Macedon. Akanthos. 500-480 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.01g). Tselekas Group 30; Gorny & Mosch 2010 (190) lot 115. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. Of particularly vigorous late Archaic style. Choice extremely fine. From a private collection; former W.E. collection
"As when a lion springs with a bound upon a herd of cattle and fastens on a great black bull which dies bellowing in its clutches..." sang Homer (Iliad 16). The lion attacking a bull composition was a very popular motif in the ancient world, originating in the ancient near east. The first depiction of the scene was identified on a prehistoric Elamite seal impression dating from the fourth millennium, and referred to an astronomical event involving the Zodiac constellations of Leo and Taurus.
Lot 67
Starting price: 6000€
Macedon. Akanthos. 430-390 BC. AR Tetrobol (2.59g). SNG ANS 31; Tradart 6.48 (this coin). Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck on a broad flan. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; former H.A. collection, Tradart 1991 (1) lot 81
Lot 68
Starting price: 1000€
Macedon. Terone. 490-480 BC. AR Didrachm (7.61g). Hardwick 53 (this coin); Classical Numismatic Group 2017 (106) lot 152. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck on a broad flan. The 2nd and finest specimen known. Slightly crystallized surfaces, otherwise, choice extremely fine. From a private collection; Giessener Münzhandlung 1989 (46) lot 94
"If there is no wine, there is no love" said Euripides. In classical Greek culture, wine was the staple around which philosophy, art, poetry, music, religion and political life revolved. The most common wine in ancient Greece was sweet and aromatic though drier wines were also produced. Color ranged from dark, inky black to tawny to nearly clear. Oxidation was difficult to control, a common wine fault that meant many wines did not retain their quality beyond the next vintage; well-stored and aged wines were therefore highly prized.
Lot 69
Starting price: 6000€
Macedon. Sermyle. 500-480 BC. AR Obol (1.06g). AMNG -; SNG ANS 728. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. Exceptional for issue. A masterpiece in miniature. Choice extremely fine. From the W.B. collection; Tradart 1998 (7) lot 46; Bank Leu 1989 (48) lot 130
"A horse so prancing is a thing of beauty, a wonder and a marvel; riveting the gaze of all who see him. They will never turn their backs or weary of their gazing so long as he continues to display his splendid action" said Xenophon. This outstanding obol is a perfect illustration. From myth and legend to warfare, sport or transportation, horses played an integral role in antiquity. Artists and writers celebrated them as symbols of wealth, power, and prestige but also as cherished companions of humans, heroes, and gods.
Lot 70
Starting price: 2000€
Thessaly. Larissa. 420-400 BC. AR Drachm (5.84g, 12h). BMC 52; BCD 1130. Old cabinet tone. A very elegant and charming coin, work of an unknown but very talented artist with a high degree of sensitivity. Minor areas of weakness, otherwise, choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 2001 (10) lot 60; Jean Vinchon 1999 (26 April) lot 132; Giessener Münzhandlung 1989 (44) lot 270
Lot 71
Starting price: 1000€
Thessaly. Trikka. 440-400 BC. AR Hemidrachm (2.71g, 12h). BCD 775; BMFA 933. Old cabinet tone. A lovely coin. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1993 (3) lot 74; Giessener Münzhandlung 1987 (36) lot 143
Lot 72
Starting price: 200€
Thessaly. Pharsalos. 424-404 BC. AR Hemidrachm (2.91g, 12h). Lavva 49a (this coin); BCD 650. Lightly toned. Well-centered. A charming coin. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1993 (3) lot 73; Jean Vinchon 1992 (20 November) lot 65
Lot 73
Starting price: 600€
Lokris. Lokri Opuntii. 350-340 BC. AR Stater (12.04g, 11h). Humphris & Delbridge 136i.k (this coin); Gulbenkian 492. Old cabinet tone. Of lovely style. Good very fine. From the E.L. collection; Jean Vinchon 1961 (20 November) lot 141; former Raymond Caizergues de Pradines (1875-1952) collection, Pio Ciani & Jean Vinchon 1955 (6 May) lot 212
On obverse, the head of Persephone is directly inspired by the Syracusan Arethusa heads of Euainetos, and quite similar to those found on some Peloponnesian coinages of the same period (Pheneos and Olympia for example). As for the reverse, which shows the hero Ajax son of Oileus, commander of the Lokrians in the Trojan War, it is similar to the Syracusan issue with Leukaspis, or to the well-known stater of Perikle of Lycia; the shield he carries is also remarkable for having its decoration on the inside.
