Coins from famous collections.....

From Friedrich Popken Collection/ Kunker ended up selling his extensive collection of European high quality gold/ silver coinage. I ended up with seven. here is one...
AV Doppel Dukat 1582 Salzburg Mint
Salzburg/ Archbishopric
Johann Jakob Khuen von Belasi 1560-86
Under Title of the HRE Rudolf II

 

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Two more from the Cervin collection

 

I have just been pondering over a similar question regarding the solidii of Justinian I. In some cases (or at some mints), Sear states that the last letter is an officina letter (Rome mint, for example), while on others he calls it a representation of the indiction year (Carthage).

When trying to do some research on sixbid archives and acsearch myself, I wasn’t able to find any clues to how they’ve even decided which coin comes from which mint. I’m now asking myself how much I can rely upon the litterature at all. There seems to be an awful lot of speculation.

 

Holger Hede, who wrote this book:


Used to own this coin:


I’ve been the caretaker of this 4 Mark since 2010 now.

 

I felt fortunate to get two coins from Larry Adams' collection in CNG 100. Here is one with additional provenance:

Carthage AV 1/4 stater 350-320 BC 2.34 gm 11 mm
O: head Tanit left
R: palm tree
J&L 116.1 (this coin)
So, also from collection of RB Lewis, who co-authored Carthaginian Gold and Electrum Coins with Kenneth Jenkins. It was also from the Stevenson brothers' ancient gold collection auctioned in CNG XXVI 1993.
To me, one of the highlights of going to a coin show was seeing Larry at the CNG table. He was always very friendly and took the time to talk to other collectors. Many time we had long discussions, sometimes about our common employer (different groups) but always about coins. One of his passions was Carthaginian AV/EL coins and he had the most complete private collection I knew of, so I was very pleased to get this coin.

 

Henry VI House of Lancaster 1422-71
AV Quarter Noble ND Annulet Issue 1422-30 Tower Mint

ex: Theo Law Collection/ Stacks
He had one of the finest collections of English/ British AV coinage/ most probably ended up in the Tyrant Collection.

 

I don't have many that I know once belonged to someone famous.

I have one coin from the Dattari Collection:

Galerius, AE Follis, 305-306 AD, Cyzicus Mint (4th Officina). Obv. Laureate head right, IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG/ Rev. Genius, wearing modius on head, nude, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, holding cornucopiae in left hand and pouring libation from patera in right hand, GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI; mintmark K Δ [K = Cyzicus, Delta = 4th Officina] in exergue. RIC VI Cyzicus 21b & 25a (pp. 582, 584), Sear RCV IV 14546, Cohen 81. 27.8 mm., 9.65 g. 12 h. Ex. Giovanni Dattari Collection (before 1923); Ex. Jesus Vico 2018.



And one from the collection of Bruce R. Brace, a well-known Canadian collector:

Roman Republic, C. Fonteius, AR Denarius, 114-113 BCE. Obv. Laureate, Janiform head of the Dioscuri, control mark N under left chin [mark of value * (= 16) under right chin is worn off], one dot beneath head / Rev. Galley left with three rowers, gubernator (pilot) at stern, rudder beneath stern, apotropaic eye on side, three-pronged ram with wolf’s head above extending from prow, banners/streamers extending from stern, C • FONT above (N and T in monogram), ROMA below. Crawford 290/1, RSC I Fonteia 1 (ill.), Sear RCV I 167 (ill.), Sydenham 555. 20 mm., 3.90 g. Ex: Auctiones GmbH, eAuction 67, Lot 55, 15 March 2020; Ex: CNG Auction May 2012, Lot 293; Ex: Bruce R. Brace Collection.*



* Bruce R. Brace "was a scholar and by many considered to be a dean of Roman Numismatics in Canada. Coins from his extensive collection were sold by CNG in 2012 and 2013." https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/an..._ex_bruce_r_brace_library/630746/Default.aspx . According to Google, he was the former General Chairman of the Canadian Numismatic Association, the recipient of their J.D. Ferguson Award in 1984, and the former honorary curator of the McMaster University Museum of Art coin collection, at least a portion of which is now known as the Bruce R. Brace Coin Collection.

