My best provenance

I found a few treasures at a local coin show yesterday. I liked this one as a coin, but also because of its provenance - Ex John Quincy Adams collection! I paid a bit more than the $37.50 price on the tag to the right.
I googled the sale of Adam's collection by Stacks and found an auction catalog. Now I have to decide If I am willing to pay another $80 for that catalog.
Post your coin with the best provenance.

 

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Oh man... I've love to have a JQA coin! Congratulations!! That's a nice coin even without the lofty pedigree .

 

Nice, majority of the JQA coins I have seen are junk.

 

Oh, in my excitement over your fabulous coin I didn't see your request to post our coins with interesting pedigrees. Here are some my best pedigrees and provenances:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Gallienus
year 13, CE 265/6
tetradrachm, 21 mm, 9.1 gm
Obv: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: AVTKΠΛIKΓAΛΛIHNOCCEB; eagle standing right, holding wreath in beak, palm over shoulder; L IΓ across field
Ref: Emmett 3806(13), R1
Ex Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 88.203 (accessioned 1888); Benjamin Pierce Cheney Collection


SICILY, Selinos
Circa 410 BCE
AR litra, 11mm, 0.76 g, 1h
Obv: nymph seated left on rock, right hand raised above her head, extending her left hand to touch coiled serpent before her; selinon leaf above
Rev: man-faced bull standing right; ΣEΛINONTIOΣ above; in exergue, fish right
Ref: HGC 2, 1229; SNG ANS 711–2 var. (ethnic); SNG Ashmolean 1904–5; SNG Lloyd 1270 var. (same); Basel –; Dewing –; Rizzo pl. XXXIII, 6. Good VF, dark iridescent tone, some porosity. Rare.
ex MoneyMuseum, Zurich;
ex Leu 79 (31 October 2000), lot 404;
ex Athos Moretti collection, #482, unpublished manuscript


THESSALY, The Oitaioi
167-146 BC.
AR Hemidrachm (15mm, 2.30 g, 1h)
Herakleia Trachinia mint
Obv: Lion’s head left, spear in its jaws
Rev: OITAI downward to right, ΩN downward to left, Herakles standing facing, holding club in both hands
Ref: Valassiadis 9; BCD Thessaly II 494 (same obverse die)
Ex Bill Dalzell (CT's Ardatirion), March 2015
Ex BCD Collection (Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 290), lot 57
Ex Peus 384 (2 November 2005), lot 199
Ex Vinchon (20 May 1959), lot 483
Ex M. Ratto 11 (16 May 1935), lot 239
Ex R. Ratto (4 April 1927), lot 1023
Ex Naville-Ars Classica V (18 June 1923), lot 1764


Roman Republic
moneyer L. Julius L. f. Caesar, 103 BC
AR denarius, 17mm, 3.9 gm
Obv: Helmeted head of Mars left; CAESAR; ・J above
Rev: Venus Genetrix in chariot left, drawn by two Cupids; lyre to left; ・J above
Ref: Crawford 320/1
Ex RBW Collection


AKARNANIA, Federal Coinage (Akarnanian Confederacy)
3rd century BCE
Æ (20mm, 6.38 g, 10h)
Obv: laureate head of Zeus right; API below
Rev: head of river-god Achelӧos left; trident head above, monogram to left. Ref: BCD Akarnania 32; HGC 4, 736
From the collection of Alexandre Carathéodory Pasha (1833-1906)

I recently picked up another coin with a fun pedigree, ex Jed Clampett . Buddy Ebsen was an avid coin collector. Although he mostly acquired US coins and commemoratives, he did have a few ancients and now I have one of them. I don't have it in hand yet.

Like many of us, I also have several ex-BCD coins but since his collection is massive, I won't post them here.

...

If AncientJoe sees this thread we'll have a jaw-dropping display of amazing coins with fantastic pedigrees.

 

That's a wonderful provenance AND coin - congrats! I'm quite jealous.

I would love an ex Jed Clampett too, but I'm pretty pleased with my favorite provenance, an ex @TIF .


ELAGABALUS
AE
12.6g, 28mm
TYRE, Phoenicia, circa AD 218-222
Rouvier 2375; BMC 409; Price & Trell 748 (for rev. type)
O: [IMP CAES] M AV ANTONIN[VS AVG], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: [TVRIORVM], Dido overseeing the building of Carthage; she stands on the right, holding a rule and a transverse sceptre, facing left towards an arched city gate flanked by two towers, palm tree to her right; above the gate a mason works; below, a worker digs with a pick, legend [∆ƐI-∆Ω] to his left and right; murex shell in upper field.
Notes: Rare --> Ex TIF Collection

 

Awesome pedigree and a rare coin!