Lot 74
Starting price: 2000€
Attica. Athens. 440-420 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.17g, 3h). Flament 6.12; Svoronos 14.15. Lightly toned. Exceptional for issue. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection
Athenian tetradrachm, the famous "owl", is unquestionably one of the most influential coin of all time! When Athens emerged as the greatest of all Greek cities, "owls" were the most widely used international coin. President Theodore Roosevelt is said to have carried an "owl" in his pocket, using this to convince the famous sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign American coinage so it would be as beautiful as that of the ancient Greeks. This resulted in the most beautiful American coin of all time... the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle.
Lot 75
Starting price: 1000€
Attica. Athens. 406-405 BC. "Fourrée" Drachm (3.18g, 9h). Emergency issue. Kroll 3-54; HGC 1690. Old cabinet tone. Plating broken. Of great numismatic interest. Very fine. From the Sadijas collection; probably from the 1902 Piraeus hoard (IGCH 46)
With the mines at Laurion lost and their treasury depleted by the ruinous war with Sparta, Athenians resorted to an emergency issue of plated silver tetradrachms and drachms. This example is certainly one of these coins cited by Aristophanes ("grievous coppers") in his comedy, "The Frogs", produced in 405 BC. These were officially withdrawn from circulation after the government was re-established in 403/2.
Lot 76
Starting price: 600€
Attica. Eleusis. 350-330 BC. Æ (2.99g, 9h). Laffaille 123 = Strauss 357 (this coin). Charming green patina. Perfectly centered and struck. Exceptional for this difficult issue. Choice extremely fine. From the W.B. collection; Tradart 1994 (4) lot 60; former Maurice Laffaille (1902-1989) collection, Münzen & Medaillen 1991 (76) lot 357
Eleusis was the only Attic deme which was allowed by Athens (perhaps due to its sacred character) to strike coins for the requirements of the Eleusinian Festivals; this privilege it possessed however only during a limited period. Triptolemos was the great hero of the Eleusinian mysteries; he is here represented passing over the lands in his dragon-chariot making man acquainted with the blessings of agriculture.
Lot 77
Starting price: 600€
Attica. Aegina. 480-457 BC. AR Stater (12.42g, 12h). Milbank 15; Tradart 6.77 (this coin). Old cabinet tone. A wonderful example struck in high relief. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Bank Leu 1994 (59) lot 113; Sotheby's 1974 (30 November) lot 25
Zeus was about to marry and determined to celebrate the event by inviting all the animals to a banquet. They all came except the tortoise who did not put in an appearance... much to Zeus surprise. So, when he next saw the tortoise he asked him why he had not been at the banquet. "I don't care for going out, there’s no place like home" said the tortoise. He was so much annoyed by this reply that he decreed that from that time forth every tortoise should carry his house upon his back, and never be able to get away from home even if he wished to (Aesop’s fables, Zeus and the tortoise).