And one that's supposedly from the personal collection of Frank Sternberg, a prominent dealer once upon a time:

Fausta (wife of Constantine I and daughter of Maximian), Billon reduced Centenionalis, Alexandria Mint (First Officina) 326 AD. Obv. Draped bust right, FLAV MAX FAVSTA AVG / Rev. Veiled Fausta standing facing, head left, holding two small children [representing Constantine II Caesar and Constantius II Caesar?] in her arms, SPES REIP-VBLICAE; in exergue, SMALA [Alexandria, First Officina]. RIC VII Alexandria 40 (p. 709), Sear RCV IV 16582. 19 mm., 2.92 g. Ex. Dr. Frank Sternberg Collection, Sternberg I, Zurich, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 1973, part of Lot 524 (catalogue p. 61).



And one from the mysterious A.K. Collection, frequently seen in CNG/Triton sales:

Julia Domna, AR Denarius ca. 201 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right, hair waved vertically and fastened in large bun in back, IVLIA AVGVSTA / Rev. Isis, wearing polos on head, draped, standing three-quarters right, head right, holding the nursing infant Horus in left arm against left breast, with her right hand holding a wreath or other ring-shaped object against her chest, her left foot against prow, right, and her left knee bent with Horus resting on it; to left of Isis, rudder rests against altar; SAECVLI FELICITAS. RIC IV-1 577 (p. 170), RSC III 174 (ill.), Sear RCV II 6606, BMCRE 166. 18x20 mm., 3.35 g., 6 h. Ex. A.K. Collection; ex. CNG Triton XX Auction, Jan. 10, 2017, part of Lot # 614, No. E027.



And, finally, two coins from the BCD Collection (NB: The identity of BCD has been widely disseminated publicly for the last two decades, not only on the Internet but in published books, including books issued by prominent university presses. With no known effort on his part to prevent, suppress, or complain about such disclosures. However, I've been informed that only the cognoscenti are permitted to mention his name, and then only among themselves -- never to the unwashed rabble on venues like this. Even to the many who own coins from his collection, and have good reason to want the provenance identified. So I don't dare do so again, for fear of breaching this gentlemen's agreement, to which I've definitely never been a party, and which I never even knew about until after I transgressed. As I've learned, the consequences can be dire in terms of vilification and name-calling. Please be careful out there!)

The coins have been ascribed to specific hoards by BCD himself:

Thessaly, Thessalian League (under Roman Republic from 146 BCE, Province of Macedonia). Late 2nd-mid 1st centuries BCE, AR Stater ( = Double Victoriatus = 1.5 denarius), Magistrates Sosipatros and Gorgopas. Obv. Laureate head of Zeus right / Rev. Helmeted Athena Itonia advancing right, holding shield with left hand and preparing to hurl spear with right hand; vertical legend ΘΕΣΣΑ-ΛΩN to left and right of Athena; [ΣΩ]ΣIΠ-ATPOΣ above spear; ΓOPΓΩΠΑΣ in exergue. BCD Thessaly II 861.2 [CNG, The BCD Collection of the Coinage of Thessaly, Triton XV Auction, Jan. 3, 2012, Lot 861.2 (this coin)]; HGC 4, 209 [Hoover, Oliver, Handbook of Coins of Northern and Central Greece: . . . Thessaly . . . ., Sixth to First Centuries BC, The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series,Vol. 4 (2014)]; SNG Soutzos 397 [Tsourti, E. and Trifiro, M.D., Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Greece 5: Numismatic Museum, Athens, The A. G. Soutzos Collection (Athens, 2007)]; Klose pp. 339 & 346, 2 (same dies) [Klose, D.O.A, "Zur Chronologie der thessalischen Koinonprägungen im 2. und 1. Jh. v. Chr., Ein weiterer Schatzfund aus Südthessalien," in Peter, Ulrike. ed., Stephanos nomismatikos: Edith Schönert-Geiss zum 65. Geburtstag (Berlin, 1998), at pp. 333-350]. 22 mm., 6.08 g., 2 h. [According to BCD: From Franke Hoard, Greece, found Summer 1983.]



