| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3113 | Auction date: 8 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 30061 Price realized: 6,500 USD (Approx. 5,925 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients BACTRIAN KINGDOM. Diodotus I/II, as Satrap (ca. 255-235 BC). AV stater (18mm, 8.25 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, light marks. In the name of Antiochus II, First Diodotid Mint (Holt and Kritt's "Mint A"), probably Ai Khanoum (or nearby), ca. 255-246 BC. Diademed head of Diodotus I right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, Zeus advancing left, nude, seen from behind, brandishing thunderbolt in raised right hand, aegis draped over outstretched left arm; N above eagle standing left in inner left field. SC 629.1. ESM 713. Kovalenko Series VIII, 55. Particularly nice, with excellent centering, and devoid of the test cut found on many examples of this issue. Struck from high-relief, fresh dies of lovely style on a satiny flan. From the Wetmore Collection of Gold and Electrum. Ex Triton VII (12 January 2004), lot 684. Until about 2001, only one indisputably genuine satrapal gold stater of Diodotus I was known to exist. Recently, more have come to light, most of them marred by test cuts. The present specimen is free of test cuts or any other defects on the faces, making it both rare and highly desirable. As these pieces demonstrate, the tradition of excellence in Bactrian coin portraiture started with the very first reign. The confusion around the reign of Diodotus I, including his coinage, mirrors a greater lack of understanding of the events of central Asia during the middle decades of the 3rd century BC. The Seleucid king Antiochus II, in whose name this coin was minted, was primarily concerned with his possessions in the Levant and Asia Minor, and he neglected the eastern satrapies - Parthia, Aria, Bactria, etc. His death in 246 BC triggered the Third Syrian War, in which the Seleucids suffered a massive defeat to Ptolemaic Egypt, losing Palestine and many thousands of men. The war meant that Seleucid armies were occupied with western affairs for five years, and ambitious Greek satraps in the East saw their chance to throw off Seleucid domination. The Parthian satrap Andragoras revolted against the Seleucids in 246 BC, minting his own coinage with his name and governing independently until he himself was killed and his territory conquered by the Parni, who later conquered all of Seleucid Persia as "the Parthians." The chronology of Diodotus is more complicated and the facts are murkier. While Andragoras certainly intended his revolt to mean complete independence from the start, Diodotus likely fashioned himself early on as a kind of semi-independent governor that nevertheless was still in the Seleucid sphere. He was probably appointed satrap of Bactria in the mid-250s BC, and due to the far-flung nature of his province, was able to exert a certain level of independence, which included striking coins such as this piece with his own portrait but the name of Antiochus. It is likely, but not certain, that like Andragoras, Diodotus used the utter Seleucid defeat in Syria and Palestine to assert full independence, and perhaps the outbreak of the war with the Ptolemies was the moment that Diodotus' coinage abandoned the name of the now-dead Seleucid king Antiochus II in favor of his own. Thus, though the period provides uncertainty, this issue was likely struck while Diodotus was satrap but before the Third Syrian War, since it does not bear his name, placing this coin ca. 255-246 BC. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-bactrian-kingdom-diodotus-i-ii-as-satrap-ca-255-235-bc-av-stater-18mm-825-gm-6h-ngc-choice-au-5-/a/3113-30061.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3113-01082024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 8000-10000 USD |  |
Match 1:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 32189 Price realized: 2,700 USD (Approx. 2,512 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients BACTRIAN KINGDOM. Diodotus I Soter, as Satrap (ca. 255-235 BC). AV stater (18mm, 8.36 gm, 6h). NGC AU 4/5 - 1/5, test cut, marks, edge bend. Mint A, probably Ai Khanoum (or nearby), in the name of Antiochus II, ca. 255-246 BC. Diademed head of Diodotus I right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, Zeus, nude, striding left, seen from behind, brandishing thunderbolt with right hand, aegis over outstretched left arm; eagle with raised wings standing left to left of feet, wreath in inner left field. Bopearachchi 1A. SC 629.2. A handsome and historically intriguing type. The confusion around the reign of Diodotus I, including his coinage, mirrors a greater lack of understanding of the events of central Asia during the middle decades of the 3rd century BC. The Seleucid king Antiochus II, in whose name this coin was minted, was primarily concerned with his possessions in the Levant and Asia Minor, and he neglected the eastern satrapies - Parthia, Aria, Bactria, etc. His death in 246 BC triggered the Third Syrian War, in which the Seleucids suffered a massive defeat to Ptolemaic Egypt, losing Palestine and many thousands of men. The war meant