Lot 78
Starting price: 4000€
Pontus. Amisos. Time of Mithridates VI. Æ (9.71g, 1h). Malloy 14; SNG Black Sea 1221. Lovely brown patina. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Bankhaus Hauck & Aufhäuser 1990 (7) lot 103
Lot 79
Starting price: 200€
Pontus. Amisos. Time of Mithridates VI. Æ (8.34g, 1h). Malloy 26; SNG Black Sea 1205. Superb green-brown patina. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Bankhaus Hauck & Aufhäuser 1989 (6) lot 92
Lot 80
Starting price: 200€
Bithynia. Prusias. Nikomedia. 220-185 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.91g, 11h). RG 9; SNG Copenhagen 622. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. The reverse probably depicts the famous statue of Zeus Stratios by the sculptor Doedalsos. With a spectacular and powerful portrait. One of the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From a private collection
Lot 81
Starting price: 4000€
Bithynia. Prusias II. Nikomedia. 185-149 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.91g, 1h). RG 221; Gulbenkian 956. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. Lovely Hellenistic portrait. Choice extremely fine. From the B.H. collection; Tradart 1993 (3) lot 89; Frank Sternberg 1981 (11) lot 103
Prusias has a poor reputation in history owing to his servile posture toward the Romans. His epithet means the hunter and that was the activity he liked most! His numismatic portraiture projects a forceful character altogether at odds with the reality of the king's personality. The amazing winged diadem may be rooted in the religious life of Alexandria Troas, which employed this attribute when it served as a mint for Hierax
Lot 82
Starting price: 2000€
Mysia. Attalos. Pergamon. 241-197 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.99g, 12h). Westermark 4B; SNG von Aulock 1358. Old cabinet tone. With a bold portrait of excellent style. Good very fine. From the E.L. collection
Philetairos was the founder of the Attalid dynasty which ruled Pergamon for 150 years; his descendants honored him with spectacular realistic portraits, that not only commemorate him as one of Alexander's contemporaries, but especially as an exemplary king in his own right. The last of the dynasty kings, Attalos III, who died without an heir in 133 BC, willed Pergamon to Rome.
Lot 83
Starting price: 1000€
Mysia. Eumenes II. Pergamon. 197-190 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.71g, 1h). SNG BN 1631; Prospero 480. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck on a broad flan. With a particularly expressive portrait. Choice extremely fine. From the B.H. collection; Tradart 1999 (9) lot 64
Eumenes II was a shrewd ruler and politician, who raised his state to a powerful monarchy. During his reign Pergamum became a flourishing city, where men of learning were always welcome, among them Krates of Mallos, the founder of the Pergamene school of criticism. Eumenes adorned the city with splendid buildings, amongst them the great altar with the frieze representing the Battle of the Giants. His great achievement was the expansion of the Library at Pergamon, one of the great libraries of the Ancient World.
Lot 84
Starting price: 2000€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hekte (2.67 g). Fritze 86; Rosen 464. Old cabinet tone. A lovely coin. Insignificant light scratches under tone. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; former H.A. collection, Tradart 1991 (1) lot 133; Jean Vinchon 1978 (30 June) lot 80
Lot 85
Starting price: 1000€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 500-450 BC. EL Hemihekte (1.36g). Fritze 89; Rosen 466 (this coin). Old cabinet tone. A charming coin. Choice extremely fine. From the W.B. 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 86
Starting price: 1000€
Mysia. Kyzikos. 390-340 BC. AR Tetradrachm (15.13g, 1h). Pixodaros 2.2; Nomisma 23. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck in high relief. With a very elegant portrait. Choice extremely fine. From a private collection
Lot 87
Starting price: 4000€
Troas. Abydos. 380-340 BC. AR Drachm (3.63g, 6h). BMC -; SNG Copenhagen -. Apparently unique. Old cabinet tone. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Bankhaus Hauck & Aufhäuser 1990 (7) lot 131
Lot 88
Starting price: 400€
Troas. Kebren. 350-330 BC. Æ (7.73g, 6h). Strauss 455 (this coin); Tradart 3.16. Splendid dark green patina. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1993 (3) lot 95; former Maurice Laffaille (1902-1989) collection, Münzen & Medaillen 1991 (76) lot 455; Numismatic Fine Arts 1984 (14) lot 261
Lot 89
Starting price: 1000€
Troas. Dardanos (?). 5th century BC. AR Hemiobol (0.31g, 9h). SNG von Aulock 7804; SNG Copenhagen -. Lightly toned. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 2001 (10) lot 89
Lot 90
Starting price: 400€
Lesbos. Mytilene. 460-450 BC. EL Hekte (2.53g, 1h). Bodenstedt 41; SNG von Aulock 1694. Lightly toned. Well-centered. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection
The boar was widespread throughout ancient Antiquity... Its ferociousness, destructiveness and strength made it a worthy opponent for hunters and mythological heroes. Greek artists were attracted to the muscular build, pliant skin, bristly mane, and fierce countenance of the wild boar; its image appeared often on coins, gems, vases or reliefs.
