Fine Coins Showcase
Antiquities Showcase
Show Empty Categories
Shop Search
Shopping Cart
My FORVM
Contact Us
About Forum
Shopping at Forum
Our Guarantee
Payment Options
Shipping Options & Fees
Privacy & Security
Forum Staff
Selling Your Coins
Identifying Your Coin
FAQs
zoom.asp
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Quality| ▸ |Numismatic Fine Art||View Options:   | | | Ancient coins of particulary accomplished style and artistry. |
The Ephesians believe that Artemis was born in Ephesus and her temple at Ephesus, the Artemision, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Antipater of Sidon described the temple in his list of the world's Seven Wonder: "I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, "Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand."SH87300. Gold stater, Jenkins Hellenistic, pl. B, 6; Montagu I 567; SNGvA 1869 var. (control); Head HN p. 69, 2 ff. var. (control); Gulbenkian 985 var. (same); SNG Cop -, Choice gVF, well centered and struck, attractive style, die wear, bumps and marks, weight 8.463 g, maximum diameter 21.1 mm, die axis 0o, Ephesos (near Selcuk, Turkey) mint, c. 123 - 119 B.C.; obverse draped bust of Artemis right, wearing stephane and single-pendant earring, hair drawn together and tied in the back, bow and quiver over shoulder; reverse Ephesian Artemis cult statue facing, kalathos on head, fore-arms outward horizontal at sides, fillet hanging from each hand, Ε-Φ flanking head, thymiaterion (control) inner right between legs and fillet; rare; SOLD
Rhegion, Bruttium, Italy, c. 470 - 425 B.C.
Iokastos was the founder of Rhegion. He died of a snakebite. Iokastos was one of six sons of Aiolos, ruler of the Aeolian islands, all of whom secured their own realms in Italy and Sicily.
Of all the coins that have passed through my hands, this is one of my favorites - Joe Sermarini SH33193. Silver tetradrachm, SNG Lockett 651; SNG ANS 640 var. (swan vice snake); BMC Italy p. 374, 14 (snake not mentioned); Pozzi -; SNG Cop -, Choice gVF, weight 17.312 g, maximum diameter 31.1 mm, die axis 150o, Rhegion mint, c. 470 - 425 B.C.; obverse facing lion's scalp, sprig with two olives right; reverse PHΓI-NOΣ (retrograde), Iokastos seated left, staff in right, left resting on seat, snake beneath seat, all within laurel wreath; toned, hairline crack, slightly bent, reverse lightly double struck; rare; SOLD
Gebal (Byblos), Phoenicia, c. 450 - 410 B.C.
The extremely rare first coinage of Byblos, struck with Egyptian types at an Egyptian weight standard (one kite). A beautiful representation of an Egyptian sphinx in the pose of the famous Giza monumental statue graces the obverse.
Head notes, "Herodotus relates (iv. 166) that Aryandes, who had been appointed satrap of Egypt by Cambyses, mortally offended Darius, son of Hystaspes, by issuing silver money which rivalled in purity the gold darics of the great king himself. If the story be true, it probably refers to ordinary Persian sigloi. No coins have come down to us which can be identified as those of Aryandes." Could this coin be the one of those issued by Aryandes?SH38939. Silver shekel, Betlyon 1, Kraay 1051, SNG Cop -, gVF, toned, weight 8.907 g, maximum diameter 20.2 mm, die axis 0o, Gebal mint, obverse Sphinx seated left, wearing crown of Upper and Lower Egypt; reverse lightning bolt (or double lotus) in dotted circle within incuse square; almost equal in quality to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and American Numismatic Society examples; extremely rare; SOLD
Hyria, Campania, Italy, 405 - 400 B.C.
A beautiful example of this very rare type. More magnificent in hand!SH28126. Silver didrachm, SNG Cop 380, Choice gVF, weight 7.224 g, maximum diameter 21.1 mm, die axis 225o, Hyria mint, 405 - 400 B.C.; obverse head of Hera Lakinia facing slightly right, wearing necklace and polos ornamented with palmette between the foreparts of two griffins; reverse man-faced bull walking right; superb style, nice metal, well centered, few light scratches in reverse fields, old cabinet toning; very rare; SOLD
Kyzikos, Mysia, c. 550 - 450 B.C.
Seirios (Sirius) was the god or goddess of the Dog-Star, the brightest star of the constellation Canis Major. The pre-dawn rising of the star in the path of the sun was believed to be the source of the scorching heat and droughts of midsummer. Seirios appears in many guises was variously described as Maira daughter of the Titan Atlas, Maira the dog of the hero Icarius, Lailaps the hound of Orion, and Kyon Khryseos the golden-hound of Zeus. It may also have been associated with Orthros ("Morning Twilight") the hound of Geryon, giant of the west. The star was no doubt also connected with the dog-loving goddess Hekate who was the daughter of Perses "the Destroyer" and Asteria "the Starry One." -- www.theoi.com/Titan/AsterSeirios.htmlSH86217. Electrum Hekte (1/6 Stater), Von Fritze I (Nomisma VII) 104 & pl. 3, 23; Boston MFA 1433; SNG BnF 245; SNG Cop -; SNGvA -; BMC Mysia -, VF, tight flan, edge cracks, weight 16.091 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 0o, Kyzikos mint, c. 550 - 450 B.C.; obverse winged dog (Sirius?) seated left, head turned back right, curved archaic wing, wearing collar, tunny fish below to left; reverse quadripartite incuse square; extremely rare; SOLD
Metapontion, Lucania, Italy, 334 - 330 B.C.