that Seleucid armies were occupied with western affairs for five years, and ambitious Greek satraps in the East saw their chance to throw off Seleucid domination. The Parthian satrap Andragoras revolted against the Seleucids in 246 BC, minting his own coinage with his name and governing independently until he himself was killed and his territory conquered by the Parni, who later conquered all of Seleucid Persia as "the Parthians." The chronology of Diodotus is more complicated and the facts are murkier. While Andragoras certainly intended his revolt to mean complete independence from the start, Diodotus likely fashioned himself early on as a kind of semi-independent governor that nevertheless was still in the Seleucid sphere. He was probably appointed satrap of Bactria in the mid-250s BC, and due to the far-flung nature of his province, was able to exert a certain level of independence, which included striking coins such as this piece with his own portrait but the name of Antiochus. It is likely, but not certain, that like Andragoras, Diodotus used the utter Seleucid defeat in Syria and Palestine to assert full independence, and perhaps the outbreak of the war with the Ptolemies was the moment that Diodotus' coinage abandoned the name of the now-dead Seleucid king Antiochus II in favor of his own. Thus, though the period provides uncertainty, this issue was likely struck while Diodotus was satrap but before the Third Syrian War, since it does not bear his name, placing this coin ca. 255-246 BC. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-bactrian-kingdom-diodotus-i-soter-as-satrap-ca-255-235-bc-av-stater-18mm-836-gm-6h-ngc-au-4-5-/a/3115-32189.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 2:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 32227 Price realized: 1,200 USD (Approx. 1,116 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Marc Antony, as Triumvir and Imperator (43-30 BC). AR denarius (18mm, 3.75 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5. Legionary issue, mint moving with Antony in Greece (Aegae or Patrae), 32-31 BC. ANT•AVG / III•VIR•R•P•C, war galley under oar right with triple ram prow and scepter tied with fillet / LEG-II, aquila flanked by standard on either side. Crawford 544/14. Sydenham 1216. Bright shimmering example of this popular type. The legion possibly represented on this coin was Legio II Augusta. It was founded around 43 BC, and swore allegiance to Octavian after the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, and remained in his service through the Battle of Actium. Afterward, it was apparently dissolved between 30-14 BC, and soon after reformed as the new Legio II Augusta. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-republic/ancients-marc-antony-as-triumvir-and-imperator-43-30-bc-ar-denarius-18mm-375-gm-6h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-4-5/a/3115-32227.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 3:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31032 Price realized: 15,000 USD (Approx. 13,955 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients CYRENAICA. Cyrene. Ophellas, Ptolemaic Governor (ca. 322/1-308 BC). AV stater (19mm, 8.51 gm, 1h). NGC AU 5/5 - 2/5, Fine Style, ex-jewelry, brushed. Attic standard. Chairius, magistrate. KYPANAI-ON, charioteer driving quadriga walking right, with reins in both hand, kentron in right hand; radiate sun above, all within linear border / XAIPIOΣ (retrograde), Zeus reclining left on throne, right leg drawn back, feet on stool, eagle standing left with head reverted in outstretched right hand, leaning on left arm draped over partial linear frame containing name of magistrate; thymiaterion to left, all within dotted border. SNG Copenhagen 1209. BMC 116. Rippling luster across the elegant and Fine Style designs. In response to the civil unrest instigated by the Spartan mercenary Thibron's incursion in 322 BC, Ptolemy I Soter dispatched his lieutenant Ophellas westward to Cyrenaica. Ophellas defeated Thibron and consolidated Ptolemaic control over Cyrene. Ptolemy granted Ophellas governorship over this new province for his Egyptian Kingdom, hoping to expand his influence in the region. However, Ophellas' personal military ambitions proved too lofty. The tyrant Agathocles of Syracuse enticed Ophellas with promises of an additional governorship over Carthage, if they could join to defeat the forces of Hamilcar. Despite enduring grueling conditions during their westward march, Ophellas' army arrived. Yet their alliance proved short-lived as Agathocles betrayed Ophellas in 308 BC, assassinating him and slaughtering his troops. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-cyrenaica-cyrene-ophellas-ptolemaic-governor-ca-322-1-308-bc-av-stater-19mm-851-gm-1h-ngc-au-5-/a/3115-31032.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-15000 USD |  |