Lot 91
Starting price: 1000€
Lesbos. Mytilene. 454-428 BC. EL Hekte (2.53g, 6h). Bodenstedt 55; Luynes 2555. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. A lovely and intriguing coin. Exceptional for issue. One of the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From a private collection
Lot 92
Starting price: 2000€
Lesbos. Mytilene. 386-374 BC. EL Hekte (2.55g, 1h). Bodenstedt 81; Tradart 6.95 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered. Good very fine. Fom a private collection; former M.B. collection; Tradart 2001 (10) lot 87; Numismatik Lanz 1989 (50) lot 398
Lot 93
Starting price: 1000€
Ionia. Phokaia. 521-478 BC. EL Hekte (2.57g). Bodenstedt 37; Boston 1896. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. A charming coin. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1992 (2) lot 108; Bank Leu 1986 (38) lot 114
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 often represented in an explicitly sacrificial context. Rams of Odysseus or Phrixos are thus sacrificed as soon as they have finished their tasks because their sacrifice is part of history. 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 94
Starting price: 1000€
Ionia. Kolophon. 330-285 BC. Æ (6.35h, 12h). BMC -; SNG von Aulock -. Splendid dark green patina. Perfectly centered and struck. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; former H.A. collection, Tradart 1991 (1) lot 150; Gerhard Hirsch 1990 (166) lot 357
Lot 95
Starting price: 400€
Ionia. Ephesos. 350-340 BC. AR Tetradrachm (15.21g, 12h). Pixodaros Group G; SNG von Aulock 1829. Old cabinet tone. Well-centered. Good very fine. From a private collection; Triton 2004 (7) lot 230
From almost the very beginning of the history of coinage the Greeks made coins depicting animals symbolic of their city. Ephesos used the bee on coins since it was a producer of honey, its most famous product. It was also mythologically connected to Ephesos because, according to Philostratos, the colonizing Athenians were led to Ephesos and Ionia by the Muses who took the form of bees.
Lot 96
Starting price: 1000€
Caria. Hekatomnos. Milet. 395-377 BC. AR Tetrobol (4.26g). Konuk 42; SNG Keckman 274. Old cabinet tone. Choice extremely fine. From a private collection; Triton 1999 (3) lot 556
Lot 97
Starting price: 200€
Caria. Mausolos. Halikarnassos. 377-353 BC. AR Tetradrachm (14.56g, 1h). Konuk 39h = Tradart 6.108 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck in high relief. A lovely portrait of enchanting beauty, the work of a very skilled master-engraver. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1998 (7) lot 86; Ariadne 1982 (7 December) lot 114; from the 1978 Pixodaros hoard (CH 9.421)
Of all Carian satraps, Mausolos is the best remembered because his name is embedded in "mausoleum", a word inspired by this satrap's elaborate burial structure at Halikarnassos. The structure was designed by the Greek architects Satyros and Pythios. It was about 45m in height and the four sides were adorned with sculptural reliefs, each created by one of four famous Greek sculptors: Leochares, Scopas of Paros, Bryaxis and Timotheos. The mausoleum was considered to be such an æsthetic triumph that Antipater of Sidon identified it as one of his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Lot 98
Starting price: 4000€
Caria. Alabanda. 165-160 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.61g, 12h). SNG von Aulock -; Tradart 3.38 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. Lovely late Hellenistic style. One of the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tkalec & Rauch 1989 (25 April) lot 131; Gitta Kastner 1973 (4) lot 137
"Oh! my little Pegasos, my noble aerial steed, may your wings soon bear me straight to Zeus" (Aristophanes, Peace, 50). Pegasos is a mythical winged divine horse, and one of the most recognized creatures in Greek mythology. Usually depicted as pure white, Pegasos is the offspring of the Olympian god Poseidon. He was foaled by the Gorgon Medusa upon her death, when the hero Perseus decapitated her. Caught by the Greek hero Bellerophon, near the fountain Peirene, with the help of Athena and Poseidon, Pegasos allowed Bellerophon to ride him in order to defeat the monstrous Chimera, which led to many other exploits. Bellerophon later fell from the winged horse's back while trying to reach Mount Olympus. Afterwards, Zeus transformed Pegasos into the eponymous constellation.
