| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 481 Price realized: 15,000 USD (Approx. 13,739 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: KINGS of ARMENIA MINOR. Aristoboulos, with Salome. AD 54-92. Æ (21.5mm, 7.89 g, 12h). Dated RY 13 (AD 66/7). BACIΛEΩC APICTOBOYΛOY ET IΓ, diademed and draped bust of Aristoboulos left / BACIΛIC CHC CAΛOMHC, diademed and draped bust of Salome left. Kovacs 300; Meshorer 365 corr. (date); Hendin 1257a; RPC I 3840 corr. (same). Dark red-brown and green patina, light scratch on reverse. Good VF. Clear and complete legends and date. Salome is described in the Gospels (Matthew 14 and Mark 6) only as the daughter of Herodias, who asked Herod Antipas for the head of John the Baptist in return for his daughter's risqué dance for the king. Salome's name is supplied by Josephus in Antiquities 18.5, where he also informs us that she grew up to marry her great-uncle Philip the Tetrarch and, after Philip's death, her cousin Aristoboulos, who is featured on the obverse of this coin and with whom Salome had three sons. Aristoboulos was the son of Herod V of Chalkis and great grandson of Herod I, and was appointed king of Armenia Minor in the first year of Nero's reign. The present issue was struck in AD 66/7 (year 13 of Aristoboulos's reign), the first year of the Jewish war and around 40 years since the execution of John the Baptist, which has been tentatively dated to some time between AD 25 and 29. Hendin (5th ed., p. 275) suggests that Aristoboulos struck this issue for propagandistic and political purposes, in the first year of the war, as a show of loyalty to Rome and his patron Nero. When RPC was published, citing three known examples of this type, the date was off the flan on two pieces and the one example with partial date had been tentatively read as date Α or Η (RPC p. 570). Frank Kovacs subsequently discovered an example with a clear date 13 (Hendin p. 275, pl. 24, same obverse die as the present coin), and Kovacs's opinion was that other reported dates were most likely mis-readings of that date. The publication of additional specimens has since confirmed Kovacs' opinion, and it is now clear that all coins of this type are dated year 13. Estimate: 10000 USD |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 1600 Price realized: 1,700 CHF (Approx. 1,932 USD / 1,795 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: KINGS OF ARMENIA MINOR. Aristobulus, 54-71/2. Oktachalkon (Bronze, 25 mm, 14.40 g), with Nero (54-68). Chalcis (?), RY 13 = 66/7. BACIΛEΩC APICTOBOYΛOY ET IΓ Diademed and draped bust of Aristobulus to left. Rev. NEPΩ/NI KΛAY/ΔIΩ KAIΣA/PI / ΣEBAΣTΩ / ΓEPMANI/KΩ within laurel wreath. Kovacs 299. RPC I 3839 corr. (date). A well struck example with a clear portrait. Repatinated and with a small flan fault on the reverse, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. Aristobulus is certainly among the most fascinating of the numerous 1st-century Roman client kings. Born the son of Herod of Chalcis and the great-grandson of Herod the Great, and appointed by Nero as King of Armenia Minor in 54, his life is closely intertwined with Roman, Jewish and Armenian history. He is, however, best known for marrying the infamous Jewish princess Salome in 34. Starting price: 500 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 556 | Auction date: 21 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 327 Price realized: 130 USD (Approx. 121 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: EGYPT, Alexandria. Nero. AD 54-68. BI Tetradrachm (24mm, 13.01 g, 12h). Dated RY 13 (AD 66/7). Radiate bust of Nero left, wearing aegis; L IΓ (date) below chin / ΔΙΟΣ ΟΛYΜΠΙΟY, laureate and draped bust of Zeus Olympios right. Köln 191; Dattari (Savio) 255; K&G 14.94; RPC I 5297; Emmett 135.13. Toned, minor marks, reverse off center. Good VF. Estimate: 100 USD |  |