I'd like to have more coins with forum friend provenances. One of these days I'd like to pick up an ex @dougsmit. Wouldn't mind a @John Anthony Nabataean either. Perhaps @zumbly will sell or trade something from his recent phenomenal mixed lot.

I am fortunate to have three ex @AncientJoe coins though... definitely among the top coins in my collection! This ATG tetradrachm is on its way to me right now.


KINGS OF MACEDON, Alexander III
AR tetradrachm, 17.14 gm
late lifetime issue, struck in Aradus c. 324/3 BCE
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress.
Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ; Zeus seated left, holding eagle and scepter; I in left field; AP monogram below throne
Ref: Price 3325
ex Colosseo Collection (images by Colosseo Collection)


KINGS OF MACEDON, Philip II
AR tetradrachm. 24mm, 14.20 gm, 12h
Lifetime issue of Pella, 342-336 BCE
Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right
Rev: ΦIΛIΠ-ΠOY, youth, holding palm and reins, on horseback right, thunderbolt below, N in exergue
Ref: Le Rider 222-306. SNG ANS 385-95
Deeply struck and beautifully toned. NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style.
ex Colosseo Collection


Septimius Severus
Rome, CE 206
AR denarius, 3.41 gm, 20 mm, 12h
Obv: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right
Rev: LAETITIA TEMPORVM, the spina of the Circus Maximus decorated as a ship facing left, with the turning posts at its prow and stern, a sail mounted on the central obelisk, and the spina's other monuments visible in between; above the ship, four quadrigas racing left; below, seven animals: an ostrich at left and a bear at right; between them a lion and a lioness chasing a wild ass and a panther attacking a bison
Ref: RIC 274; BMC 343.
ex Colosseo Collection

 

Nice ... wow, those are some very cool coins and/or provenances ...

=> Ummm, I bought a couple of winners at an auction ... cool enough?

Sicily, Syracuse. Hieron I AR Tetradrachm
(240 Onkia)
478-466 BC
Struck circa 478-475 BC
Diameter: 24 mm
Weight: 16.90 grams
Obverse: Charioteer driving quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses
Reverse: Diademed head of Arethusa right; four dolphins around
Reference: Boehringer series IXa, 190 (V86/R130); SNG ANS –; Randazzo 356 (same dies)
Other: 2h, Near VF, toned, test cut on reverse
From the Robert and Julius Diez Collection, Ex Gustav Philipsen Collection (Part I, J. Hirsch XV, 28 May 1906), lot 1132




Sicily, Syracuse Æ Hemidrachm
Timoleon and the Third Democracy
(30 Onkia)
344-317 BC
Timoleontic Symmachy coinage. 1st series, circa 344-339/8 BC
Diameter: 24 mm
Weight: 16.94 grams
Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus Eleutherios right
Reverse: Upright thunderbolt; to right, eagle standing right
Reference: Castrizio series I, 1γ; CNS 72; SNG ANS 477-88
Other: 9h, Good VF, red-brown patina, a few areas of roughness
From the Robert and Julius Diez Collection, Ex Gustav Philipsen Collection (Part I, J. Hirsch XV, 28 May 1906), lot 1227







Hmmm, an auction over 100 years ago ... man, that must have been a different crowd, eh? (I doubt they let my Great Grandfather, stevex1, into the party?!!)

 

I am still waiting on these two to come in, so I haven't shared them yet but these are some recent auction wins with good provenances:

Roman Republic AR quinarius(16.3 mm, 1.94 g, 11 h). Anonymous. ca. 211-210 B.C. Southeast Italian mint. Helmeted head of Roma right, V behind / ROMA, the Dioscuri riding right, each holds a spear; H below. Crawford 85/1a; Sydenham 174; RSC 33b.
Ex. RBW collection


Roman Republic Æ quadrans(18.3 mm, 6.16 g, 11 h). Cn. Gellius. 138 B.C. Rome mint. Head of young Hercules right, wearing lion's skin headdress, three pellets behind / GN·GEL / ROMA, prow of galley right, three pellets below. Crawford 232/4; Sydenham 435b.
Ex. RBW collection
Ex. Goodman collection(Richard Schaefer)


Cilicia, Korykos. Circa 1st century BC. Æ22mm(6.30 gm). Turreted head of Tyche right; ΔΙ behind / Hermes standing left, holding phiale and caduceus. ΚΩΡΥΚΙΩΤΩΝ to right. SNG Levante 791 (this coin); cf. SNG France 1075; cf. SNG von Aulock 5679.
Ex. Eduardo Levante


