Catalogue
Lydia, uncertain king, issued before 561 B.C. and probably c.575 B.C., electrum trite or third stater, (4.65 g) of Lydian-Milesian (Phoenician standard), probably issued at Sardeis, obv. head of roaring lion to right, knob with three rays on forehead [off flan], rev. double incuse punch, (S.3398, BMC 7 [p.2], Weidauer [Essays to Robinson] Class XVI, Weber 5710, SNG Cop. 449-451, ACNAC Rosen 231, ACNAC Dewing 2421-3, Boston 1768). Good fine with several interesting countermarks and rare.
Estimate $1,200
SOLD $2,100
Persian Imperial Coinage, Kingdom of, Artaxerxes I - Xerxes II, (455-420 B.C.), struck in Lydia at Sardeis, gold daric, (8.32 g), obv. king as bearded archer kneeling to right with dagger and bow, rev. oblong incuse punch, (cf.S.4683, Bab. Pl.86, 17, BMC 109 [p.163], SNG Cop. -, Carradice type IV, Group A [Pl.XIII, 32]). Nearly extremely fine and very rare.
Estimate $4,000
SOLD $3,400
Tiberius, (A.D. 14-37), gold aureus, Lugdunum mint, issued after A.D. 14-17, (7.33 g), obv. laureate head of Tiberius to right, around TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS, rev. PONTIF MAXIM around, Livia seated to right, with inverted vertical spear and branch, (S.1760, RIC 29, BMC 48, C.15). Nearly very fine.
Estimate $3,000
SOLD $2,800
Vespasian, (AD 69-79), gold aureus, Rome mint, issued A.D. 70, (7.24 g), obv. laureate head right, around IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, rev. COS ITER TR POT around, Pax seated left holding branch and caduceus, (S.-, RIC 28, BMC 23, Calico 607). Good very fine/extremely fine and scarce.
Estimate $7,500
SOLD $7,800
Vespasian, (AD 69-79), gold aureus, Rome mint, issued A.D. 73, (7.25 g), obv. laureate head right, around IMP CAES VESP AVG CENS, rev. Pax standing left, resting on column, holding caduceus and branch, purse on tripod at her feet, around PAX AVG, (S.2253, RIC2 543, cf.C.297, Calico 660). Good very fine - nearly extremely fine and scarce.
Estimate $17,000
Passed in
Titus, as Caesar under Vespasian, (A.D. 69-79), gold aureus, Rome mint, (7.25 g), issued 73 A.D., obv. T CAES IMP VESP CENS, laureate head right, rev. PONTIF TRI POT, Titus seated right on curule chair holding sceptre and branch, (S.-, RIC 169, C.168, Calico 753). Good very fine with traces of mint bloom, scarce.
Estimate $8,000
Passed in
Titus, as Caesar under Vespasian, (A.D. 79-81), gold aureus, Rome mint, issued A.D. 78-79, (7.23 g), obv. laureate head of Titus to right, around T CAESAR VESPASIANVS, rev. Annona enthroned to left, holding a sack of corn ears on lap, ANNONA AVG around, (S.2414, RIC 218, BMC 316, CBN 278, C.16). Nearly very fine and rare.
Estimate $3,500
Passed in
Matidia, niece of Trajan, Augusta (A.D. 112-119), gold aureus, issued 112, Rome mint, (7.11 g), obv. diademed and draped bust of Matidia right, around MATIDIA AVG DIVAE MARCIANAE F, rev. Matidia standing facing, head left, resting hands on the heads of two children standing at her feet, around PIETAS AVGVST, (S.3377, RIC Trajan 759, C.9, Calico 1157). Good very fine and very rare.
Estimate $18,000
Passed in
Hadrian, (A.D. 117-138), gold aureus, issued 128, Rome mint, (7.20 g), obv. laureate head to right of Hadrian, around HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P, rev. COS III around, she wolf standing left, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus, (cf.S.3388, RIC 192, C.420). Nearly extremely fine and rare.
Estimate $12,500
Passed in
Sabina, wife of Hadrian, (died A.D.136-7), gold aureus, issued 133, (7.02 g), Rome mint, obv. draped bust to right of Sabina, with hair in plait down neck at back of head, around SABINA AVGVSTA, rev. Vesta enthroned to left holding Palladium and sceptre, around VES TA, (S.3911, RIC H397c, C.78 var.). Very fine and very rare.
