| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5529 Price realized: 220 CHF (Approx. 250 USD / 232 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Kaleb, circa 510-530s. Chrysos (Gold, 16 mm, 1.59 g, 12 h). [XAΛ]ΗB BAↃΙΛↃVↃ Draped half-length bust of Kaleb to right, wearing tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; to inner left, B; all within circular border; above, monogram of ከለበ ('klb' = 'Kaleb' in Ge'ez). Rev. ΛIOↃ O϶И[...] Draped half-length bust of Kaleb to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding branch in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border; above, monogram of ከለበ ('klb' = 'Kaleb' in Ge'ez). Hahn, Aksumite, 41b. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 64. Munro-Hay, AC, type 91-96. Rare. Somewhat rough, otherwise, good fine. From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection, privately acquired from NBJ in June 2019. With the reign of Kaleb, the Axumite Kingdom again enters the light of historiography. Both Byzantine and Islamic sources (notably Procopius, De bell. 1.20.1-8) report that under Kaleb, a Christian king was installed in the Himyarite Kingdom in circa 518, but that he was toppled by Yusuf Dhu Nuwas, a Jewish convert, who pursued a decidedly anti-Christian (and thus anti-Axumite and anti-Byzantine) course. The massacre of the Christian community at Najran in particular greatly impressed the Christian world, and Kaleb invaded southern Arabia once more in circa 525 with approval of the Byzantine emperor, Justin I (although Procopius rather paints Justinian I as the instigator), sweeping away the forces of Yusuf and installing a new local client king named Sumuyafa Ashwa, who was promptly baptized. The conquest would not prove durable, however, as a revolt of Ethiopian troops stationed in Himyar during the next decade saw a certain Abreha rise to power. Though Kaleb attempted to reassert Axumite authority, his attempts were ultimately in vain. His reign would be Axum's swan song, as the kingdom's power and prosperity appear to have steadily declined over the following decades. He is said to have abdicated, dedicating his crown to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and entering a monastery. After his death, Kaleb was canonized, and he is still venerated as Saint Elesbaan in the Orthodox Church today. Interestingly, Kaleb's chrysoi carry a filiation ('YIOC ΘЄΖΑΝΑ' = 'Son of Thezana'), a unique phenomenon in Axumite coinage. It is not entirely clear who this Thezana was - it could be another name of Nezana/Nezool, meaning that Kaleb was of royal blood, or a wholly unknown individual who did not reign at all. If the former is true, Kaleb apparently did not directly succeed his father, perhaps because he was still a minor when the king died. Such a course of events might explain the appearance of his unusual coin legends, which underlined his claim to power through noble parentage. Starting price: 50 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5528 Price realized: 320 CHF (Approx. 364 USD / 338 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Kaleb, circa 510-530s. Chrysos (Gold, 17 mm, 1.61 g, 12 h). XAΛ✠Ηᗺ ᗺ✠AↃΙΛ✠ↃVↃ Draped half-length bust of Kaleb to right, wearing tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; to inner left, I; all within circular border; above, monogram of ከለበ ('klb' = 'Kaleb' in Ge'ez). Rev. ✠ΥIOↃ O϶[...]϶ИA Draped half-length bust of Kaleb to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding branch in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border; above, monogram of ከለበ ('klb' = 'Kaleb' in Ge'ez). Hahn, Aksumite, 41b. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 64, 63.28 (this coin). Munro-Hay, AC, type 91-96. Rare. Struck from somewhat worn and corroded dies, otherwise, very fine. From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection, . With the reign of Kaleb, the Axumite Kingdom again enters the light of historiography. Both Byzantine and Islamic sources (notably Procopius, De bell. 1.20.1-8) report that under Kaleb, a Christian king was installed in the Himyarite Kingdom in circa 518, but that he was toppled by Yusuf Dhu Nuwas, a Jewish convert, who pursued a decidedly anti-Christian (and thus anti-Axumite and anti-Byzantine) course. The massacre of the Christian community at Najran in particular greatly impressed the Christian world, and Kaleb invaded southern Arabia once more in circa 525 with approval of the Byzantine emperor, Justin I (although Procopius rather paints Justinian I as the instigator), sweeping away the forces of Yusuf and installing a new local client king named Sumuyafa Ashwa, who was promptly baptized. The conquest would not prove durable, however, as a revolt of Ethiopian troops stationed in Himyar during the next decade saw a certain Abreha