Ptolemy III, Euergetes, 246-222 BC AE Chalkous(12.0mm, 2.0g). Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right/ΠΤΟΛΣΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΣΩΣ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, trident left. Svoronos 840
Ex. J.P. Righetti

 

Excellent thread and wonderful coins! I posted this one yesterday in my Double-Maiorinae thread (https://www.cointalk.com/threads/iovian-ae1-double-maiorinae.269324/page-2#post-2250076) but I'll post it again here because it fits:


POEMENIUS in the name of CONSTANTIUS II AE21mm 3.86g Centenionalis/Maiorina (VF, patina)

AV: DN CONSTAN - TIVS PF AVG; pearl-diademed draped cuirassed bust r.

REV: SALVS AVG NOSTRI; large chi-rho flanked by A left and W right.

EXE: [T]RS* (* inside evergue not on exergual line) Trier mint.

REF: RIC VIII 332, rated S - a rare coin, the lighter version, minted only at Trier for a brief period in the summer (July-August) of 353AD.

Several numismatists have tried to associate this coin, combining an obverse of Constantius II and a reverse type of the usurpers Magnentius and Decentius, with a tantalizingly obscure passage from the fourth-century historian, Ammianus Marcellinus. There, the historian, relating the clean-up of Magnentius' revolt, mentions the killing of a Poemenius who revolted against the usurpers in Trier and handed the city over to the legitimate emperor, Constantius II. While J.P.C. Kent (NC 1959, pp. 105-108) asserted these coins, as well as a contemporary gold issue, were struck by Poemenius in anticipation of the emperor's retaking of the city, P. Bastien (QT 1983), revisited the question. Re-analyzing the gold issue, he concluded that the bronze coins were issued only after Constantius had retaken the city, and not before. More recently, W. C. Holt (AJN 15 [2004]), while arguing with slight modifications, nevertheless agrees in genere with Kent's hypothesis. Although this coin is clearly associated with the events of the revolt in Trier, any more certain conclusion at this point remains based on how one wishes to interpret the scant evidence.

One unanswered question remains: for what reason was a reverse type so closely associated with the usurpers used in combination with a legitimate obverse of Constantius? The political use of Christian symbolism became much more visible during the latter stages of Magnentius' revolt. His use of the Chi-Rho reflects a similar one of Vetranio: the emperor (either Vetranio himself, or Constantius II) holding a labarum, and the legend IN HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS, a statement associated with the vision of Constantine I on the night before has battle with his rival, Maxentius. In the present case, it is quite possible that the forces of Constantius II in Trier briefly co-opted the symbology of the usurpers, adding the legend of the legitimate emperor to parallel the ultimate victory of Constantius II with that of his father. (cf. CNG)

Best clue that would point in the direction of it being an issue minted under the authority of Poemenius before Constantius II arrived in Trier would be the fact that the reverse of Magnentius and Decentius is kept, with only a slight change in the legend to imply that the rightful Augustus is Constantius II. An interesting discussion about the issue can be found on this FORVM thread.

PROVENANCE: ex. Leo Benz Collection, Lanz Munich 100 lot 579, 22 November 2000, ex. Dr. Ernst von Ferrari Collection 2009, ex. Numismatik Lanz 2014

 

Love the pedigree. Doug has at least one JQA and here is my JQA:

VESPASIAN
Æ Dupondius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES VESP AVG P M T P COS V CENS, radiate head left
REVERSE: FELICITAS PVBLICA S-C, Felicitas standing facing, head left, holding caduceus & cornucopiae
Struck at Rome, 74AD
10.2g, 28mm
RIC 716, (RIC [1962] 555), Cohen 152, BMC 698
Ex: J.Q. Adams
Lot 785 of the John Quincy Adams sale (Stacks, 1971) purchased by Christian Blom. Chris sold it to Mendel Peterson of the Smithsonian Institution (it comes with his tag) who sold it to Gene Brandenberg, Trojan Antiques

 

Probus, Billon tetradrachm, Alexandria, Year 5, Dikaiosyne seated Obv:– A K M AVP PROBOC CEB, Laureate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– None, Dikaiosyne (Aequitas) seated left, holding scales and cornucopia
Minted in Alexandria Egypt. LE in left field. Year 5. A.D. 279-280
Milne 4594. Emmett 3980(5) R4. Curtis 1845. BMC -.