Estimate $6,000
Passed in
Antoninus Pius, (A.D. 138-161), gold aureus, Rome mint, issued 147-8, (7.30 g), obv. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, laureate head to right, rev. COS IIII, Liberalitas standing left holding abacus and cornucopiae, (cf.S.4010, RIC 138, cf.C.504, Calico 1575). Extremely fine with traces of mint bloom.
Estimate $7,000
SOLD $7,000
Marcus Aurelius, (A.D. 161-180), gold aureus, Rome mint, issued A.D. 165, (7.32 g), obv. laureate bust of Marcus Aurelius to right, around M ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS, rev. Felicitas standing left with right foot on globe, holding caduceus and cornucopiae, around PM TR P XIX IMP III COS III, (S.4865, BMC 374, RIC 134, C.477, Calico 1896). Extremely fine with an impressive portrait, scarce.
Estimate $15,000
Passed in
Faustina Junior, wife of Marcus Aurelius, (d.A.D. 175), gold aureus, (7.29 g), obv. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust of Faustina to right, rev. SALVTI AVGVSTAE around, Salus enthroned to left feeding snake from altar, (S.5244, C.198, RIC 716, BMC 151). Nearly extremely fine and rare.
Estimate $8,000
SOLD $8,000
Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus, (A.D. 193-217), gold aureus, issued 198, Rome mint, (7.09 g), obv. draped bust to right of Julia Domna, around IVLIA AVGVSTA, rev. Cybele seated left on throne flanked by two lions, holding branch and resting on drum, around MATER DEVM, (S.6561, RIC 565, C.126, BMC 163,50). A few surface marks, otherwise good very fine and rare.
Estimate $10,500
Passed in
Caracalla, (A.D. 198-217), gold aureus, issued 204, Rome mint, (7.22 g), obv. laureate bust right, draped and cuirassed, around ANTON P AVG PON TR P VII, rev. Victory advancing to left, holding wreath and palm, around VICTORIA PARTHICA MAXIMA, (S.6755, cf.RIC 79, cf.C.662, CSS 680). Score mark on obverse field, otherwise extremely fine and rare.
Estimate $5,000
SOLD $6,000
Aelia Eudocia, wife of Theodosius II, (421-441), gold solidus, Constantinopolis mint, issue c.423-429, (4.36 g), obv. AEL EVDO - CIA AVG, pearl-diademed and draped bust right of Eudocia, wearing earring and necklace, crowned by the Hand of God, rev. around VOT XX MVLT XXXI Victory standing l., supporting long fluted cross, in upper left field a star, in exergue, CONOB, (S.4299, RIC 228. MIRB 20b. LRC 455. Depeyrot 75/2). With surface scratches and marks, probably once mounted, otherwise very fine and rare.
Estimate $1,500
SOLD $1,850
Justin II, (A.D.565-578), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, (4.49 g), issued 565-578, Officina **D*, obv. bust of Justin II facing, with plume and diadem, two pearls at each side, wearing cuirass, and holding globe surmounted by Victory, d N I VSTI NVS PP AVI around, rev. Constantinople seated looking right, with helmet tunic and mantle, on right shoulder aegis, left hand holds a spear, cross on globe, around VICTORI A AVGGG **D*, CONOB in exergue, (S.345, DOC 4c, MIB 5). Nearly full mint bloom, minor weakness on the obverse, otherwise nearly extremely fine.
Estimate $600
SOLD $550
Tiberius II Constantine, (A.D.578-582), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, (4.45 g), issued 579-582, Officina A, obv. crowned and cuirassed bust of Tiberius II facing, holding shield and globe surmounted by cross, D m TIb CONS TANT P P AVI around, rev. VICTORI A AVCCA around, cross potent on four steps, in exergue CONOB, (S.422, DOC 4a, MIB 4). About as struck on broad flan, some minor die rust on obverse, otherwise, extremely fine and rare in this condition.
Estimate $600
SOLD $400
Phocas, (A.D. 602-610), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, (4.40 g), issued A.D. 607-609, Officina **G*, obv. Phocas facing bust, bearded, wearing cuirass, paludamentum and crown, holding cross, around ON FOCAS PERP AVI, rev. Angel facing, holding in right hand long staff, with partial chi-rho symbol at top, in left hand globe with cross above, around VICTORI A AVGU**G*, (S.620, DOC 10c, MIB 9). Nearly extremely fine.