Lot 99
Starting price: 4000€
Caria. Kaunos. 166-150 BC. AR Hemidrachm (1.06g, 11h). Ashton 68; SNG Copenhagen 185. Old cabinet tone. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Gerhard Hirsch 1990 (166) lot 381
Lot 100
Starting price: 400€
Caria. Kos. 350-345 BC. AR Tetradrachm (15.19g, 11h). Pixodaros 19a = Tradart 3.49 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. Superb Hellenistic style. One of the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tkalec & Rauch 1989 (25 April) lot 137; from the 1978 Pixodaros hoard (CH 9.421)
Herakles is undoubtedly one of 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 101
Starting price: 2000€
Caria. Kos. 285-258 BC. AR Tetradrachm (14.78g, 1h). Requier 37; Prospero 558. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. One of the finest known. With a bold and elegant head of Herakles. Choice extremely fine. From a private collection
This coin is one of the few Hellenistic tetradrachms of Kos that are not badly struck or corroded. Above the god's bow-case, the reverse shows a crab, the animal being an ally of him in Koan mythology - even though usually the crab is the ally of the Hydra - possibly for the simple reason that the island's name was derived from the Greek word for crab.
Lot 102
Starting price: 2000€
Caria. Rhodos. 275-250 BC. AR Didrachm (6.74g, 1h). Ashton 187; SNG Copenhagen 738. Old cabinet tone. Well-centered. A lovely coin. Good very fine. From the E.L. collection; former Osman Noury Bey collection, Adolph Cahn 1931 (71) lot 470
Lot 103
Starting price: 600€
Caria. Rhodos. 188-84 BC. AR Diobol (0.94g, 1h). SNG Keckman 701; SNG Copenhagen 849. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck on a broad flan. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Classical Numismatic Group 1995 (34) lot 163
Lot 104
Starting price: 200€
Lydia. Croesus. Sardes. 560-546 BC. AV Stater (10.69g). Heavy standard. Prototype issue. Konuk & Lorber 25; Tradart 3.53 (this coin). Lightly toned. A coin of great historical interest and fascination. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection
Croesus, the last and wealthiest king of Lydia, was responsible for a remarkable monetary innovation, one that was a profound impact on the diffusion of coinage throughout the ancient world. Herodotos reported this event in these words: "So far as we have any knowledge, the Lydians were the first people to introduce the use of gold and silver coins, and the first who sold goods by retail" (1.94).