Ex- Col. James W. Curtis Collection. Author of "The Coinage of Roman Egypt: A Survey". Described by Col. Curtis as "Very Rare" on his 2x2 coin holder, which still accompanies the coin.
Ex- Olympus #5 catalogue (December 1982)
Ex- Keith Emmett Collection. Author of "Alexandrian Coins"

 

I know you have all seen this one before but it fits the theme. This one comes from the Jyrki Muona collection.

Caligula and Agrippina AR Denarius, aF, toned, bumps and marks, 2.680g, 17.8mm, 180o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, end of 37 - early 38 A.D.;

Obv: C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT (counterclockwise), laureate head of Gaius right; Rev: AGRIPPINA MAT C CAES AVG GERM (counterclockwise), draped bust of Agrippina Senior (his mother), her hair in a queue behind, one curly lock falls loose on the side of her neck, RIC I 14 (Rome), RSC II 2; BMCRE I 15 (Rome), BnF II 24, Hunter I 7 (Rome), SRCV I 1825 Ex: the Jyrki Muona Collection, Ex: Forvm Ancient Coins.

 

From the collections of the authors of the two best books on Roman Egyptian coinage? Excellent!

 

This ticket troubles me. This coin type was part of lot 624 in the JQA sale. 1140 is the Sydenham catalog number for the coin type. Sydenham was used to attribute coins in this sale because Crawford had not yet been published. The Blom ticket is a good indication that the coin is JQA because he bought a LOT of coins at that sale but there really is no way to prove that it is the right specimen. The original ticket from the JQA sale should be with the coin. It is a generic ticket printed for all JQA lots with pen inserted numbers. I suspect if you bought a lot of three coins it came with three tickets and it was up to you to insert numbers. I have seen several with incorrect numbers and the two I have are not matching in ink color or handwriting. Lot 624 was not illustrated in the catalog (only the best were!) and the lot brought $75 so the $37.50 was the Blom resale number. This coin was graded at choice VF but the Syd. 1139 was EF and the more popular 1138 Panther type was also Ch. VF so I suspect this was the least of the three in his opinion.

I do own the catalog set (only volume 1 has ancients) and do not recommend buying it because of the few illustrations unless you happen to own one of the illustrated, single lots. Most lots were multiples, some with 50 LRB. JQA had many nice coins and some real junk, too. I have looked up several coins for people but have yet to have seen a coin that was illustrated.

Mine:
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/f84.html
Galerius from lot 943 (13 coins) for $30


and (I said he had junkers) from lot 929 (28 coins) for $55:


Both of mine were from a shop in Virginia years ago and said to be ex Blom also but were not packaged like yours.

 

I only have one coin with a notable provenance...



Roman Republic, c. 169 - 158 BC, bronze as of A. CAE
Obverse: Laureate bust of Janus. Reverse: ROMA|I|A.CAE, prow r. Reference: Crawford 174/1. Ex. RBW, purchased from R. Schaefer 12/10/1993; 33 mm, 31.7g


well, that's not true. some of you may be familiar with the famous numismatist Mat. if you're not, scroll up 14 posts. I have several coins from that are ex. Mat, here are two I haven't posted for a while.

 

Nice, none of my coins have provenance going back very far,



but this one has been around quite a bit this year..
Ex Prue Morgan Fitts Collection (2015)
Ex CNG (July 2015)
Ex listed on Vcoins (until September 2015)
Ex eBay (September 2015)
Arnoldoe Collection (September 2015 - present)

and is Illustrated in Prue Morgan Fitts’ book, The Beginner's Guide to Identifying Byzantine Coins (London, Spink, 2015).

 

Doug,

You are correct that the Coin ID# (1140) on the JQA sale is the Sydenham number. It should have been the lot #, see below. The Christian Blom ticket was printed in blue ink, but the date and other notes are in red. It may be the person who bought the coin from CB added notes including purchase date. Based on your comment I will not buy the auction catalog.

I read the following note in a Stack's blog on the sale -

The collection was so vast that we used several catalogs to sell them at Public Auction. Each of the lots were put into 2X2 envelopes, stating it was from the Massachusetts Historical Society Collection sold at public auction, then the date of the sale and the lot number. On the rear flap of the envelope it said Stack’s New York.

By putting the name of the society, the date of the sale, the lot number, and the auctioneer on the envelope, we established the pedigree of each coin being sold. If the new owner retained it with the coin, this envelope provided a way for the pedigree to continue into the future. Those who attended our first sale in 1970 and the sales that followed speak of the historical importance of the offering and how the retention of the pedigree added to both pride of ownership and the coin’s value.

http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n19a17.html

 

good sleuthing (oh, and nice heads-up, Doug)