Auction 123 - Session 1
Date: 2023-05-23 00:00:00
Lots: 293
Total starting: $ 0.00
Total realized: $ 0.00 (+0.00%)
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Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 149
LYDIA, Tralleis. Circa 166-67 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 12.56 g, 11h). Cistophoric type. Struck circa 155-145 BC. Cista mystica with serpent within ivy wreath / Two serpents entwined around bow and bowcase; helmet to right. Kleiner & Noe –; Kurth –; Carbone –; SNG Copenhagen –. Lightly toned. Near EF. Apparently unique and unpublished issue with helmet as sole control mark; none in CoinArchives.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 150
KINGS of LYDIA. temp. Ardys – Alyattes. Circa 630s-564/53 BC. EL Forty-eighth Stater (5mm, 0.30 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Head of boar right / Incuse square. Cf. Weidauer Group XIII, 55 (trite); cf. Spier 6 = Rosen 282 (twenty-fourth stater); Kurth G14; cf. SNG Kayhan 1011 (twelfth stater); CNG 72, lot 792. A little off center. VF. Very rare in this denomination.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 151
KINGS of LYDIA. temp. Alyattes – Kroisos. Circa 620/10-550/39 BC. EL Trite – Third Stater (12mm, 4.73 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Head of roaring lion right; sun with multiple rays on forehead / Two incuse squares. Weidauer Group XVI, 89; Kurth G26; SNG Ashmolean 749–51. Minor edge splits. Good VF.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 152
KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AV Stater (19.5mm, 8.04 g). Light standard. Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 3; Kurth G51; Le Rider, Naissance, pl. V, 8; Traité I 401–3; SNG von Aulock 2875; BMC 31; Boston MFA 2073; Gulbenkian 757. A few tiny marks. Good VF.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 153
KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Stater (22.5mm, 10.61 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 20; Kurth S1; Traité I 407–8; SNG Ashmolean 760. Lightly toned, typical light granularity. Good VF.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 154
CARIA, Antioch ad Maeandrum. Early-Mid 1st century BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 16.18 g, 12h). Diotrephes, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo right; bow and quiver over shoulder / Zebu bull standing left, head facing; maeander pattern in exergue. Thonemann Group A, 1.a–d (O1/R1); HN Online 1528. A hint of porosity on obverse, tiny die break on reverse. VF. Rare. The Carian city of Antioch, located near the eastern end of the Maeander valley, was founded on the south bank of the river Maeander, where the river is joined by a major tributary, the Morsynos River, flowing north from Aphrodisias. It was a Hellenistic settlement that was founded by Antiochos I Soter (though some argument has been advanced in favor of Antiochos III), and likely through a synoecism of two villages, Symmaithos and Kranaos (Pliny, NH 5.108). The location was a significant crossing point of the Common Road over the Maeander, between the important cities of Tralles, to the west, and Laodikeia on the Lykon, to the east. Given its important location, surprisingly little is known today about Antioch in the Hellenistic period; there is little mention of the city in contemporary literature and epigraphy, and the site remains unexcavated. In contrast, the city took on a much more important role in the Roman period, when it was fortified, and figured significantly in many emperors' eastern campaigns.Its strategic location along a major trade route certainly must have enriched the city, which grew to a considerable size by the first century AD, spanning both sides of the Maeander (cf. Strabo 13.4.15). While the Roman provincial coinage at Antioch is quite sizable, the Hellenistic civic coinage is quite rare. All the civic issues date from the 2nd-1st centuries BC, and primarily consists of bronze coins, with very rare issues of silver tetradrachms and drachms. The types are fairly consistent across all denominations, with the obverse featuring the portrait of either Zeus, Apollo, Dionysos, or Artemis, while the reverse featuring a zebu bull or an eagle standing on a thunderbolt. Interestingly, some of the coins bear the name of a magistrate, while others do not.The silver has traditionally been dated to the 2nd century BC, and may have begun with a couple of rare issues of Alexander type tetradrachms that M.J. Price (following H. Seyrig) tentatively placed there, circa 190-180 BC, but it is more likely that these Alexanders are actually issues of Tabai (cf. Price p. 311 and Thonemann p. 52). No Seleukid issues are currently attributed to Antioch, but there are many western issues that are unattributed from the reigns of Antiochos I through Antiochos III, so it is possible that some of these issues may actually belong to this city. Thonemann's recent study of the city's Hellenistic silver coinage convincingly places it in the early-mid 1st century BC. He notes that Antioch was one of many cities in their region that began striking