Auktion Nr. 155

Münzen der Griechen
★ Ex Sternberg 1986 ★
SICILY. Syracuse. Agathokles (317-289 BC). EL 25 Litrai or Hemistater.

Obv: Laureate head of Apollo left; kantharos to right.
Rev: ΣYPAKOΣIΩN.
Tripod with legs terminating in lion’s feet.

Jenkins, Electrum, Group B; BAR Issue 10; HGC 2, 1294.

Ex Frank Sternberg XVII (1986), lot 71

Condition: Very fine.

Weight: 3.57 g.
Diameter: 16 mm.

Münzen der Griechen
★ Mint State ★
KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‚the Great‘ (336-323 BC). GOLD Stater. Amphipolis. Possibly lifetime issue.

Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet, decorated with serpent.
Rev: AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ.
Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis Control: To left, trident head downward.

Price 172.

Already with Philip II the occupation of the Mount Pangaion region with its rich gold mines had made possible the abundant emission of gold coins, something that until then had been throughout Greece rather rare and linked to extraordinary circumstances or moments of crisis. Alexander, who imposed a single coinage throughout his vast empire, was able to issue States and their fractions in gold, using the Attic weight as the unit of measure. On the Staters the head of the goddess Athena with Corinthian helmet was depicted on the obverse, while a winged Nike was reproduced on the reverse. On silver tetradrachms, on the other hand, the head of Herakles with lion skin was depicted on the obverse and Zeus seated on a throne on the reverse (Phidian model). Toward the end of his reign there is an assimilation of the ruler with Herakles. The practice, derived from the Eastern world of reproducing the portrait of the ruler on the coin, represents a change with Alexander’s coinage. But as if the human figure did not dare to suddenly replace that of the gods, the image is clothed with religious content, through its deification or identification with the deity. Even after his death for a long time Tetradrachms with the effigy of Alexander continued to be issued by his successors. The Macedonian king had the possibility to exploit for his coinage a large amount of precious metal from the vast empire he had conquered. The extremely rich mines scattered throughout this territory also made his successors self-sufficient.. The coin from that time became a symbol of the ruler’s power and absolute authority; no longer protected by the image of deities, it became an instrument of propaganda and power.

Condition: Mint State.

Weight: 8.62 g.
Diameter: 18 mm.

Münzen der Griechen
★ Expressive Perseus ★
KINGS OF MACEDON. Perseus (179-168 BC). Tetradrachm. Pella or Amphipolis.

Obv: Diademed head right.
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΠΕPΣΕΩΣ.
Eagle standing right on thunderbolt. Controls: AY monogram above, HP monogram to right, AN between legs; all within wreath; plow below.

Jameson 1013; McClean 3675; HGC 3.1, 1094.

Condition: Near extremely fine.

Weight: 17.26 g.
Diameter: 33 mm

Münzen der Griechen
★ NGC Grading MS ★
AEOLIS. Kyme. Tetradrachm (Circa 155-143 BC). Metrophanes, magistrate.

Obv: Head of the Amazon Kyme right, wearing tainia.
Rev: KYMAIΩN / MHTPOΦANHΣ.
Horse prancing right; one-handled cup below; all within wreath.

SNG Copenhagen 104; Jameson 1460; de Luynes 2525.

Certified by NGC 3808158-004 (Graded as MS)

Condition: Extremely fine; some luster in field.

Weight: g.
Diameter: mm.

Münzen der Griechen
★ Mint State ★
KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‚the Great‘ (336-323 BC). GOLD Stater. Salamis. Lifetime issue.

Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet decorated with coiled serpent.
Rev: AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ.
Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis. Control: To left, eagle standing right.

Price 3128.

Already with Philip II the occupation of the Mount Pangaion region with its rich gold mines had made possible the abundant emission of gold coins, something that until then had been throughout Greece rather rare and linked to extraordinary circumstances or moments of crisis. Alexander, who imposed a single coinage throughout his vast empire, was able to issue States and their fractions in gold, using the Attic weight as the unit of measure. On the Staters the head of the goddess Athena with Corinthian helmet was depicted on the obverse, while a winged Nike was reproduced on the reverse. On silver tetradrachms, on the other hand, the head of Herakles with lion skin was depicted on the obverse and Zeus seated on a throne on the reverse (Phidian model). Toward the end of his reign there is an assimilation of the ruler with Herakles. The practice, derived from the Eastern world of reproducing the portrait of the ruler on the coin, represents a change with Alexander’s coinage. But as if the human figure did not dare to suddenly replace that of the gods, the image is clothed with religious content, through its deification or identification with the deity. Even after his death for a long time Tetradrachms with the effigy of Alexander continued to be issued by his successors. The Macedonian king had the possibility to exploit for his coinage a large amount of precious metal from the vast empire he had conquered. The extremely rich mines scattered throughout this territory also made his successors self-sufficient.. The coin from that time became a symbol of the ruler’s power and absolute authority; no longer protected by the image of deities, it became an instrument of propaganda and power.

Condition: Mint State.

Weight: 8.65 g.
Diameter: 18 mm.

Münzen der Griechen
★ NGC Grading Ch AU ★
PHOENICIA. Arados. Drachm (Circa 172/1-111/0 BC). Dated CY 96 (164/3 BC).

Obv: Bee; ςY (date) to upper left, monogram to upper right.
Rev: APAΔIΩN.
Stag standing right; palm tree behind.

Cf. Duyrat 2761-8; HGC 10, 63.

