Macedon. Mende. 430-425 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.24g, 6h). Noe 81 = MGK 455 (this coin). Old cabinet tone. One of the finest dies of the Mende coinage. Extremely fine. From a European private collection; former Robert Käppeli (1900-2000) collection; Adolph Hess - Bank Leu 1956 (3) lot 266; 1913 Kaliandra hoard (IGCH 358)
Mende, a city on the promontory of Pallene in Chalcidice, was celebrated for its wines, which were reputed to have medicinal value (Hippocrates 17). Dionysos, the god of wine, is lying on the donkey, the animal which he is usually riding. His relaxed position strongly suggests that he has been drinking, as one would expect from this god!
Lot 61
Starting price: 10000€
Macedon. Neapolis. 500-480 BC. AR Stater (9.76g). Jenkins 101; Franke-Hirmer 133. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. Among the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; The Numismatic Auction 1985 (3) lot 61; former Clarence Sweet Bement (1843-1923) collection, Naville 1924 (6) lot 611
In Ancient Greece, Gorgons were a popular image. Because of their legendary and powerful gaze that could turn one to stone, images of Gorgons were put upon objects and buildings for protection. Athena and Zeus are said to have worn a gorgoneion as a protective pendant. It was also assumed by Hellenistic kings as a royal aegis to imply divine birth and protection, as shown, for instance, on the Alexander Mosaic and the Gonzaga Cameo.
Lot 62
Starting price: 10000€
Macedon. Terone. 490-480 BC. AR Didrachm (7.61g). AMNG -; CNG 2017 (106) lot 152 (same dies). Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck on an exceptional broad flan. Rough surfaces. Extremely fine. From a European private collection; Giessener Münzhandlung 1989 (46) lot 94
Lot 63
Starting price: 10000€
Macedon. Terone. 490-480 BC. AR Diobol (1.39g). AMNG -; SNG Ashmolean 2387. Old cabinet tone. Good very fine. From a European private collection
Lot 64
Starting price: 400€
Macedon. Sermilya. 500-480 BC. AR Obol (1.06g). AMNG -. SNG ANS 728. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. A masterpiece in miniature. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; Tradart 1998 (7) lot 46; Bank Leu 1989 (48) lot 130
Lot 65
Starting price: 2000€
Attica. Eleusis. 350-330 BC. Æ (2.99g, 9h). Laffaille 123 = Strauss 357 (this coin). Splendid dark green patina. Perfectly centered and struck. Probably the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; Tradart 1994 (4) lot 60; former Maurice Laffaille (1902-1989) collection, Münzen & Medaillen 1991 (76) lot 357
Few facts about the Eleusinian rituals mentioned in ancient literary sources are known. The festival of the 'mysteria' took place once a year in the autumn month Boedromium. According to Plutarch, the mystes (festival's participant) bathed in the nearby sea together with a piglet before sacrificing the animal in honor of Demeter and Kore in their sanctuary.
Lot 66
Starting price: 400€
Elis. Olympia. 468 BC. AR Hemidrachm (2.86g, 1h). BCD 2 (this coin); SNG Berry 806. Attractively toned. First emission struck for the Olympic Games. Granular surfaces, otherwise, extremely fine. From a European private collection; Gemini 2005 (1) lot 144; former Basil Demetriadi collection, Leu Numismatics 2004 (90) lot 2
Lot 67
Starting price: 600€
Elis. Olympia. 250-240 BC. Æ Half (2.96g, 1h). BMC 143; BCD 287 (this coin). Superb dark brown patina. Extremely fine. From a European private collection; former Basil Demetriadi collection, Leu Numismatics 2004 (90) lot 287
Lot 68
Starting price: 200€
Pontos. Mithradates VI. Pergamon. 89 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.85g, 12h). Callataÿ D47/R5 (this coin); SNG von Aulock 6678. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. Superb veristic portrait. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; Emile Bourgey 1989 (21 April) lot 26; Jean Vinchon 1989 (14-15 March) lot 125; Jean Vinchon 1975 (2 December) lot 95; former Edouard Yervant Hindamian (1877-1958) collection, Pio Ciani - Jean Vinchon 1956 (6-8 February) lot 503; former Maxime Collignon (1849-1917) collection, Feuardent Frères 1919 (17 December) lot 298; former Athanasios Rhousopoulos (1823-1898) collection, Jacob Hirsch 1905 (13) lot 3215
Mithradates is the Hellenistic king par excellence, his career driven by megalomaniacal ambitions leading to murderous assaults upon family and followers and disastrous foreign adventures against superior forces. This portrait - struck from about 106 BC - shows him in his thirties in a wonderful veristic style. On reverse, the choice of Pegasos clearly refers to the dual heritage of Mithridates, who claimed to descend from both Dareios and Alexander (Appian 112; Justin 38.7.1).