silver around the same time, and some of those cities struck dated issues that firmly places them in this period. Thoneman also concludes that the silver issues may have been struck during the Mithradatic Wars, possibly for the Roman forces in the region to counter the Pontic threat. In fact, the weight standard of the Antioch silver, with a drachm at c. 3.90-3.96 grams, is compatible with the contemporary Roman denarius. Thonemann also notes that it is possible that Antioch may have received the status of a civitas libera from Sulla for services the city performed for Rome in the early 80s BC. In any case, the silver coinage of Antioch appears to Thonemann to be a "surrogate" Roman coinage, struck for military purposes. Unfortunately, there is still too little evidence to firmly anchor the dating of the coinage to any particular event(s), though it is clear that the coinage probably endured until the end of the Mithradatic Wars in 63 BC, if not shortly thereafter.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 155
CARIA, Antioch ad Maeandrum. Early-Mid 1st century BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 16.28 g, 12h). Diotrephes, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo right; bow and quiver over shoulder / Zebu bull standing left, head facing; maeander pattern in exergue. Thonemann Group A, 1.i (O2/R5); HN Online 1528. Tiny flan flaw on obverse, a hint of porosity on reverse. VF. Rare.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 156
CARIA, Antioch ad Maeandrum. Early-Mid 1st century BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 16.15 g, 12h). Eunikos (II), magistrate. Laureate head of Zeus right / Zebu bull standing left, head facing; to left. female standing right, placing hand on chin; all within circular maeander pattern. Thonemann Group A, 17.e–f (O18/R33); HN Online 2069. Minor flan flaw on obverse. Good VF. Rare.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 157
CARIA, Antioch ad Maeandrum. Early-Mid 1st century BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 15.90 g, 12h). Hermogenes, magistrate. Type 2. Laureate head of Zeus right / Eagle, with closed wings, standing left on thunderbolt; to right, Nike flying left, crowning eagle with wreath; all within circular maeander pattern. Thonemann Group B, 10, b–d var. (O11/R– [unlisted rev. die]); HN Online 2070; Triton XXVI, lot 276 (same dies). Porosity and small flan flaw on obverse. Near VF. Rare.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 158
CARIA, Antioch ad Maeandrum. Early-Mid 1st century BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 16.15 g, 12h). Adrastos, son of Pytheos, magistrate. Wreathed head of Dionysos right / Zebu bull standing left, head facing; to left, turreted head of Tyche left; all within circular maeander pattern. Thonemann Group C, 16, a (O17/R31); HN Online 2078; Triton XXVI, lot 278 (same dies). Some porosity. VF. Very rare.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 159
CARIA, Iasos. Circa 250-190 BC. AR Drachm (19.5mm, 5.44 g, 1h). Persic standard. Euanthous, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo right / Boy holding on to dolphin swimming right. Ashton, Pre-Imperial, p. 55, 8 var. (A–/P8 [unlisted obv. die]); HN Online –; SNG München 241 (same obv. die). Toned, spot of die rust and a few tiny flan flaws on obverse. Good VF. Very rare with this magistrate. Tales of humans interacting with dolphins occur frequently in Greek lore, and often on coins, most famously those of Tarentum in southern Italy, which depict the hero Taras (or Phalanthos) being rescued by a dolphin. The tale depicted on this issue of Iasos is rather more poignant. Hermias, a Greek youth of Iasos, is said to have taken a swim in the ocean each day after training at the gymnasium. On one such occasion, a dolphin swam up to him and allowed him to clasp his dorsal fin. The two became fast friends and the dolphin waited in the ocean each day for Hermias to dive in and go for a ride. One sad day, Hermias drowned (perhaps accidentally pierced by the dolphin's fin). The dolphin pulled him back to shore, but the boy could not be revived. Disconsolate, the dolphin beached himself next to the boy and expired.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 160
CARIA, Kaunos. Circa 410-390 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 11.62 g, 12h). Winged female figure in kneeling-running stance left, head right, holding [kerykeion] and wreath / Baetyl(?); (inverted Δ) Γ (K B in Carian) across upper field; all within incuse square. Konuk Period V, Type 4, 116 (O54/R56); Konuk, Coin M26; HN Online 220. Dark toning, slightly off center on obverse. Good VF. From the W. Hansen Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 82 (4 February 2004), lot 14.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 161
CARIA, Termera. Histiaios. Tyrant, 490-480 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 10.91 g, 10h). Forepart of lion left; monogram or letter (Carian T?) on shoulder / Helmeted head of Athena right within incuse square. Cf. HN Online 2167 (same obv. die as illustration = SNG Kayhan 1666; different revers type); cf. Konuk, Influences, pl. XXIX, 25 (same obv. die, different rev, type); otherwise, unpublished in the standard references. Struck from heavily worn obverse die. Good VF. Apparently unique with this reverse type.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 162
