2021 was a mixed year for me. High auction prices meant I was outbid on lots of desirable coins, but I still found enough to keep me happy – it helps being a general collector. These are in no particular order - please tell me which appeal. 1. I had been looking for one of these for years. The obverse is a little off centre, but still a satisfying portrait. Seleukid Empire, Seleukos I Nikator AR Tetradrachm. Susa, circa 305/4-295 BC. Head of Seleukos I to right, wearing helmet covered with panther skin and adorned with bull's ears and horns, panther skin tied around neck Nike standing to right, wearing peplos, crowning trophy of Macedonian arms set on sapling tree, from which branch sprouts near base; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ around, E to left, ΔI in lower middle field. SC 173.11; ESM 413; Hoover 20 var. (different monograms); HGC 9, 20. 17.10g, 27mm, 1h. 2. These little bronzes do come onto the market from time to time, but this one is in unusually good condition for the issue. It shows what I like to think may be a reasonably true to life depiction of Cleopatra – a strong confident woman. Coele-Syria, Chalcis ad Libanum, M. Antonius and Cleopatra VII (32-31 BC), Æ, 19.5mm, Syria, Chalcis Mint, 6.05g, BACIΛICCAC KΛЄOΠATPAC Draped bust of Cleopatra to right, wearing stephane ЄTOYC KA TOY KAI ς ΘЄAC NЄωTEPAC Bare head of Antony to right RPC I, 4771; Rouvier 440 (Berytus); Sofaer 43; SNG [Copenhagen] 382 - Phoenicia HGC 9 1451 3. I lacked a decent portrait coin of Sabina – this fitted the bill. Sabina, wife of Hadrian, AR Denarius, 3.32g, 6h, Rome, struck c. AD 137-138, SABINA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust right, rev. VENERI GE-NETRICI, Venus standing right, holding apple and drawing-up robe onto shoulder BMC 944; RIC II, Part 3, 2576 [396]; RSC 73, graded Choice XF (Strike 5/5, Surfaces 5/5) Provenance Peter Stagnetto, SNeC, 7 October 2020, lot 1953 Spink Numismatic Circular, June 2002, RM0872 – 4. I have a sub collection of interesting countermarks, so this appealed. Sicily, Agrigentum Hemilitron circa 405-392, Æ 27.70 mm., 22.17 g. Blank. Rev. Circular countermark with head of Heracles wearing lion skin r. Calciati, p. 197. SNG ANS 1065. Green patina, Very Fine. 5. Another ticked off my wants list. An amazing statement of authority – having a subordinate king walking humbly behind the Persian King’s chariot Phoenicia, Sidon AR Dishekel. Ba`alšillem (Sakton) II, circa 401-365 BC. Phoenician galley to left; Phoenician letter beth above, waves below Persian king and driver in chariot to left; to right, king of Sidon, in Egyptian style garments, holding cultic sceptre and votive vase, walking to left. Elayi & Elayi 607; Jameson 1784 (same dies); Rouvier 1096; Betlyon 18; HGC 10, 236. 28.24g, 30mm, 11h. 6. A well executed portrait of Julius Caesar. His famously scrawny neck is prominent - some celators were rather more tactful in depicting it. Julius Caesar AR Denarius. L. Livineius Regulus, moneyer. Rome, 42 BC. Wreathed head to right; laurel branch behind, winged caduceus before / Bull charging to right; L•LIVINEIVS above, REGVLVS below. Crawford 494/24; CRI 115; BMCRR Rome 4274-6; RSC 27. 4.08g, 18mm, 6h. Ex UBS Gold & Numismatics, Auction 78, 9 September 2008, lot 1134; Ex Conte Alessandro Magnaguti Collection, P. & P. Santamaria, 14 October 1948, lot 330. 7. The famous electrum staters from Kyzikos are another of my sub collections. Due to rising prices, this is my first addition for some time. I succumbed to temptation for several reasons – it is an interesting type (see story below) -nothing is cut off , which is a very common problem with these coins - a fine archaic depiction of Perseus -and more prosaically, it sold below estimate – the granulated surface may have put some potential bidders off Mysia, Kyzikos EL Stater. Circa 550-500 BC. Head of youthful Perseus to left, wearing the helm of Hades; tunny fish downwards behind / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I, 65; SNG BnF 193; Boston MFA 1449. 16.12g, 21mm. Very Fine. Extremely Rare; one of very few known examples. The Kyzikene choice to include Perseus among the types for their coinage, as seen on the present lot and on the type that shows the hero kneeling to the right, holding the severed head of the slain gorgon Medusa (cf. von Fritze 162), could be seen as a respectful acknowledgement of the mythological ancestry of the Persian king, Cyrus the Great. Under Persian overlordship at the time this coin was struck, Plato tells us in his Alcibiades I (120e) that the Achaemenid Persians were descended from Achaemenes, who himself was from the line of Perseus, though this is likely a conflation of Achaemenes with Perses, son of Perseus by Andromeda. In any event, that the Greeks believed the Persians descended from the same line as Herakles made the demi-god and greatest hero from before the days of Herakles the perfect honorific to please the recent conqueror. 