LOT 3069
Sicily, Syracuse AE 23mm. Time of Agathokles, circa 295-289 BC.
Draped bust of Artemis Soteira to right; quiver over shoulder, ΣΩTEIPA downwards before / Winged thunderbolt; AΓAΘOKΛEOΣ above, BAΣIΛEOΣ below. CNS II, 142; BAR Issue 33; SNG ANS 708; HGC 2, 1537. Very Fine.(10.63gr, 23mm, 10h.).
ProvenanceAcquired on the UK art market since the early 2000s.
Property of a Lincolnshire gentleman, thence by descent.
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AUCTIONS:
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Seleukid Empire, Antiochos IV Epiphanes AE 33mm. 169-168 BC. Antioch on the Orontes mint. 'Egyptianizing' series.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Laureate head of Zeus-Serapis to right, wearing tainia with Osiris cap at tip / Eagle with closed wings standing to right on thunderbolt; BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY to right, ΘEOY EΠIΦANOYΣ to left. SC 1413; Houghton 118; Newell, SMA 59; HGC 9, 643. 34.20gr, 33mm, 12h.
Very Fine.
From a Cambridgeshire, UK, private collection. -
Seleukid Empire, Uncertain Ruler in the name of Antiochos I Soter(?) AE 12mm. 3rd century BC. Uncertain Western mint.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Male head to right, wearing laureate and crested Attic helmet / AN-TI, bull butting to right. Cf. SC 354 (Apollo; perhaps Antioch on the Orontes); Roma Numismatics, e-Sale 112, 529 (hammer: 850 GBP); otherwise unpublished. 1.56gr, 12mm, 10h.
Good Very Fine. Nice green patina. Exceedingly Rare; the second known example and of considerable numismatic importance.
Acquired at European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.
The closest example to our coin is this of SC 354 (=SNG Spaer 216). Although the obverse is described as Apollo, it is nevertheless very worn. Upon closer examination one could see that the two coins share the same type. According to SC 354 note 'The Kritt specimen shows an apparent helmet crest behind Apollo's head, perhaps evidence for overstriking on an earlier variety featuring Athena'. SC's suggestion of Antioch as a possible mint is repeated from SNG Spaer. The reverse is similar to those from Seleukeia ad Tigrim but the fabric is quite different (cf. Brian Kritt, From Aï Khanoum to Samarqand. Seleucid Coins in Central Asia, pl. 8). Our coin is more reminiscent of western mints, but the identification of a specific mint is still impracticable. The most interesting feature, however, is the mysterious face depicted on the obverse, whose parallel example cannot be found in the references. -
Baktria, Uncertain Mint AR Diobol. Circa 4th century BC.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Forepart of boar to right, monogram or symbol below / Head of roaring lion to right. Cf. CNG 87, 604; cf. CNG E-243, 153; cf. CNG E-225, 159; otherwise unpublished. 1.09gr, 10mm, 6h.
Very Fine. Extremely rare.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd, E-Sale 57, 30 May 2019, lot 575. Property of a London antiquarian.