Gold coins of Magna Graecia are scarce and were only minted for exceptional occasions, such as paying mercenaries. Most likely this rare issue was struck when Alexander Molossus, the Epirote King, helped Metapontion against the Lucanians and Bruttians. Molossus was Alexander the Great's uncle and Olympia's brother.SH86428. Gold 1/3 stater, SNG Lockett 406; SNG ANS 395; HN Italy 1578; Noe-Johnston 3, G1 and pl. 18; SNG Lloyd -; SNG Cop -; Jameson -; Gulbenkian -; Pozzi -; Weber -, aVF+, fine style, marks, reverse double struck, weight 2.574 g, maximum diameter 13.6 mm, die axis 180o, Metapontion (Metaponto, Italy) mint, c. 334 - 332 B.C.; obverse head of Demeter right, wearing stephane and pendant earring; reverse MΕTAΠON, barley stalk, bird right on leaf to right; ex Forum (2007), ex Christie's Auction (1993) ; very rare; SOLD
Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D.
Magnificent quality. Superb portrait of the finest Greek style. Rare in Greek style because most denarii of this type were struck in "Colonia Patricia" style.SH16768. Silver denarius, SRCV I 1592, RIC I 541, BMCRE I 664, superb EF, weight 3.850 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain Asia Minor mint, 27 - 20 B.C.; obverse laureate head right, dot border; reverse AVGVSTVS, capricorn left, holding globe, cornucopia above, rudder below; extraordinary high relief impossible to capture in a photograph, lustrous and nearly as struck; rare; SOLD
Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D.
The name Ostia was derived from the Latin "ostium" - river mouth. At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia was Rome's seaport. Construction of the port facilities began under Claudius and was likely completed just before this sestertius was struck in 64 A.D. Trajan and Hadrian expanded the facilities. The port was abandoned due to silting and now lies 3 km from the sea. The site is noted for the excellent preservation of its ancient buildings, magnificent frescoes and impressive mosaics.SH86120. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 178, BMCRE I 131, Mac Dowall WCN 120, BnF II 299, Hunter I 39, Cohen I 37, SRCV 1953, VF, well centered, nice portrait, near black patina, scratches on obverse lower right field, some porosity and tiny pitting, weight 26.031 g, maximum diameter 34.0 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, c. 64 A.D.; obverse NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, laureate bust right, wearing aegis; reverse AVGVSTI above, S - C divided by POR OST below, bird's-eye view Ostia harbor: pharos lighthouse with Neptune statue on top at far side center; crescent-shaped pier with building and figure sacrificing at far end, crescent-shaped row of breakwaters or slips on right with figure seated on rock at far end, 7 ships within port; river god Tiber reclining left holding rudder and dolphin below; ex Gorny & Mosch auction 195 (7 Mar 2011), lot 405; an attractive example of a highly desired type!; SOLD
Syracuse, Sicily, c. 415 - 410 B.C., Double Signed by Eumenes
Boldly signed by the artist Eumenes (Eumenos) on both the obverse and reverse.SH28067. Silver tetradrachm, Tudeer 17, 23 (same die); SNG ANS 258 (same dies); Rizzo pl. XLII, 12; Jameson 792; Weber 1596, VF, toned, small cut, weight 17.041 g, maximum diameter 24.5 mm, die axis 0o, obverse charioteer driving galloping quadriga left, kentron in right, reins in left; Nike flying above crowning charioteer; signature EVMHNOV in ex; reverse ΣYPAKOΣION (final N retrograde), head of Arethusa left, four dolphins around, EVMHNOV behind; rare; SOLD
Thourioi, Lucania, Italy, c. 400 - 350 B.C.
A superb example from the period when Thurium's coinage reached its highest point of excellence in execution. The head of Athena is probably that of the sea-goddess Athena Skyletria. The bull may be a symbol of Dionysos or may have been derived from the archaic coins of Sybaris and symbolize the river Krathis. A more romantic view is that the butting bull symbolizes the rushing waters of the fountain Thuria from which the city took its name.SH28048. Silver double nomos, Noe Thurian, group F, 28 (same dies); HN Italy 1805; SNG ANS 969; SNG Lloyd 486 (same dies); Jameson 359 (same dies); Pozzi 229 (same dies), VF, toned, weight 15.461 g, maximum diameter 26.3 mm, die axis 0o, Thourioi (near Sibari, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy) mint, c. 400 - 350 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Skylla scanning; IΔ behind neck guard; reverse ΘOYPIΩN, bull butting right, fish right in exergue; well struck on a broad flan, ex Sunrise Collection, Triton X lot 45; SOLD
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE FROM THIS CATEGORY - FORVM's PRIOR SALES
Page created in 1.985 seconds.
