Featured REPORT: Ancient Coins at the Getty Villa

I went to the Getty Villa in Malibu, CA the other day and was amazed at their incredible collection of very nice, very valuable, very old gold and silver coins. Here are some of my favorites!
(apologies that some pics are blurry, I didn't review each photo after taking)

Athenian Owl Tetradrachm


(forgot attribution) Sea Turtle

(forgot) Goat

Opontion Soldier tet?

(forgot) tet?

(forgot) Lyre tet?

Aureus with bust of Sibyl by L. Cestius and C. Norbanus.
Rome Mint, 43 BC
Has a very neat "collector's mark" of the Este family to left of portrait.


Medallion of Tetrarchs (no denomination)
Augusta Treverorum (Trier) AD 293-294

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Incredible woman's belt filled with Aureus coins! WOW! Contains aurei of 5 emperors - can you name them all?
Constantinople, AD 379-395



Julius Caesar aureus
43 BC

Constantine I AE solidus
AD 330

Valens AE 4 1/2 solidus (medallion)
AD 375-378

Ptolemy III of Egypt AE octadrachm
Alexandria, 221-204 BC

Alexander the Great AR tetradrachm
Kios, 288-281 BC
struck by King Lysimachos of Thrace

 

Antimachos I of Bactria AR tetradrachm
Bactria, 185-170

Berenike II, wife of Ptolemy III AE decadrachm
Alexandria, 246-221 BC

Syracuse quadriga AR decadrachm

Akragas eagle AR tetradrachm
415-406 BC

 

To your knowledge, has anyone estimated the value of the collection? Can't even imagine the value of the belt.

 

Nice photos of the museum exhibits. The Getty Villa is an interesting place to visit.

 

I was unable to find values for the coins specifically. On display is probably just a fraction of the entire collection. Just the ones in display already have enormous value.
The belt is insane! Just the gold value is crazy. Plus the beautiful glass buckle inlay and the coin settings... buy you a few houses here and there!

Off the top of my head, I know that Getty spend the modern equivalent of around $42million on a single statue, the Venus of Morgantina back in 1982(7?). So Getty was in the market for the good good

 

OK, now I have to get mine off my phone...

 

Also, an insane Greek golden laurel wreath for good measure.
300-100BC
The state of preservation is astounding

 

Here's a wide view of one of the many displays

Closeups




Other wide shots



Overwhelming...

 

The people I was with got tired of me ooo-ing and aaa-ing and "I have that one" not many times...

 

Thanks for the display pictures! It’s even more impressive when you can see just how many coins there are!

 

I want this 1...

 

This 1 took my breath away and I do not know ancients...

 

That reminds me of when this was all over the news;

 

What incredible coins @hotwheelsearl! Thank you for posting those pics!

 

…………………and all the rest posted!

 

Good grief @Yorkshire! Only in Blighty! Thank you for posting that.

 

Beautiful coins. The presentation looks kind of blah for a museum as storied as the Getty though. Do they provide any interpretative guides for the coins on display?

 

They do! Next to each display, there's an interactive iPad that displays additional information, as well as the ability to zoom into both sides, including the undisplayed side.

 

Fabulous collection......One could spend hours drooling over those exhibits. Thanks for sharing.