WTS: JA's Black Friday Sale - 12 Ancient Coins: Greek, Celtic, Roman, Sasanian

Discussion in 'For Sale' started by John Anthony, Nov 24, 2017.

  1. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    Hello friends, here is a selection of excellent coins at prices well below retail. Please PM me if interested. Payment can be by paypal, or postal money order, or Transferwise. Shipping is $4 for First Class parcel in the US, insurance optional, international shipping is whatever the PO charges me. Cheers and happy collecting! J

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    1. Mytilene is the port city of the island of Lesbos, with a history (according to Homer) that dates back to the 11th century BC. It was the home of the poets Sappho and Alcaeus, and the statesman Pitacus, one of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece. Aristotle also lived in Mytilene from 337-335 BC. Perhaps he spent this coin for groceries at the agora!

    The Mytilenes struck enormous quantities of these small electrum hekte, and they circulated heavily. Poorly preserved, off-center, worn examples are a dime-a-dozen, see acsearch here to get the gist. EF, well-centered pieces will run you over $700 before fees, see CNG here. Finding middle-of-the-road coins that are nice for the grade and affordable is tough, particularly for this variety with Kabeiros and Persephone. This coin is a pleasing VF, perfectly-centered, no damage, and it has the beautiful characteristic silvery-gold color of electrum. I got a great dealer’s price on this coin from Mark Reid, so I can pass it on to you at the low price of $400 (reduced from $425)

    (Incidentally, the Kabeiri are quite fascinating. They were a group of enigmatic chthonic deities that were worshiped in secret cults. It’s too much to go into in an auction write-up, but see wiki here for a good overview of these mysterious demi-gods.)


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    LESBOS, Mytilene.
    EL Hekte, 11mm, 2.5g, 6h; c. 377-326 BC.
    Obv.: Head of Kabeiros right, wearing pileos; two stars flanking.
    Rev.: Head of Persephone right within linear square.
    Reference: Bodenstedt Em. 99; HGC 6, 1025.
    Ex Mark Reid (Time Machine)


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    2. The Celts sent representatives to pay homage to Alexander the Great, but this diplomatic act may have been a ruse to assess Macedonian military strength. After Alexander’s death, the Macedonians were heavily pressed by Celtic tribes from all sides, although a penetrating attack into Thrace and Macedon in 298 BC was soundly rebuffed, the Danubians suffering massive casualties.

    The coinage of Philip II had become a staple of commerce in the region, and continued to be imitated by the Celts long after his death. Stylistically, these imitations run the gamut from works of sublime derivative art to “Hell, I could do better than that!” This example is the nicest I’ve ever handled, with a commanding bust of Zeus in Celtic style. The original youth-on-horseback types of Macedon referred to Philip’s victories in the Olympic Games.

    Here are the pages at CNG for comparison. Be sure to click though all the categories: coin shop, eauctions, printed auctions. There are so many varieties of these types, simply because there wasn’t one official style. $325 (reduced from $425 - a huge savings on this coin, you will not find another example this nice for so cheap!)


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    CELTS, Danube Region.
    AR Tetradrachm, 14.25g, 12mm, 12h.
    c. 4th to early 3rd centuries BC
    Obv.: Laureate head of Zeus right.
    Rev.: ΦIΛIΠΠOY; Naked youth on horse pacing right holding branch; A-K and torch below.
    Reference: SGCV 1203
    From the collection of an anonymous CT member; ex-FORVM


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    3. The small island of Arados (modern day Arwad) played a key role in ancient commercial and military history because of its strategic position along the coast of Syria. The Aradians are listed as descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:18, as the Arvadites. The island was important to the ancient Egyptians, dating back to the reign of King Thutmose III (15 Century BC), and it was alternately ruled by the Persians, Alexander the Great, and the Seleucids, who renamed it Antiochia in Pieria.