Lot 105
Starting price: 8000€
Lydia. Kroisos. Sardes. 560-546 BC. AV Stater (8.01g). Light standard. SNG von Aulock 2875; Tradart 6.111 (this coin). Lightly toned. A coin of great numismatic interest. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Giessener Münzhandlung 1997 (81) lot 358
Lot 106
Starting price: 4000€
Lydia. Blaundos. 2nd century BC. Æ (7.23g, 1h). Laffaille 168 = Strauss 508 (this coin). Splendid dark green patina. Good very fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1994 (4) lot 92; former Maurice Laffaille (1902-1989) collection, Münzen & Medaillen 1991 (76) lot 508
Lot 107
Starting price: 600€
Lydia. Philadelphia. 2nd century BC. Æ (6.92g, 1h). BMC 7; SNG von Aulock 3061. Wonderful dark green patina. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection
Lot 108
Starting price: 200€
Phrygia. Philomelion. Time of Mithridates VI. Æ (7.36g, 12h). BMC 3; SNG von Aulock 3916. Lovely brown patina. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1993 (3) lot 121
Lot 109
Starting price: 600€
Lycia. Uncertain mint. Perikles. 380-360 BC. AR Tetrobol (2.63g). BMC 157; SNG von Aulock 4255. Old cabinet tone. A nice coin. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 2001 (10) lot 101
Lot 110
Starting price: 400€
Pamphylia. Aspendos. 400-380 BC. AR Stater (10.87g, 1h). Tekin 3; SNG von Aulock 4543. Old cabinet tone. Choice extremely fine. From the E.L. collection; former Alfred Blondel collection; Jean Elsen 2003 (76) lot 154
Lot 111
Starting price: 600€
Cilicia. Tarsos. Pharnabazos. 379-374 BC. AR Stater (10.69g, 9h). Moysey 57; SNG von Aulock 5925. Old cabinet tone. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1994 (4) lot 101; Auctiones 1973 (3) lot 191; Münzen & Medaillen 1969 (303) lot 17
Lot 112
Starting price: 600€
Cappadocia. Ariarathes V. Eusebeia-Mazaca. 133-132 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.74g, 12h). HGC 810; SNG von Aulock 6263. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. Splendid Hellenistic portrait. A few minor deposits and light scratches under tone, otherwise, choice extremely fine. From a private collection; Gemini 2007 (3) lot 223; Freeman & Sear 2005 (10) lot 56
Lot 113
Starting price: 2000€
Syria. Antiochos. Seleukeia on the Tigris. 270-267 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.14g, 3h). SC 379.3c; Tradart 3.83 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck in high relief. One of the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1994 (4) lot 104
Antiochos was the son of Seleukos, one of the Diadochi, and Apame, a persian princesses. He was the first Seleucid to issue coins bearing his own portrait. During his reign he lost northern Asia Minor and much of the Asian coast, but repulsed the Gaulish invasion, in honor of which he assumed the epithet "Soter" (Appian, Syrian Wars, 65). He died soon after suffering a disastrous defeat against Pergamum.
Lot 114
Starting price: 2000€
Persia. Time of Xerxes II to Artaxerxes. 420-375 BC. AV Daric (8.34g). Carradice IIIb; Sunrise 24. Lightly toned. Good very fine. From the E.L. collection
The ancient Greeks believed that the term daric was derived from the name of Darius the Great, who was believed to have introduced this coin. However, due to their type, they were sometimes nicknamed archers; whence the saying of Agesilaus that he had been driven from Asia by 30,000 archers... when his recall was the result of Persian bribery at Athens and Thebes.