8. An attractive griffin to add to yet another sub collection Thrace, Abdera AR Tetrobol. Molpagores, magistrate. Circa 395-360 BC. Griffin springing to left, with both forelegs raised / ΜOΛ-ΠΑ-ΓΟ-ΡΗΣ around head of youthful Dionysos to right, wearing ivy wreath, in linear frame; all within shallow incuse. May, Abdera 413 (A287/P336); McClean 4013-4 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 331 (same). 2.82g, 15mm, 3h. 9. I thought this was an interesting reverse, with what may well have been a real statue depicted in it. Caracalla Æ 26mm of Isaura, Cilicia. AD 198-217. A V K M AV CЄ ANTΩNЄINOC, laureate and cuirassed bust to right, gorgoneion on breastplate MHTPOΠOΛЄΩC IC[AV]PΩN, bust of Zeus(?) on column to right within tetrastyle temple. SNG BnF 498 (same dies); cf. SNG Levante 261 (same obv. die). 9.64g, 26mm, 7h. 10. This is a common type, but one that I lacked. The depiction of the aegis on Athena’s shield especially appealed. Kingdom of Macedon, Antigonos II Gonatas AR Tetradrachm. Amphipolis, struck circa 275-255 BC. Horned head of Pan to left, lagobolon over shoulder, on boss of Macedonian shield / Athena Alkidemos advancing to left, holding shield decorated with aegis, preparing to cast thunderbolt; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, ΑΝΤΙΓΟΝΟΥ to left, crested Macedonian helmet to inner left, monogram to inner right. Panagopoulou Period II, Group 17 (O-/R49); SNG Dreer 578a; HGC 3.1, 1042 (Pella). 17.07g, 31mm, 11h. Very Rare with this monogram, only 11 specimens known to Panagopoulou.
Excellent coins, and congratulations on a great year! The Sidon dishekel really stands out to me (what an exceptionally crisp and detailed strike!). And that Kyzikos stater is just lovely. But I like them all, really. If the rest of your collection looks anything like this, then it must be a treasure to behold. I wish you all the best collecting in '22.
For me, the favorite is the Dishekel. All three figures are sharply shown. The Persian king even has a clear hand gesture.
If you said I could have three of these I'd explode trying to pick them, but I narrowed it down to five . I'd love to have a Sidon dishekel that well struck, centered, and preserved. The Seleukos tet is terrific and the off-centered obverse is not too distracting because only a tiny part of the top of the hemet is affected. Wonderful reverse. Cleo VII small bronze-- wonderful portrait. Antigonos II Gonatas tet-- superb condition, remarkable aegis JC scrawny neck-- what a portrait! Congrats on the great year!
Wonderful selections! I have to say my two favorite are the Seleukos Tetradrachm and the Sidon Dishekel. That Dishekel is unusually crisp and quite excellent!
Another vote for the Dishekel... that's an amazing example of the type! Likewise the Cleo+Antony bronze.
Thank you all for your kind comments. The Dishekel seems to be the clear favorite, with which I agree.
Excellent coins, well done. I collect Greek coins, but I actually like #6, your Caesar coin the best. Nice portrait.
Awesome selections, @eparch. My favorites are your #1, 5, 6 and 10. Wonderful portraits on these coins.
eparch, You certainly scored some beauties this year ! My 3 favorites are #5, 1, & 6, in that order . The hefty dishekel has a wonderful reverse, & your coin is well struck for the type . The J.C. denarius is a great coin struck from fresh dies despite the off-center obverse.
Wow @eparch . These are all great. My favorites are: #1 - Absolutely beautiful! One of these is high on my list someday. Yours has excellent detail, style and metal which more than offsets the centering on the obverse. #5 - I love these big Phoenician coins. I think it’s fascinating how the art still recalls the style of Assyrian and earlier near eastern representations from hundreds of years prior. #6 - What a great portrait of Caesar! To illustrate what I said about your #3 here is a photo I took at the Getty Villa of an Assyrian relief ca. 875 - 860 BC.
Gorgeous! Nos. 1, 5, 6, and 8 are my favorites. But I could have picked any of them. A great year for you. Amazing how many posts I missed with just one day away getting oral surgery! I think I'm pretty much caught up now, though.
I have three favourite coins , in this order: 1. Seleukid Tetradrachm - superb! 6. Julius Caesar denarius 8. The griffin Congratulations !
I agree, and thank you for the picture. Of course there was a fashion for making statues of eighteenth century notables dressed in Roman togas.
Lovely coins! I love the Seleukis I tet, the Sidon dishekel, and the Julius Caesar, but all are true gems. What a year you had!
Spectacular dishekel, would be my #1 in your selection, with close 2nd the Cleo/MA bronze and the JC denarius I wouldn't mind having them all though Q