    Here is a gorgeous tetradrachm with Tyche and Nike, with excellent detail and lovely surfaces. You could pay a lot more at vcoins for an example this nice, see here. The tets of Arados are much scarcer than most Greek tets, as they were produced in small quantities for a small island with a small population. $225 (reduced from $245)

    (On this coin, Tyche holds an aplustre - an ornamental appendage found at the stern of certain ships, typically spread out like a fan and curved like birds’ feathers. The city goddess protects Arados’ maritime enterprises.)


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    PHOENICIA, Arados.
    AR Tetradrachm, 30mm, 15g, 12h; Dated CY 160 (100/99 BC).
    Obv.: Turreted, veiled and draped bust of Tyche right.
    Rev.: APAΔIΩN; Nike standing left, holding aplustre and palm; ΞP (date), Phoenician letter and ΘC in left field; all within wreath.
    Reference: HGC 10, 72; DCA 772.
    From the Eng Collection.


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    4. SOLD

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    6. It never ceases to astonish me that Antoninus Pius had an entirely non-military reign. The Empire engaged in various military operations during his tenure, to be sure, but he did not participate in them. J. J. Wilkes has written, “It is almost certain not only that at no time in his life did he ever see, let alone command, a Roman army, but that, throughout the twenty-three years of his reign, he never went within five hundred miles of a legion.” AP’s legacy would be that of an accomplished administrator and builder. Unsurprisingly, he is one of the very few Roman emperors that died of natural causes.

    I have two denarii of AP today from an anonymous CT member. The first presents Annona, the goddess that protected grain shipments to Rome from Egypt. A nicely detailed coin with smooth, clean surfaces, compare to others here. $55 (reduced from $65)


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    Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161
    AR denarius, 17mm, 3.4g, 6h; Rome mint, AD 156-7.
    Obv.: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP IMP II; Laureate head right.
    Rev.: TR POT XX COS IIII; Annona seated right, cradling cornucopia in both hands, modius at feet.
    Reference: RIC III 262
    From the collection of an anonymous CT member; ex-FORVM


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    6. Here is boy-king Gordian III on an issue of Edessa, with Osroene king Abgar X Phraates. There is an excellent synopsis of the Abgar Dynasty at the Encyclopedia Iranica here. These coins are pretty scarce, and although this example has obvious roughness, the details and centering are quite good, and the coin has no problems. It would easily cost you $100 at retail, see here. $45


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    Gordian III, AD 238-244 with Abgar X Phraates
    Æ24,‭ ‬8.7g,‭ ‬12h; MESOPOTAMIA, Edessa.
    Obv.: AVTOK K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC CЄ; Laureate head of Gordian right, star before.
    Rev.: ABΓAPOC BACIΛЄVC; Draped bust of Abgar right wearing tiara, star behind.
    Reference: SNG Cop 226


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    7. Here’s a very attractive post-reform radiate fraction of Maximian. Good detail and lovely sea-green patina. Compare to retail here. $35

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    Maximian Herculius, AD 286-310.
    Æ Radiate fraction, 2.8g, 23mm, 6h; Cyzicus, c. AD 295-299
    Obv.: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust r.,
    Rev.: CONCORDIA MILITVM; Emperor receiving Victory from Jupiter; in center, KΔ.
    Reference: RIC 15b.
    From the Eng Collection.


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    8. SOLD

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    9. SOLD

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    10. A very sharp, well-struck, well-preserved follis of Constantine Junior, Glory of the Army type with two soldiers and two standards. Excellent detail and lovely brown patina. Compare to vcoins here. $35

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    Constantinus II AD 316-337.

    Æ Follis, 3.0g, 19mm, 6h; Antioch mint.
    Obv.: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C; Laureate and cuirassed bust right.
    Rev.: GLORIA EXERCITVS; Two soldiers standing facing one another with spear and shield, between them, two standards // SMANЄ
    Reference: RIC 87.
    From the Eng Collection

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    11.
    SOLD

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    12. SOLD
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2017

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