Match 3:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61379 | Auction date: 27 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 24059 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | |
| Lot description: Ancients ARMENIAN KINGDOM. Kings of Armenia Minor. Aristobulus with Salome (AD 54-92). AE (24mm, 9.35 gm, 12h). NGC XF 5/5 - 3/5. Nicopolis ad Lycum or Chalcis, dated Regnal Year 13 (AD 66/7). BACIΛEΩC APICTOBOYΛOY ET IΓ•, diademed and draped bust of Aristobulus left / BACIΛIC-CHC CAΛOMHC, diademed and draped bust of Salome left. GBC 6, 6286a. GBC 5, 1257a. RPC I 3840. AC 300. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-provincial/ancients-armenian-kingdom-kings-of-armenia-minor-aristobulus-with-salome-ad-54-92-ae-24mm-935-gm-12h-ngc-x/a/61379-24059.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61379-05272024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 4:
| Eid Mar Auctions GmbH > Auction 1 | Auction date: 16 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 147 Price realized: 2,000 EUR (Approx. 2,183 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Greek Kings of Armenia Minor. Aristoboulos, with Salome. (54-92 AD.) Æ (21mm, 6.99 g.) Dated RY 13 ( 66/7 AD.) BACIΛEΩC [API]CTOBOYΛOY ET IΓ, diademed and draped bust of Aristoboulos left / BACIΛIC-[CHC] [CAΛ]OMHC, diademed and draped bust of Salome left . Kovacs 300; Meshorer 365 corr. (date); Hendin 1257a; RPC I 3840 corr. Exceptional Portraits. With a mint defect on the edge above the heads, otherwise about Extremely Fine. The wife of Aristobolus, Salome is often identified as the young woman whom the New Testament relates danced for Herod the Great and, at the encouragement of her mother, received the severed head of John the Baptist in return for his Salome danced for the king Herod Antipas. (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29). Extremely Rare. Estimate: 2500 EUR Starting price: 2000 EUR |  |
Match 5:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 977 Price realized: 360 CHF (Approx. 409 USD / 378 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: KINGS OF ARMENIA MINOR. Aristobulus, with Salome, 54-92. Tetrachalkon (Bronze, 22 mm, 6.87 g, 12 h), Chalcis (?), RY 13 = 66/7. BACIΛEΩC APICTOBOYΛOY ET IΓ Diademed and draped bust of Aristobulus to left. Rev. [BACI]ΛIC-CHC [CAΛOMHC] Diademed and draped bust of Salome to left. Hendin 1257a. Kovacs 300. Meshorer 365 corr. (date). RPC I 3840. Rare. Somewhat smoothed and with some deposits, otherwise, fine. Ex Leu Web Auction 25, 11 March 2023, 1002 and previously from a European collection, formed before 2005. The infamous Jewish princess Salome was the daughter of Herodes II and Herodias, a son and a granddaughter of Herodes 'the Great'. Her reputation as a devious seductress comes from Mark (6:21-28) and Matthew (14:6-11), who describe how Salome performed a captivating erotic dance for Herod Antipas. As a reward, her thrilled stepfather promised her to fulfill any wish she may utter: 'Whatever you ask me for, I will give it to you, up to half my kingdom'. Salome consulted with her mother, Herodias, who told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist, as he had criticized her own divorce from Herodes II and her subsequent marriage to Herod Antipas. The tetrarch had previously refused to execute the preacher, but when the teenage girl now demanded his head as a reward for her dance, Herod complied and had one of his bodyguards bring John's head on a platter. A few years later, Salome married Aristobulus, the son of Herod of Chalcis, who was appointed King of Armenia Minor in 54 by Nero. The present coin is one of just very few known examples to show the king on the obverse and his queen, Salome, on the reverse. It may have been struck in Aristobulus' capital Nicopolis-ad-Lycum, although it has been suggested that the actual mint may have been Antioch (Kovacs) or, more convincingly, Chalcis (RPC). Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