Thessaly, Thessalian League (under Roman Republic from 146 BCE, Province of Macedonia). Mid-late 1st century BCE, AR Stater ( = Double Victoriatus = 1.5 denarius), Magistrates Italos and Diokles. Obv. Head of Zeus right, wearing oak wreath, [ITAΛOY] [behind head, off flan] / Rev. Helmeted Athena Itonia advancing right, holding shield with left hand and preparing to hurl spear with right hand; vertical legend ΘΕΣΣΑ-ΛΩN to left and right of Athena; ΔIO-KΛHΣ above spear, N-I across field. BCD Thessaly II 874.4 [CNG, The BCD Collection of the Coinage of Thessaly, Triton XV Auction, Jan. 3, 2012, Lot 874.4 (this coin)]; HGC 4, 210; McClean II 4797-4798 [Grose, S., Catalogue of the McClean Collection of Greek Coins, Fitzwilliam Museum, Vol. II, The Greek Mainland, the Aegean islands, Crete (Cambridge, 1926)]. 20 mm., 6.09 g., 12 h. [According to BCD: From Hoard found Dec. 1996, West of Karditsa,Thessaly, Greece.]

 

Nice examples Donna

 

From the Eliasberg Collection. 1906 Proof 65 Philippines Peso.

 

I have 8 from Eliasburg/ here is the one ex.

 

Excellent examples!!!

However, please don't self-censor, especially in a hobby that needs many more female voices. This group has more than enough male centered voices and opinions. In this case, I believe you have the superior rationale and most valid claim based on published evidence and real sources, not gossip, rumors or hearsay. It's unfortunate we feel a need to acquiesce control; hence point of views and expression of actual, factual knowledge becomes unnecessarily chastised or silenced by others.

 

Thank you. Wise words. Please understand that I'm not really intimidated by too many people in this world. As someone who was a practicing litigation attorney for more than 35 years before I retired, I have confidence that I can hold my own with just about anyone in an argument! But I'm not here to argue; I'm here to enjoy myself. And I very much don't enjoy being attacked, especially for perfectly innocent and well-intentioned posts. This was the second time this happened to me in the last month or two. The first time -- believe it or not -- was for posting a single photo of all my Roman Republican coins together in a tray, without also posting a second photo showing the other sides of those coins! At least in that case, the person didn't make the attack ad hominem and soon apologized, and I hold no grudge. In this case, I know the person will never apologize, given his level of self-righteousness derived from his being a "famous" and elite numismatist.

Even beyond that, there was a third long-time member who attacked me quite vociferously a number of months ago, in a private message, for mentioning publicly here, with respect to a particular Marc Antony denarius I had purchased that he'd kindly told me by PM was fake, that there were fakes out there by the same forger with different legionary numbers. Despite the fact, as I pointed out to him, that he had disclosed the exact same fact himself right here on Coin Talk about six months previously! And despite the fact that I respected his request not to disclose publicly the signs that made it possible for him to tell that the coin is fake -- even though I consider that stance to be unethical or close to it, in placing the highly unlikely possibility that some forger in Bulgaria is going to be alerted to improve his methods through a post on Coin Talk, over the interests of consumers/collectors in being warned about how to avoid purchasing fakes. Again, an example of elitism, thinking it's OK for the cognoscenti to know certain facts about coins, but verboten to educate the general rabble of collectors to those facts even though it would protect them from buying fakes. (I believe this position is rooted at least in part in self-interest: as long as these collectors are still able to discern fakes, and forgers aren't educated to perfect their craft so that their products are undetectable -- as farfetched as it may be to think forgers are reading Coin Talk -- such elite collectors don't care at all how many thousands of ordinary collectors are deceived. Yes, anyone can go through hundreds of fake coin reports to see if there's a similar example -- assuming they're even suspicious in the first place -- but that's a lot harder than actually knowing what reveals a particular type of coin as a fake. Imagine telling consumer advocates that they're not allowed to disclose what makes any other product a fake or knock-off!)