Estimate $600
Passed in
Heraclius, (610-641), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, issued 610-613, (4.25 g), Officina E, obv. facing bust of Heraclius wearing cuirass, chlamys, paludamentum and crown, plume with cross inside, around dN hERACLI VS PP AVC, rev. cross potent on base and three steps, below CONOB, around VICTORIA AVGUE, (S.731, DOC 3b, BMC 5-7, T.3, R.1279). Broad flan, extremely fine and scarce.
Estimate $550
SOLD $450
Heraclius, (610-641), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, issued 616-625, (4.47 grams), Officina H, obv. facing busts of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, wearing chlamys and crown, around dd NN hERACLIVS ET hERA CONSt PP, rev. cross potent on base and three steps, below CONOB, around VICTORIA AVGUH, (S.738, DOC [13g], BMC -, T.150, R.-). Light scratch in reverse field, otherwise struck on a full flan, extremely fine with mint bloom, a rare officina.
Estimate $500
SOLD $550
Heraclius, (610-641), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, issued 626-629, (4.37 g), Officina **Q*, with **Q* at end of legend, obv. facing busts of Heraclius with short beard and smaller bust of Heraclius Constantine, wearing chlamys, flat crown with cross, around dN NN hERACLIVS ET hERA CONSt PP A, cross above, rev. cross potent on base and three steps, below CONOB, around VICTORIA AVGUI**Q*, (S.746, DOC.22c, BMC 37-38, MIB 26). Neat compact style, otherwise nearly extremely fine, scarce.
Estimate $600
SOLD $450
Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine and Heraclonas, (610-641), gold solidus, issued 632-635, Constantinople mint, Officina S the sixth officina, (4.21 g), Class IVA(a), obv. standing figures of Heraclius in centre, Heraclius Constantine on left, and Heraclonas on right, cross above, rev. Cross potent on three steps, monogram PTh to right, around VICTORIA AVGUS/**D*, CONOB in exergue, (S.758, DOC 33d var, MIB 39). Nearly extremely fine/very fine, the officina seems to be overstruck over a **D* and consequently extremely rare.
Estimate $600
SOLD $500
Constans II, (641-668), gold solidus, Constantinople mint, issued 651-4, (4.44 g), officina **D*, obv. bust facing of Constans with long beard, wearing chlamys and crown, around dN CONStAN TINUS PP AV, rev. cross potent on base and three steps, below CONOB, around VICTORIA AVGU**D*, (S.956, DOC [19d], BMC 31, MIB 23). With some mint bloom, extremely fine and scarce.
Estimate $600
SOLD $520
Michael VII, (A.D.1071-1078), electrum gold histamenon nomisma (scyphate), Constantinople mint, (4.39 g), obv. bust of long bearded Christ facing, wearing nimbus, raising right hand, in left hand the Gospels, IC XC across, double dotted border, rev. +MIXAHL BACIL A, around bust of Michael facing, bearded wearing crown and loros, holding labarum without pellet on shaft and globe with cross, (S.1868, DOC 2d, BMC 3, R.2032). Good bust of bearded Christ, nearly extremely fine.
Estimate $600
Passed in
Nicephorus III, (A.D.1078-1081), electrum gold histamenon nomisma (scyphate), Constantinople mint, (4.27 g), obv. bearded Christ enthroned no back, facing, wearing nimbus, raising right hand, in left hand the Gospels, IC XC across, double dotted border, rev. +NIKH**F D*EC T W ROTANIAT, around bust of Nicephorus facing, bearded wearing crown and loros, holding labarum with X on shaft and globe with cross, (S.1881, DOC 3, BMC 7-11, R.2051-2). Good bust of bearded Christ, nearly extremely fine and very scarce.
Estimate $600
SOLD $400
Andronicus II and Michael IX, (1295-1320), gold hyperpyron (scyphate), Constantinople mint, (4.15 g), obv. bust of Virgin within city walls and six towers, control letters (sigla) B and **G* to left and right, rev. Andronicus II and Michael IX to left and right with Christ standing between both emperors, traces of partial legend downwards of each emperor, (cf.S.2396, Bendall PCPC 127, type sigla 10, cf.DOC 244). Weak in places as usual, otherwise very fine and very scarce.
Estimate $400
Passed in