Match 4:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31080 Price realized: 19,000 USD (Approx. 17,676 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Trajan (AD 98-117). AV aureus (19mm, 7.28 gm, 6h). NGC MS 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, brushed. Rome, AD 108-110. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Trajan right, seen from behind / COS V P P S•P•Q•R• OPTIMO PRINC, Libertas standing facing, head left, pileus in lowered right hand, scepter in left. Calicó 1001. RIC II 123 var. (no cuirass). Sharp and Fine Style designs burst forward from the nearly pristine flowlines and bright cartwheel lustered fields. Marcus Ulpius Trajanus, better known as Trajan, carved his name in history as one of ancient Rome's most illustrious emperors, renowned for his military prowess and strategic brilliance. Born the son of a prominent Roman senator under the reign of Vespasian, Trajan followed his father's career in provincial military administration. Having just received the title Germanicus from his exploits at the Germanic frontier, Trajan ascended to power in AD 98 with the death of the elderly Emperor Nerva. Under Trajan the Roman Empire reached its greatest territorial extent, encompassing vast swathes of land across Europe, Asia, and Africa. His military campaigns, particularly the Dacian Wars, secured valuable resources and strategic advantages for the empire. Trajan's conquests also extended into the Middle East, where he captured territories such as Armenia and Mesopotamia, further consolidating Roman influence in the region. Beyond his military achievements, Trajan was renowned for his benevolent governance and commitment to public welfare. He implemented extensive building projects, including the construction of roads, bridges, and aqueducts, which facilitated trade and communication throughout the empire, while also completing iconic landmarks such as Trajan's Column and Trajan's Forum in Rome, showcasing his enduring legacy as a patron of architecture and urban development. Trajan's reign is remembered as achieving the heights of the golden age of the Roman Empire, characterized by stability, prosperity, and imperial expansion. The Senate conferred onto him the title of "Best" (Optimus) and and future emperors would be inaugurated with the phrase that they be "luckier than Augustus, better than Trajan" (Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano). https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-trajan-ad-98-117-av-aureus-19mm-728-gm-6h-ngc-ms-5-5-3-5-fine-style-brushed/a/3115-31080.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 18000-24000 USD |  |
Match 5:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31081 Price realized: 9,500 USD (Approx. 8,838 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Aelius Caesar (AD 136-138). AV aureus (19mm, 7.25 gm, 6h). NGC XF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 137. L•AELIVS-CAESAR, bare head of Aelius Caesar left / TRIB POT-COS II, Concordia enthroned left, patera in outstretched right hand, resting left elbow on cornucopia set on chair; CONCORD in exergue. Calicó 1445 (same rev. die). RIC II.3, 2707. This coin is a masterpiece, boasting a breathtakingly beautiful appearance. Its deep sepia toning elegantly frames the devices, accentuating the striking portrait of Aelius and the coin's exquisite Fine Style features with its bright backlit luster. This coin must be enjoyed in hand. Ex Heritage Auction, Auction 3094 (19 August 2021), lot 33069; Collection of an Armenian businessman (Leu Numismatik, Auction 7, 24 October 2020), lot 1599; Aurora Collection (The New York Sale XXXII, 8 January 2014), lot 21. Aelius Caesar began life circa AD 104, as Lucius Ceionius Commodus, son of the distinguished senator by the same name that was consul in the year AD 106. Handsome and affable, Lucius entered public service in his 20s and rose steadily through the ladder of public offices until he attracted the attention of the Emperor Hadrian, who by the mid AD 130s was aging rapidly and searching for a suitable heir. Upon attaining the consulship, in AD 136, Aelius was formally adopted by Hadrian and took the name Lucius Aelius Caesar, clearly marking him out as successor to the throne. Historians have long speculated as to why Hadrian chose the seemingly unimpressive Aelius, some even postulating that he was Hadrian's illegitimate son. In any case, his elevation was duly celebrated with elaborate games and Hadrian even coerced the deaths of two potential rivals, that were accused of plotting a coup. In AD 137, Aelius served another consulship and was granted the tribunician power, making him Hadrian's junior partner in government. He left for Pannonia that year to gain experience managing a province; however, the climate was hard on his already frail constitution, and he returned to Rome in the winter having contracted tuberculosis. He fell seriously ill on New Year's Eve and died early on 1 January AD 138, prompting Hadrian to remark that he had "leaned against a tottering wall." This beautiful gold aureus depicts the doomed heir Aelius with a luxuriant head of curls and a longer beard than Hadrian's, setting the style for the Antonine rulers that followed. The reverse depicts Concordia, goddess of harmony, perhaps a call for calm after the turbulent settlement of succession. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-aelius-caesar-ad-136-138-av-aureus-19mm-725-gm-6h-ngc-xf-5-5-3-5-fine-style/a/3115-31081.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-12000 USD |  |