Lot 69
Starting price: 2000€
Mysia. Eumenes. Pergamon. 250-240 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.99g, 11h). BMC 35; Franke-Hirmer 738. Attractively toned. Perfectly centered and struck in high relief. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc. From a European private collection
Lot 70
Starting price: 1000€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hekte (2.68g). Fritze 95; Rosen 471. Lightly toned. Exceptional for issue. Extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 71
Starting price: 800€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hekte (2.65g). Fritze -; Rosen 432. Lightly toned. Well-centered. Extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 72
Starting price: 800€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hemihekte (1.36g). Fritze -; Rosen -. Ligthly toned. Well-centered. Extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 73
Starting price: 400€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hemihekte (1.36g). Fritze 89; Rosen 466 (this coin). Lightly toned. Extremely fine. From a European private collection; Tradart 1995 (5) lot 73; former Jonathan Rosen collection, Münzen & Medaillen 1987 (72) lot 209; former Greta Heckett (1899-1976) collection, Sotheby's 1977 (10 June) lot 209
Lot 74
Starting price: 400€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hekte (2.67g). Fritze 39; Rosen -. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection
Throughout Greek culture, the ram figures prominently as a metaphor of strength and courage. Accordingly, Homeric heroes are likened to thick-fleeced lambs (Iliad 3.197). In Attic vase painting, rams are sometimes represented in an explicitly sacrificial context. More commonly, the context is only heroic. Both the ram that carried Odysseus from the Cyclops' cave and Phrixos’ mount are sacrificed as soon as they have finished their tasks; their sacrifice is part of the story. The emblematic power of the Golden Fleece recalls the story of Atreus and Thyestes: the kingdom belonged to him who owned the golden lamb.
Lot 75
Starting price: 800€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hekte (2.62g). Fritze -; Rosen -. Lightly toned. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 76
Starting price: 800€
Lesbos. Mytilene. 520-480 BC. EL Hekte (2.56g, 10h). Bodenstedt 13.78 (this coin); SNG von Aulock 1685. Lightly toned. Good very fine. From a European private collection; Adolph Hess - Bank Leu 1966 (31) lot 423
Lot 77
Starting price: 800€
Lesbos. Mytilene. 520-480 BC. EL Hekte (2.57g, 9h). Bodenstedt 4; SNG Berry 1004. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. A masterpiece in miniature. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 78
Starting price: 800€
Lesbos. Mytilene. 420-400 BC. EL Hekte (2.48g, 12h). Bodenstedt 75; SNG von Aulock 1725. Lightly toned. Extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 79
Starting price: 800€
Lesbos. Mytilene. 386-374 BC. EL Hekte (2.55g, 12h). Bodenstedt 81; MAST 95 (this coin). Lightly toned. Extremely fine. From a European private collection; former M.B. collection; Tradart 2001 (10) lot 87; Numismatik Lanz 1989 (50) lot 398
Lot 80
Starting price: 800€
Ionia. Erythrai. 275-220 BC. Æ (6.71g, 3h). Kinns 198; SNG Copenhagen -. Superb brown patina. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; former Sunrise collection, Triton 2007 (10) lot 293; Frank Sternberg 1982 (12) lot 246; Glendining's 1972 (21 June) lot 250
Herakles is undoubtedly the most famous of all heroes. He would have accomplished innumerables exploits and nobody would have killed more monsters than him! Although some facial details led to caricature (Epicharmus had already left a memorable portrait of him as a greedy pig eating with creaking jaws), the Ancients did not hesitate to transform the hero obsessed about fights, wounds and excesses, into a master of wiseness and a model of all virtues!