ISLANDS off CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 125-88 BC. AV Hemistater (14mm, 4.07 g, 12h). Attic standard. Diognetos, magistrate. Radiate head of Helios facing slightly right / Rose in profile, with bud to left; ΔIOΓNHTOΣ above, P-O flanking, cornucopia to lower right; all within incuse square. Jenkins, Rhodian –; cf. Hackens 16–7 (different magistrate; same obv. die); HN Online –; HGC 6, 1414; Ward 718 (same; same obv. die). Minor hairlines. Good VF. Apparently unique with cornucopia. The rare late gold coinage of Rhodes falls into the so-called plinthophoric coinage of the city, from the term plinthos, or 'brick,' a reference to the shallow incuse square on the reverse. The use of a reverse incuse, a kind of antiquarian throwback, is a feature of the coinage of Rhodes commencing in circa 173 BC and ending about 88 BC. Nearly all of the coinage of this era were silver drachms and fractions thereof; however, a very limited series of gold coins on a range of denominations from staters down to quarter-staters commenced about 125 BC. The reasons for such an elaborate gold issue are unclear, but may be a response to a silver shortage or other economic crisis; alternatively it may reflect Rhodes' new role as one of Rome's chief allies and financial arbiter in the east as the Roman Republic was beginning to acquire provinces in Asia Minor.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 163
ISLANDS off CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Early 1st century AD. AR Drachm (16mm, 2.83 g). Reduced Attic standard. Radiate head of Helios facing / Open rose seen from above. Ashton & Weiss 11b (O2/R11); HN Online –; HGC 6, –; RPC I 2744. Attractive iridescent tone, a little die rust on obverse. EF. Rare. From the Grand Haven Collection. Ex Waddell FPL 68 (1996), no. 61; Ariadne Galleries (9 December 1983), lot 127; Ariadne Galleries (7 December 1982), lot 121; Numismatic Fine Arts X (17 September 1981), lot 202; Numismatica Classica FPL 1 (ND [c. 1979]), no. 25.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 164
LYCIA, Phaselis. 4th century BC. AR Stater (21.5mm, 10.38 g, 6h). Prow of galley right, fighting platform decorated with facing gorgoneion; to right, cicada downward / Stern of galley left, pole mounted on the deck from which a wreath hangs. Heipp-Tamer Series 6, unlisted variety; Triton XXV, lot 278; CNG E-411, lot 164; CNG E-402, lot 251; CNG 103, lot 317; CNG 102, lot 536; CNG 99, lot 280 (all from the same dies). Lightly toned. Good VF. Ex Pars Coins inventory PCW-G5454 (August 2016).
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 165
DYNASTS of LYCIA. Kuprilli. Circa 480-440 BC. AR Third Stater (13mm, 2.55 g). Uncertain mint. Eagle flying right / Triskeles; KOΠ-PΛ-ΛE around; all in pelleted square within incuse square. Cf. Mørkholm & Zahle 51–2 (staters, eagle left); cf. Müseler IV, 49–50 (same); cf. Falghera 126 (sixth stater, eagle left); SNG Copenhagen Supp. –; SNG von Aulock –. Some weakness to strike, minor porosity. VF. Apparently unique as a third stater.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 166
CILICIA, Issos. Tiribazos. Satrap of Lydia, 388-380 BC. AR Stater (21.5mm, 10.61 g, 12h). Ba'al standing left, holding eagle and scepter / Ahura-Mazda, body terminating in winged solar disk, facing, head right, holding wreath and lotus flower. Shannahan 9c (O3/R4) = Brindley Group 4 (b), dies 2/c (this coin); Casabonne Series 1; SNG BN 416. Lightly toned, slightly off center, struck with worn obverse die, minor doubling on obverse. Good VF. Ex Lanz 34 (25 November 1985), lot 274.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 167
CILICIA, Kelenderis. Circa 410-375 BC. AR Stater (20.5mm, 10.62 g, 1h). Nude youth, holding whip, dismounting from horse rearing right / Goat kneeling left, head right, within shallow incuse circle. Casabonne Type 4; Celenderis Series IV, unlisted variety; SNG BN 75 (same dies). A little die wear. Near EF.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 168
CILICIA, Kelenderis. Circa 410-375 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 10.58 g, 5h). Nude youth, holding whip, dismounting from horse rearing right / Goat kneeling left, head right, within shallow incuse circle. Casabonne Type 4; Celenderis Series IV, unlisted variety; SNG BN 75 (same dies). Trace deposits on obverse, minor doubling on reverse. Good VF.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 123 - Session 1 . 169
CILICIA, Kelenderis. Circa 410-375 BC. AR Stater (19mm, 10.76 g, 7h). Nude youth, holding whip, dismounting from horse rearing right / Goat kneeling left, head right; branch with three ivy leaves above; [all within shallow incuse circle]. Casabonne Type 4; Celenderis Series IV, unlisted variety; SNG BN –; SNG Levante 24 (same dies); Triton XXV, lot 290 (same dies). Lustrous, some die wear. Near EF. Rare.