Lot 115
Starting price: 1600€
Persia. Time of Xerxes II to Artaxerxes. 420-375 BC. AV Daric (8.33g). Carradice IIIb; Sunrise 24. Lightly toned. Good very fine. From a private collection; Leu Numismatics 2004 (91) lot 190
Lot 116
Starting price: 1600€
Bactria. Local issues. Hekatompylos (?). 285-280 BC. AR Drachm (3.53g, 5h). Bopearachchi 2A; Mitchiner 26a. Lightly toned. Unusually well-struck on sound metal. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1992 (2) lot 135; Tkalec & Rauch 1986 (14 April) lot 222
Lot 117
Starting price: 1000€
Bactria. Euthydemos. Aï Kanoum. 225-208 BC. Æ (7.33g, 6h). Bopearachchi 17a; Kritt AK-1. Lovely light brown patina. Perfectly centered and struck. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tradart 1992 (2) lot 136; Numismatik Lanz 1989 (50) lot 477
Lot 118
Starting price: 400€
Egypt. Ptolemy. Alexandria. 300-285 BC. AR Tetradrachm (14.64g, 1h). Svoronos 203; Noeske cf.32. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. With a particularly fine portrait. Choice extremely fine. From the E.L. collection; former Yves Goalard (1934-2017) collection
Ptolemy was very early in his use of his portrait as a coin type. This is not inconsistent with the Egyptian tradition of divine kingship, but coinage was a Greek institution used primarily by the Macedonian ruling caste: thus Ptolemy innovation remains both shrwed and daring. His portrait is among the most distinctive of Hellenistic coinage, not only for its blunt, ungainly features, but for the forceful character it reveals. The aegis is a divine attribute, and the reverse type reinforces the Jovian identification.
Lot 119
Starting price: 1000€
Egypt. Cleopatra (?). Alexandria. 203-176 BC. AV Mnaieion (27.81g, 1h). Svoronos 1498; Tradart 3.108 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck in high relief. An impressive coin. Choice extremely fine. From the B.H. collection; "the property of a Lady", Christies 1985 (8 October) lot 418; former Victor Adda (1885-1965) collection
Egypt was the only Hellenistic kingdom to produce an extensive gold coinage. The most abundant issue was the mnaieion (octodrachm) struck in the name of Arsinoe II, wife of Ptolemy II who died in 270 BC. The coins retain the iconography of the earlier Arsinoe's coinage: the obverse has a veiled and diademed portrait and a cornucopia on the reverse. A minor difference indicates the divinity assigned to Arsinoe after her death; protruding beyond the veil below the ear can be seen the tip of a horn, the famous ram's horn of Zeus Ammon which had formed part of the myth of Alexander the Great.
Lot 120
Starting price: 10000€
A Roman agate cameo with a bust of a faun. 1st century BC. 24mm. From a private collection; Frank Sternberg 1992 (26) lot 582
"Often voices of the Fauns have been heard plainly, often forms of the gods have been seen, compelling anyone neither feeble-witted nor impious to admit that the gods are present..." (Cicero, De Natura, 2.6.17). Fauns are mythological half human-half goat creatures. Romans often believed they inspired fear in men traveling in lonely or wild places, but were also capable of guiding humans in need. Republican ideology was inextricably linked with the ideal of the farmer; it is in these rural landscapes that we often find the fauns.
Lot 121
Starting price: 20000€
A Roman cornelian intaglio with a sculptor. 1st century BC. 13mm. From a private collection
Although Romans loved to copy ancient Greek art, they held somewhat of a similar attitude toward artists as their Greek counterparts. Roman writers in fact commented that even great Greek sculptors like Phidias could not escape their disdain. In the latter part of the Roman Republic, we know that artists banded together to form collegia, which are similar to the guild system that existed in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Lot 122
Starting price: 2000€
Republic. Faustus Cornelius Sulla. Rome. 56 BC. AR Denarius (3.74 g, 8h). Crawford 426.2; Sydenham 880. Old cabinet tone. With a bold portrait. A charming coin. Good very fine. From a private collection; former August Voirol (1884-1967) collection, Münzen & Medaillen 1968 (38) lot 198; former Ernst Justus Haeberlin (1847-1925) collection, Adolph Cahn & Adolph Hess 1933 (17 July) lot 2200
Lot 123
Starting price: 1000€
Republic. C. Julius Caesar, with L. Flaminius Chilo. Rome. 43 BC. AR Denarius (3.49g, 6h). Crawford 485.1; Sydenham 1089. Old cabinet tone. With an outstanding portrait of the finest style, the work of a very skilled master-engraver. Insignificant countermarks and graffito on obverse, otherwise, choice extremely fine. From a private collection; former Vicomte Louis de Sartiges de Sourniac (1859-1924) collection, Ars Classica 1938 (18) lot 12; former Heinrich Georg Gutekunst (1833-1914) collection, Jacob Hirsch 1912 (31) lot 901
Few portraits of Julius Caesar are as well-executed as those on this issue of 43 BC by the moneyer Flaminius Chilo. It is obvious even to the untrained eye that special care was taken in the engraving of Caesar portrait. This must have involved considerable effort, especially since the earlier Caesar portraits of 44 BC often are of such poor quality. The demands that such an improvement in artistry would have placed on the engravers at the Rome mint likely were difficult to meet. For this reason, it is suspected that these denarii could not have been created until after Octavian had arrived in Rome late in the summer of 43 BC, and had secured his position.