rise to power. Though Kaleb attempted to reassert Axumite authority, his attempts were ultimately in vain. His reign would be Axum's swan song, as the kingdom's power and prosperity appear to have steadily declined over the following decades. He is said to have abdicated, dedicating his crown to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and entering a monastery. After his death, Kaleb was canonized, and he is still venerated as Saint Elesbaan in the Orthodox Church today. Interestingly, Kaleb's chrysoi carry a filiation ('YIOC ΘЄΖΑΝΑ' = 'Son of Thezana'), a unique phenomenon in Axumite coinage. It is not entirely clear who this Thezana was - it could be another name of Nezana/Nezool, meaning that Kaleb was of royal blood, or a wholly unknown individual who did not reign at all. If the former is true, Kaleb apparently did not directly succeed his father, perhaps because he was still a minor when the king died. Such a course of events might explain the appearance of his unusual coin legends, which underlined his claim to power through noble parentage. Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5526 Price realized: 420 CHF (Approx. 477 USD / 443 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Kaleb, circa 510-530s. Chrysos (Gold, 17 mm, 1.58 g, 12 h). XΛΛ✠Ηᗺ ᗺ✠AↃΙΛ✠ↃVↃ Draped half-length bust of Kaleb to right, wearing tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; to inner left, I; all within circular border; above, monogram of ከለበ ('klb' = 'Kaleb' in Ge'ez). Rev. ✠ΘЄOΥ ЄVXAPICTI∀ Draped bust of Kaleb to right, wearing head cloth and holding branch in his right hand; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border. Hahn, Aksumite, 41a. Hahn, MAKS, 62. Munro-Hay, AC, type 97. Extremely rare, just four examples recorded by Hahn & Keck, of which two in private hands. Struck from a somewhat corroded obverse die, otherwise, extremely fine. From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection, ex Leu Web Auction 18, 19-21 December 2021, 4079. Starting price: 150 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5472 Price realized: 400 CHF (Approx. 455 USD / 422 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ebana, circa 460s-480s. Chrysos (Gold, 16 mm, 1.59 g, 12 h). ✠ↃΛC✠CIN✠CΛX✠ΛↃΛ Draped half-length bust of Ebana to right, wearing tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; above tiara, cross consisting of four pellets; all within circular border. Rev. ✠CCB✠ΛNΛ✠BΛC✠ΛCΛ Draped half-length bust of Ebana to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding branch in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; above head cloth, pellet; all within circular border. Hahn, Aksumite, 34. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 43. Munro-Hay, AC, type 71. Struck from the usual worn dies, otherwise, very fine. From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection, privately acquired from NBJ in October 2019. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 389 Price realized: 650 CHF (Approx. 739 USD / 686 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: AXUM. Ebana, circa 460s-480s. Chrysos (Gold, 16 mm, 1.67 g, 12 h). ✠ነIↃ✠CAC✠AↃA✠XCA Draped half-length bust of Ebana to right, wearing tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley, the left one with I across; all within circular border. Rev. ✠ↃↃB✠ANA✠BAↃ✠ACA Draped half-length bust of Ebana to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding branch in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border. Hahn, Aksumite, 34. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 43. Munro-Hay, AC, type 71. Struck from a somewhat worn and corroded reverse die, otherwise, good very fine. From the James Knox Collection of Biblical related coins, privately acquired from Holyland Numismatics on 6 July 2011 and ex Classical Numismatic Group E-Auction 177, 28 November 2007, 229. Starting price: 150 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5453 Price realized: 220 CHF (Approx. 250 USD / 232 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ebana, circa 460s-480s. Chrysos (Gold, 16 mm, 1.61 g, 12 h). ✠ↃΛↃ✠CIN✠CΛX✠ΛↃΛ Draped half-length bust of Ebana to right, wearing tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border. Rev. ✠ↃↃB✠ΛNΛ✠CΛↃ✠ΛCΛ Draped half-length bust of Ebana to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding branch in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border. Hahn, Aksumite, 34. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 43.374 (this coin). Munro-Hay, AC, type 71. An attractive coin with a sharp obverse. Large die break on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine. From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection, privately acquired from NBJ in December 2018. Starting price: 150 CHF |  |