Certified by NGC 3748505-016 (Graded as Ch AU)

Condition: Extremely fine.

Weight: g.
Diameter: mm.

Münzen der Griechen
★ EX NFA 1975 ★
PHOENICIA. Tyre. Shekel (126/5 BC-AD 65/6). Dated CY 10 (117/6 BC).

Obv: Laureate head of Melkart right, lion skin around neck.
Rev: TVPOV IEPAΣ KAI AΣVΛOV.
Eagle standing left on prow; palm frond in background; to left, LI (date) above club; ΣA to right; Phoenician letter between legs.

Rouvier 1977; HGC 10, 357; DCA 919.

From Santa Barbara Museum of Art Collection, ex Numismatic Fine Arts (20-21.05.1975), lot 218

Condition: Near extremely fine.

Weight: 13.38 g.
Diameter: 27 mm.

Münzen der Römischen Kaiser
★ Claudius and Agrippina ★
CLAUDIUS, with Agrippina II (41-54). GOLD Aureus. Lugdunum.

Obv: TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG GERM P M TRIB POT P P.
Laureate head of Claudius right.
Rev: AGRIPPINAE AVGVSTAE.
Draped bust of Agrippina right, wearing crown of corn ears.

RIC² 80 (Rome); Calicó 396.

Condition: Very fine.

Weight: 7.68 g.
Diameter: 20 mm.

Münzen der Römischen Kaiser
ANTONINUS PIUS (138-161). GOLD Aureus. Rome.

Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVII.
Bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: COS IIII.
Emperor, togate, standing left, holding globe.

RIC 233a; Calicó 1526a.

Condition: Good very fine.

Weight: 7.22 g.
Diameter: 20 mm.

Münzen des Römischen Kaiser
★ Mint State ★
GORDIAN III (238-244). GOLD Aureus. Rome.

Obv: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG.
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: IOVI CONSERVATORI.
Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and long sceptre; to left, small figure of emperor standing left, holding globe.

RIC 8; Calicó 3199.

Born to a daughter of Gordian I, sister of Gordian II, because of the young age at which he came to occupy the throne (13), Gordian did not rule directly, but the Senate did so for him. Gordian had become prince because the Senate needed to placate an uprising of the traditionalist urban plebs, bound to the dynastic ideal, and in order to take advantage of his family’s wealth. Moreover, the praetorians had acclaimed him emperor just to show the Senate that they were the ones who decided who to put on the throne. Among the first moves was the dismissal of the legion in Africa because it had supported Capellianus and led to the deaths of Gordian I and II, who were deified. During his relatively long tenure there were several problems to deal with. In 240 Sabinianus, elected caesar in Carthage, prepared to make war on him, but was stopped by the governor of Mauretania. In the north the barbarians were making constant raids and sacking villages and towns. Gordian was too young to face these problems, but fortunately for him he could count on the diplomatic and military skill of Timesitheus, who had become prefect of the praetorium and granted him his daughter, Tranquillina, in marriage in 241. Rome succeeded in repelling the Persians of Shapur I in 243 thanks to Timesitheus, but on his death he was replaced as prefect of the praetorium by Marcus Julius Philip known as ‚the Arab‘. The latter, however, was not satisfied with this title but aimed at the throne, and he convinced the army that they needed an adult prince and not a boy. Gordian showed maturity and offered to cede the throne to Philip and become his caesar, but he was killed in 244. The Senate was informed that he had died of wounds sustained in a battle against the Persians. His body was sent to Rome where he was deified.

Condition: Mint state, lustrous.

Weight: 5.22 g.
Diameter: 20 mm

Münzen der Römischen Kaiser
★ Unpublished Type – Mint State ★
CONSTANTIUS GALLUS (Caesar, 351-354). Siliqua. Nicomedia.

Obv: D N FL CL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES.
Bare head right.
Rev: VOTIS / V / SMN.
Legend in three lines within wreath.

RIC -, cf. 82 (different rev. legend); RSC -.

With the famous Battle of Mursa in 351 Constantius II inflicted a severe defeat on Magnentius, who two years later killed himself along with his brother Decentius, caesar of the West. This marked the beginning of a united kingdom for the winner, who at that point needed a caesar with a view to dynastic succession. Constantius appointed his cousin Constantius Gallus, who married Constantina, sister of the emperor and widow of Hanniballianus. Constantius Gallus was an able general who had brought down several Persian revolts. He had made himself hated not so much for his despotic ways as for his pro-poor monetary policy, in contrast to that initiated by Constantine and continued by Constantius II in favor of gold coinage and the wealthier classes. This led to his eventual assassination by a conspiracy of the Antioch aristocracy and his ‚damnatio memoriae‘. In his place in 355 Constantius II appointed Julian, who was destined to become emperor with the appellation “Apostate”.

Condition: Mint State.

Weight: 3.23 g.
Diameter: 21 mm.

Münzen des Byzantinischen Reichs
★ Rare Solidus ★
CONSTANTINE IV POGONATUS (668-685). GOLD Solidus. Carthage. Dated IY 10 (681/2).

Obv: D N CONSTANTЧS PP.
Bust facing three-quarter right, with short beard, wearing helmet and cuirass, holding spear and shield; pellet in right field.
Rev: VICTORIA AVGЧ.
Cross potent with ring at base, on three steps; retrograde CONOB below; I (Indiction year) to left; globe to right.

MIB 28; DOC -; Sear 1191.

Very rare

Condition: Near extremely fine.

Weight: 4.32 g.
Diameter: 15 mm.

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