Lot 124
Starting price: 6000€
A French gold-mounted tortoiseshell snuff-box. 1819-1838. 95mm. Set with three Roman republican denarii (Crawford 291.1, 453.1, 236.1). From a private collection; 51 Gallery 2014 (17 October) lot 10
Lot 125
Starting price: 1000€
A Roman jasper intaglio with a bust of Minerva. 1st-2nd centuries AD. 13mm. From a private collection
Lot 126
Starting price: 1000€
A Roman sardonyx cameo with a portrait of a woman. 1st-2nd centuries AD. 15.5mm. From a private collection; former S.A. collection
Lot 127
Starting price: 3000€
Empire. Antoninus Pius. Rome. AD 161. AR Denarius (3.28g, 12h). Struck under Marcus Aurelius. Cohen 155; RIC 431. Old cabinet tone. Good very fine. From a private collection; Busso Peus 1977 (291) lot 633
Lot 128
Starting price: 200€
Empire. Marcus Aurelius. Rome. AD 168-169. Æ Medallion (47.11g, 6h). Cohen 909; Gnecchi 6. Lovely light green patina. Interesting and spectacular. Somewhat smoothed, otherwise, choice extremely fine. From a private collection
"For my part, I admire him all the more for this very reason, that amid unusual and extraordinary difficulties he both survived himself and preserved the empire. Just one thing prevented him from being completely happy, namely, that after rearing and educating his son in the best possible way he was vastly disappointed in him. This matter must be our next topic; for our history now descends from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust..." (Cassius Dio 71.36).
Lot 129
Starting price: 4000€
A Roman sardonyx cameo with a bust of Minerva. 2nd century AD. 25mm. From a private collection
The wisest of the Roman deities, Minerva was a goddess of intelligence, philosophy, craftsmanship, art and inspiration. From her position in the heavens, she oversaw all things that required forethought and calculation. In later incarnations, Minerva was also seen as a military figure, as well as the fount through which all strategic and tactical thought flowed. As with other Roman deities, the Minerva's worship was eclipsed by the rise of Christianity, which came to dominate Roman hearts and minds in the fourth century.
Lot 130
Starting price: 3000€
Empire. Caracalla. Rome. AD 201. AV Aureus (7.27g, 12h). RIC 52; Calicó 2849. Lightly toned. With three lovely portraits. Slightly wavy flan, otherwise, choice extremely fine. From a private collection; Roma Numismatics 2016 (12) lot 852
This is one of the most spectacular of all dynastic issues, and probably one of the rarest. Septimius Severus wears here a radiate crown, equating himself with Sol, while Julia Domna rests upon a crescent moon, equating her with Luna. Such imagery reinforces the long-held idea that the nature of men and women is polar. This issue may in fact be the first time that a Roman empress appears on a crescent, a scheme later used to indicate double denominations, as on silver antoniniani.
Lot 131
Starting price: 4000€
Empire. Caracalla. Rome. AD 202. AR Denarius (3.20g, 6h). Cohen 178; RIC 63. Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. A charming coin. Choice extremely fine. From a private collection; Gerhard Hirsch 1993 (180) lot 844
