - 478 B.C.; obverse forepart of winged roaring lion; reverse incuse head of cock left, roughly rectangular incuse punch behind; SOLD
Sikyon, Peloponnesos, Greece, c. 334 - 330 B.C.
Sikyon was located in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea. Sicyon was known in antiquity for its industries including wood sculpture, bronze work, and pottery. Its central location meant it was frequently involved in the wars of its neighbors, Thebes, Corinth, Athens and Sparta.SH64029. Silver stater, BCD Peloponnesos 218 (same obverse die); Traité 776; BMC Peloponnesus p. 40, 57, aEF, weight 11.740 g, maximum diameter 23.3 mm, die axis 225o, Sikyon mint, c. late 330s B.C.; obverse chimera advancing left, paw raised, wreath above, ΣΕ below; reverse dove flying left, N left, all within olive wreath; ex Helios Numismatik auction 7 (12 Dec 2011), lot 374; SOLD
Myrina, Aeolis, mid 2nd Century B.C.
At the time this coin was issued, Myrina was a thriving town popular with tourists and known for its terracotta, glassware, and oysters. The site of Myrina was discovered at the mouth of the river that was the ancient Pythicos, whose alluvia have covered what was the city's harbor. Excavations (1880-1882) brought to light about four thousand tombs, dating from the last two centuries B.C., in which were found numerous objects representing the divinities of the Greek pantheon; children's toys, reproductions of famous works, etc. Most of these may be seen today in the Museum of the Louvre.SH20288. Silver stephanophoric tetradrachm, Sacks 20, SNG Cop 223, SNG Lockett 2222, Pozzi 2306, SNGvA -, SNG Ash -, SNG Mün -, BMC Troas -, EF, weight 16.914 g, maximum diameter 31.1 mm, die axis 0o, Aiolis, Myrina (near Aliaga, Turkey) mint, obverse laureate head of Apollo right, hair braided, ribbons flowing behind; reverse MYPINAIΩN, Apollo Grynios advancing right holding patera and laurel branch with fillets; omphalos and amphora at feet;
(ΠA monogram) left, all within laurel wreath; superb style, a gem!; SOLDCarthaginians in Sicily, 325 - 300 B.C.
In 311 B.C., Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse, invaded the Carthaginian holdings on Sicily and laid siege to Akragas. Hamilcar led the Carthaginian response, and by 310 controlled almost all of Sicily and laid siege to Syracuse itself. In desperation, Agathocles secretly led an expedition of 14,000 men to Africa, hoping to save his rule by leading a counterstrike against Carthage itself. Carthage was forced to recall Hamilcar and most of his army from Sicily. Agathocles was eventually defeated in 307 B.C., but he escaped back to Sicily and negotiated a peace which maintained Syracuse as a stronghold of Greek power in Sicily.SH12231. Silver tetradrachm, SGCV II 6436, SNG Cop 983, EF, weight 17.096 g, maximum diameter 24.4 mm, die axis 0o, obverse head of young Herakles clad in lion's skin; reverse horse's head, l.; palm tree behind, Punic legend AMHMHNTE (people of the camp) below; beautiful coin; SOLD
Kingdom of Bithynia, Nikomedes II Epiphanes, 149 - 128 B.C.
Nikomedes II accompanied his father, Prusias II, to Rome in 167 B.C., where he was brought up under the care of the Senate. His father, favoring a younger sibling for succession, decided to assassinate him. But Nikomedes discovered the plot, seized the throne and put his father to death. He remained faithful to Rome, assisting in the war with Attalus, king of Pergamus in 131 B.C.SH14038. Silver tetradrachm, SGCV II 7273; BMC Pontus p. 213, 1; SNG Cop 646 var.; SNGvA 261 var.; Rec Gen II.3 pl. 32, 7, Choice EF, weight 16.631 g, maximum diameter 39.7 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 149 - 148 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and NP (year 150); huge broad flan; SOLD
Akragas, Sicily, c. 510 - 472 B.C.
Akragas was founded early in the 6th century by colonists from Gela. It was second only to Syracuse in importance on Sicily but was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 B.C. It was renamed Agrigentum after it fell to Rome in 210 B.C.GS21673. Silver didrachm, SNG ANS 950, gVF, weight 8.614 g, maximum diameter 20.7 mm, die axis 270o, Akragas (Agrigento, Sicily, Italy) mint, c. 510 - 472 B.C.; obverse AK/RA, eagle standing right, wings closed; reverse crab viewed from above, within deep round incuse; SOLD
Thasos, Thrace, c. 412 - 404 B.C.
During the period when this coin was minted there was much chaos on the island. Thasos had revolted against their Athenian aggressors and was subsequently occupied by the Spartans (Lacedaemonians). In the following years Thasos was occupied by one or the other of the two opposing powers and did not regain freedom until the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 B.C. Only drachms were struck in this late and final issue of the satyr and nymph type. Despite the chaos of the time and the archaized punch reverse, the obverse dies were engraved in elegant fine classical style.SH87191. Silver drachm, Le Rider Thasiennes 8; HGC 6 336 (R1); Svoronos HPM -; SNG Cop -, aEF, superb classical style, dark old cabinet toning, some die wear/rust, scattered porosity, light bumps and marks, weight 3.438 g, maximum diameter 16.7 mm, Thasos mint, 5th type, c. 412 - 404 B.C.; obverse nude ithyphallic satyr kneeling-running right, carrying in his arms a struggling nymph, he is balding and is crowned with an ivy wreath, her hair is rolled and she wears a long chiton, her right arm is behind his back; reverse pebbled quadripartite square punch; ex Shanna Schmidt Numismatics; ex Nomos AG, obolos 8 (2 Dec 2017), lot 157; ex W. F. Stoecklin Collection, Amriswil, Switzerland; ex Bank Leu, Zurich (prior to 1975); rare, last satyr and nymph type, final issue struck only as a drachm!; SOLD
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