But that's all just academic to this particular incident: according to this guy, even though I did keep all those details confidential, I wasn't even allowed to disclose something more general that he had publicly mentioned himself! I just don't qualify to convey such information. Oh, and in case you're reading this, Mr. Other Elite Collector, and are thinking of claiming it didn't happen that way, I saved the private messages!

So, TLDR: the attitude of some collectors isn't worth my disputing anymore, only to be attacked. This site has been a welcome respite from the pandemic for me for the last year, and I don't enjoy being insulted. Especially with highly-gendered insults about being an awful, horrible gossiper who supposedly can't keep secrets, and, therefore, will never be admitted to the inner circle. One of my favorite things about my other primary pastime (genealogical/family history research, especially European Jewish research) is that there are and always have been at least as many women as men involved, and this kind of thing just doesn't happen.

 

Octavian/Julius Caesar
43 BC
Ex John Work Garrett collection

 

Both portraits are superb and the pedigree is virtually unbeatable. Congratulations!

 

Super nice aureus!

 

Sharing three coins from my collection with some nice provenance, an early Roman Republican Æ Half-Litra, a Marsic Confederation denarius from the Social War, and an Imperatorial denarius with Mark Antony and Octavian I have not received yet, thus having the sellers photos (CNG).



Ex Goodman collection, Triton I (2 December 1997), lot 842; Ex Virgil Brand (1862-1926) collection, Part VII (Sotheby's , 25 October 1984, lot 478 (part of); Ex Niklovitz collection, Leo Hamburger (19 October 1925), lot 221.



Ex Joseph Martini collection, R. Ratto, Lugano (24 February 1930), lot 247; Ex Othon Leonardos collection, J. Schulman, Amsterdam (31 May 1927), lot 339.



Vicomte de Sartiges Collection (Ars Classica XVIII, 10 October 1938), lot 34; Consul Eduard Friedrich Weber Collection (J. Hirsch XXIV, 10 May 1909), lot 771.

 

Nice examples here. But nobody can't beat my provenances...:

Ex @Bing Collection

Ex @Theodosius Collection

Ex @Justin Lee Collection

Ex @dougsmit Collection

 

This one of Julia Domna was formerly owned by Clarence Bement (1843-1923):

It appears in Ars Classica VIII, 1924, Bement Collection, lot 1184. Here's the listing from that auction:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217
Roman orichalcum dupondius; 10.61 gm, 24.2 mm
Rome, issue 6, AD 195
Obv: IVLIA DOMNA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: FECVNDITAS, Fecunditas enthroned right, nursing one child, second child stands before her.
Refs: RIC 844; BMCRE 494; Cohen 43; Hill 126; RCV 6639
Notes: Ex Ars Classica VIII, 1924, Bement Collection, lot 1184. Die-match to BMCRE-494, pl. 21.4.

Here's the photo and listing in the sale:




And this one was owned by both Von Aulock and Henry Clay Lindgren:


Annia Faustina, 3rd wife of Elagabalus, Augusta, 221 CE.
Isinda, Pisidia; AE 25.0 mm, 8.55 gm
Obv: ANNIAN FAVCTEINAN, Dr. bust of Faustina r.
Rev: Confronted heads of Serapis and Isis, in field, E-Delta (yr. 4 ).
Refs: Ex Lindgren I A1322A, ex von Aulock, Pisidia I 833 (Plate coin for both references).

Here is the info from Lindgren I:

 

I have a 1873 CC with arrows dime in VG that once belong to Eliasberg. The large cent attached below belonged to John Pitman. I think I collect more like Pitman did.

 

The 1820 Pitman large cent was bought as a red brown but, in hand it really does look more red. I even found a picture of it from many years age and it looks the same as it did a long time ago. The picture is a little misleading.