Lot 81
Starting price: 200€
Ionia. Klazomenai. 380-360 BC. AR Hemidrachm (1.96g, 12h). BMC 27; SNG Copenhagen 24. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. A masterpiece in miniature. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; former Henri Gallice d'Epernay (1854-1930) collection, Etienne Bourgey 1935 (14 May) lot 224; Etienne Bourgey 1914 (14 May) lot 82
Klazomenai produced some of the finest facing-head portraits in all Greek coinage, with most of them being unsigned masterpieces. According to myth, swans drew the chariot in which Apollo every year flew south from his winter home in the land of the Hyperboreans. The city was also home to large numbers of swans and it is thought that the verb 'klazo' was used to describe the call of the wild birds.
Lot 82
Starting price: 1000€
Ionia. Miletos. 550-500 BC. EL Hemihekte (1.16g). Babelon 48a; Classical Numismatic Group 2014 (96) lot 475. Lightly toned. Well-centered. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; Bank Leu 1978 (20) lot 124; Münzen & Medaillen 1971 (323) lot 4
Lot 83
Starting price: 400€
Ionia. Phokaia. 521-478 BC. EL Hekte. (2.59g). Bodenstedt 30; BMFA 1895. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 84
Starting price: 800€
Ionia. Knidos. 395-380 BC. AR Tetradrachm (14.83g, 12h). Nordboe -; Hecatomnus 15a (this coin). Finely toned. Perfectly centered and struck. A lovely coin of beautiful classical style. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; Frank Sternberg 1987 (19) lot 195
Lot 85
Starting price: 10000€
Ionia. Knidos. 350-330 BC. AR Tetradrachm (14.82g, 1h). Ashton 5; Weber 6475. Lightly toned. A bold portrait of superb Hellenistic style. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection
Lot 86
Starting price: 10000€
Caria. Rhodes. 229-226 BC. Æ (5.76g, 12h). BMC 219; Ashton 46b (this coin). Lovely light green patina. Well-centered. Extremely fine. From a European private collection; Tradart 1999 (9) lot 77; Giessener Münzhandlung 1984 (29) lot 2613; Müller 1984 (45) lot 59
Ashton links this issue to the period immediately after the great earthquake that struck Rhodes ca. 229-226 BC. The city and port were devastated, and the great bronze Colossus beside the harbor was demolished... Greek states all over the eastern Mediterranean shipped in relief supplies, with Ptolemy III being very generous. Thus, the Zeus head may reflect an Egyptian connection - the Rhodians honoring their benefactors.
Lot 87
Starting price: 400€
Caria. Pixodaros. Halikarnassos. 340-334 BC. AV 1/6 Daric (1.39g, 1h). Konuk 290 (this coin); SNG von Aulock 2372. Old cabinet tone. A lovely coin. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection; Numismatica Genevensis 2004 (3) lot 39; Adolph Hess - Bank Leu 1966 (31) lot 461; former Clarence Sweet Bement (1843-1923), Naville 1924 (7) lot 1522
Lot 88
Starting price: 800€
Lydia. Kroisos. Sardes. 560-546 BC. AV 'heavy' Trite (3.55g). Babelon 399; SNG von Aulock 8210. Lightly toned. Good very fine. From a European private collection; Triton 2004 (7) lot 252
Herodotos (1.94.1) famously told us that "the Lydians were the first people we know of to use a gold and silver coinage". The kingdom of Lydia lay on the western coast of what is now Turkey. Sardes, the capital, was a clearinghouse for trade between Mesopotamia and Greek cities. During their brief hegemony over Asia Minor from the 7th to the 6th century BC, the Lydians profoundly influenced the Ionian Greeks to their West.
Lot 89
Starting price: 1000€
Lydia. Kroisos. Sardes. 560-546 BC. AR Siglos (5.28g). Babelon 410; SNG von Aulock 2879. Old cabinet tone. Choice extremely fine. From a European private collection
