Today's Roma Auction

My bids, except for one, were wiped out in very healthy bidding.

I am amazed at some of the hammer prices, notably for some Islamic coins:


1) Artuqids of Mardin, Qutb al-Din il-Ghazi II Æ Dirham. Uncertain mint (Mardin?), AH 572-580 / AD 1176-1184. Diademed Roman style head to right within beaded square; around first part of name and titles of Qutb al-Din Il-Ghazi II / Continuation of name and titles of Qutb al-Din Il-Ghazi II within beaded circle. Album 1828.1; S/S 31.1. 9.15g, 31mm, 1h.

Very Fine.

From the inventory of a UK dealer.

£360 (does not include 20% buyer's fee)

2) Artuqids of Mardin, Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan Æ Dirham. Uncertain mint (Mardin?), AH 580-597 / AD 1184-1201. Small draped facing bust wearing Sasanian-style crown; to right large diademed, Roman-style male head to left / Citing the Ayyubid overlord al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf I (Saladin). Album 1829.2; S/S, type 34. 11.94g, 32mm, 6h.

Near Very Fine.

Ex J. P. Righetti Collection; old collector's ticket included.

£420 (does not include 20% buyer's fee)


3) Artuqids of Mardin, Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan Æ Dirham. Uncertain mint (Mardin?), AH 596 = AD 1199. Male figure seated facing in military attire with legs crossed, holding severed head and sword; name of Nur al-Din to left / Legend citing the Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir in three lines; names and titles of Ayyubid overlords in inner margin, name of Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan and date in outer margin. Album 1829.4; S/S type 36.1. 12.38g, 31mm, 1h.

Very Fine.

From a private UK collection.

£320 (does not include 20% buyer's fee)

4) Artuqids, Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan Æ Dirham. Uncertain mint (Mardin?), AH 596 = AD 1199-1200. Male figure seated facing in military attire with legs crossed, holding severed head and sword; Name of Nur al-Din to left / Legend citing the Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir in three lines; names and titles of Ayyubid overlords in inner margin, name of Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan and date in outer margin. Album 1829.4; S&S Type 36.1. 15.16g, 32mm, 11h.

Near Very Fine; dark patina.

From the inventory of a European dealer.


£420 (does not include 20% buyer's fee)

Perhaps these prices are just an aberration. I didn't follow the entire auction, so I don't know how Greek and Roman coins fared. Byzantine coin hammer prices seemed to be quite solid.

How did the rest of you do?

 

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I wasn't aiming for a coin in this one, but as there were so many solidi on offer, I decided to lurk around just in case a decent one fell under the radar, but no luck. About an hour before the Byzantine section started to close most had already exceeded the estimates, so I didn't even try.

 

I don't bother with them, too expensive. I really like the top one.

 

Yes, it does have a lot of character and appeal. I've seen this type offered through MA Shops and Vcoins at a fraction of the hammer price.

Perhaps the Spengler and Sayles reference is making this series more popular.

 

Number one is very good looking! I love the scalloped look.

 

I'm sure a nice reference helps; but vol 1 (The Artuquids) was published in 1992

 

Yes, I noticed that. So, perhaps we are looking at a bidding war between specialized collectors. Who knows?

 

Give me an Alexander Tet for that money

 

Whoah, those prices are crazy! Good time to sell, except I want to KEEP all my coins. (My favourite theory is that collectors are spending their travel money on coins.)

This Artuqid bronze cost me 35 euros two years ago. I wonder how much it would have gone for in today's Roma?


Artuqids: Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan ibn Il-Ghazi (1184-1200), AE dirham, 589 AH

 

That's a very nice coin for this type!

Here's an example similar to your coin, from today's auction:

Artuqids of Mardin, Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan Æ Dirham. Uncertain mint (Mardin?), AH 589 = AD 1193. Three standing figures around central female figure seated left in attitude of mourning / Citing the Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir in three lines; titles of Arslan and date in marginal legend. Album 1829.3; S/S type 35.1. 13.23g, 32mm, 12h.

Very Fine; some areas of weakness.

From a private UK collection.



£95 (does not include 20% buyer's fee)

The auction estimate was £75 for this lot.

Here's my better example with a somewhat encrusted reverse.

 

I followed last weekends Katz auction, and before that the Album auction. I noticed that Islamic and also modern Arabic and Persian coins sold for handsome prices. A 1971 coin set from Iran was several hundred Euros. Perhaps numismatics is spreading like a virus in itself?

 

The series seems to come in and out of popularity. One thing any new collector should be aware of is bronze disease seems REALLY common in them. I own maybe 50, but had to treat 10-20% for BD already.

 

Yes!

I had to treat one coin with BD spots on the reverse. No BD reemergence so far.

 

I won three individual coins and more group lots than I was anticipating. Whoops!

I feel like I mostly got good deals, scored a couple rarities and some better-average coins that will hopefully do well on ebay.

 

Yes, you can get some good buys with the group lots in a Roma auction, if you do your homework.

In the past they had some really nice Byzantine group lots. I am sure they have others as well.

The one caveat, since this is a UK auction, is the exchange rate for US buyers. Right now the British pound is ascending. I read an article in Marketwatch that predicts the BP at $1.50, which is possible, but I think other factors might get in the way.

 

The one I'm most excited about is this one, which I think I got a killer deal on



Top to bottom:
- Vandals, extremely rare bust/victory type
- Libius Severus / Ricimer
- Same?
- Basiliscus
- Theoderic?
- Valentinian III (in remarkable condition for his coinage)
- Vandals / 4 nummi (retrograde - so maybe a counterfeit of a barbarian coin?!?)

The Baailiscus and Libius Severus alone should be worth well over what I paid for the whole group

 

Yes, some very nice types in this lot. This is the "migratory period" group lot from today's auction.

Congratulations!

 

I was completely destroyed, crushed, annihilated on my two targets of the day; one was a Victorinus estimated at (a low price) of 50 GBP. I had the winning bid at 140 GBP until the last 2 minutes...and the hammer price went to 550 GBP ! OUTCH !

 

Ouch, indeed! I was plowed over as well with most of my bids.

 

I had a number of coins outside of my specialty that I watched. I'm primarily a Roman Republican silver guy but this sale had a significant array of RR bronze. I bid on several, but was most interested in, and bid on the heft of this sextantial As at 51 gms:
I dropped out where my knowledge of these heavy coins fell off, so my hats of to the winner.