Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History, Stamps & Coins

Laureate head of Apollo to right / Radiate forepart of the dog Seirios to right; KAPΘΑ above, bee below. BMC 44; SNG Copenhagen -; HGC 6, 560. 3.92gr, 17mm, 12h.

Near Very Fine. Rare.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

The citizens of Keos watched for the rising of the Seirios ('Dog Star', the brightest star in the night sky) every year from the mountaintops. By observing the appearance of the star, the inhabitants would try to determine whether the island would suffer from epidemics or not. If the star appeared clear and bright, the islanders would experience a healthy year, but if it appeared misty and dull, disease would spread across the island. There was a cult where the inhabitants of Keos tried to guard against the effects of Seirios using rituals. They prayed to Aristaios, the son of Apollo and Kyrene, who was taught both medicine and divination by the Centaur Chiron. He came to the island, built an altar, and ordered the islanders to pray to Zeus for refreshing winds and rains (see Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 2.518 ff).

Bearded head of Dionysos to left, wearing wreath of ivy with berries at the tip / Kantharos; grape bunch above, ivy leaves at sides, N-A flanking base. Nicolet-Pierre, Naxos II, Canthare 1a, 1-6; SNG Copenhagen 709; HGC 6, 641. 1.20gr, 10mm, 3h.

Near Very Fine. Very rare.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Wreathed head of Demeter to right / ΠAPI, goat standing to right; in right field, grain ear(?). Cf. HGC 6, 670. 4.09gr, 18mm, 12h.

Near Very Fine. Extremely rare, apparently unpublished with this control.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Horned and laureate head of Apollo Karneios to right / [T-H N-I?], bunch of grapes. Cf. Etienne 109.II-III; cf. HGC 6, 737. 3.51gr, 18mm, 6h.

Good Fine.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Head of bearded Satyr to right / Π-Α-Ν around forepart of griffin to left; sturgeon to left below. MacDonald 69; SNG BM Black Sea 869-71; SNG Stancomb 542; HGC 7, 113. 8.85gr, 21mm, 11h.

Good Very Fine.

Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd, E-Sale 118, 8 April 2024, lot 414. Property of a Middlesex gentleman.

BACIΛЄധC PHCKOVΠOPIΔ, diademed head of Rheskouporis to right / Laureate head of Philip I to right; club before, ΔMΦ (date) below. RPC VIII Online Unassigned ID 3312; MacDonald 606. 7.07gr, 20mm, 2h.

Very Fine. Some delamination to reverse.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

BACIΛЄധC PHCKOΠOPIΔ, diademed bust to right / Laureate head of emperor to right; club before, ЄMΦ (date) beneath truncation. RPC VIII Online Unassigned ID 3347; MacDonald 607/1 (Rheskouporis IV). 6.98gr, 20mm, 2h.

Very Fine. Areas of delamination.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Aegis / [AMI]-ΣOY, Nike advancing to right, holding palm over her left shoulder; to right, monogram. HGC 7, 242. 7.40gr, 20mm, 1h.

Very Fine.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Head of Dionysos to right, wearing wreath of ivy and fruit / AMIΣOY, panther skin and thyrsos on cista mystica; to left, monogram. SNG BM Black Sea -; SNG Stancomb -; HGC 7, 243. 7.66gr, 21mm, 1h.

Very Fine. Extremely rare with this monogram.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Aegis / KOMA-NΩΝ, Nike advancing to right, holding palm over her left shoulder; in fields, monograms. HGC 7, 281. 6.84gr, 21mm, 1h.

Near Very Fine.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Laureate head of Zeus to right / ΦΑΡΝΑ-ΚΕΩΝ, zebu butting to right, head facing. SNG BM Black Sea 1274; RG I, 3; HGC 7, 295. 5.24gr, 17mm, 11h.

Very Fine. Rare.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

Laureate head of Zeus to left / [ΣΗ]-ΣΑ, wreathed head of Demeter to left. RG 2; HGC 7, 379. 3.54gr, 16mm, 11h.

Near Very Fine.

Acquired on the European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.