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| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 165 | Auction date: 26 May 2026 |
| Lot number: 227 Price realized: 6,500 CHF (Approx. 8,239 USD / 7,107 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Demetrius Poliorcetes, 306 – 283 Tetradrachm, Pella circa 294-293, AR 28 mm, 17.25 g. Nike, holding trumpet and stylis, standing l. on prow. Rev. ΔΕΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ / ΒΑ – ΣΙΛΕΩ – Σ Naked Poseidon striding to l., brandishing trident in upraised r. hand and stretching out l. arm which is wrapped in his mantle; in field l., monogram. In field r., dolphin / star. Dewing 1196. Newell 68. Struck on fresh metal and on a very broad flan. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc Ex Heritage sale 3089, 2021, 31021. From the Penn collection and privately purchased from CNG 3 October 1995. Graded MS Strike: 5/5 - Surface: 4/5, NGC certification number 4241979-010 Estimate: 4500 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > February Sale 2026 | Auction date: 28 February 2026 |
| Lot number: 124 Price realized: 3,250 CHF (Approx. 4,201 USD / 3,560 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Kingdom of Macedonia. Demetrius I Poliorcetes, 306 – 283 Tetradrachm, Amphipolis circa 294-293, AR, 27 mm, 17.2 g. Nike standing l. on prow, blowing a trumpet and holding a stylis. Rev. BA-ΣIΛE-ΩΣ / ΔHMHTΡIOΥ Poseidon advancing l., brandishing trident; in l. field, tripod and in r. field, Z above monogram. Newell 94 (unlisted reverse die). HGC 3.1, 1012f. Good extremely fine Estimate: 1500 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Summer Sale 2026 | Auction date: 22 July 2026 |
| Lot number: 151 Price realized: 1,200 CHF (Approx. 1,477 USD / 1,295 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Kingdom of Macedonia. Demetrius Poliorcetes, 306 – 283 Tetradrachm, Pella circa 292-291, AR 28 mm, 17.17 g. Diademed and horned head r. Rev. Poseidon Pelagaios seated l. on rock, holding aphlaston and trident; on the rock, monograms and in outer r. field, monogram. SNG Copenhagen –. Newell 75. HGC 3.1, 1013a. Struck on a very broad flan and with a pleasant light tone. Very fine Privately purchased from Spink & Son in the late 90s. Estimate: 500 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Summer Sale 2026 | Auction date: 22 July 2026 |
| Lot number: 152 Price realized: 4,000 CHF (Approx. 4,922 USD / 4,316 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Kingdom of Macedonia. Demetrius I Poliorcetes, 306 – 283 Tetradrachm, Amphipolis circa 290-288, AR 30 mm, 17.3 g. Horned and diademed head r. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ Poseidon standing l., r. foot on rock, holding trident; in outer fields, monograms. Newell 124. HGC 3.1, 1014b. A bold portrait struck in high relief and with an enchanting iridescent tone. About extremely fine Ex Feuardent & Frères 17-19 December 1919, Collignon, 205; Künker 94, 2004, 712 and Künker 312, 2018, 2214 sales. From the Prof. Dr. Hagen Tronnier collection. Estimate: 2000 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 165 | Auction date: 26 May 2026 |
| Lot number: 407 Price realized: 17,000 CHF (Approx. 21,549 USD / 18,588 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Agathocles, circa 185 – 170 Commemorative issue struck for Diodotus. Tetradrachm, Merv circa 185-170, AR 32 mm, 15.98 g. ΔΙΟΔΟΤOY ? ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ Diademed head of Diodotos I r. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΟΝΤΟΣ ? ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ Zeus advancing l., hurling thunderbolt and with aegis draped on extended r. arm, beneath which wreath; in r. field, monogram and at his feet, eagle l. In exergue, ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ. MIG 144a. Bopearachchi série 14A. HGC 12, 85. Rare and in superb condition for the issue. A portrait of masterly style struck in high relief on a large flan. Extremely fine Ex Gorny & Mosch sale 280, 2021, 442. From the K.G. Rheinland collection. In a large and complex series of coins rife with kings who are unknown outside of a numismatic context, it is surprising that the first coin bearing the name Diodotus – a king so well represented in the literature – came to light only after Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek coinage had been seriously studied for about a century. As recounted in Holt's Thundering Zeus: The Making of Hellenistic Bactria, the Diodotid coin was a gold stater with the now-familiar advancing Zeus reverse. It had turned up in Paris in 1838, or slightly earlier, via an Armenian who had acquired it at the fair of Nizhny Novgorod for a collector in St. Petersburg. After reaching Paris, the coin was sold to the Royal Cabinet of Paris by M. Rollin for the sum of £120. A few years more passed before Diodotus portrait tetradrachms from the pedigree series of Agathocles and Antimachus were discovered. They were eagerly studied for the insight they could provide on the relative chronologies of these shadowy kings, oftentimes dashing theories that had been proposed on royal relations. It is of great interest that the earliest king honoured by Agathocles is Alexander III of Macedon (as the son of Philip II), whose familiar Heracles head/seated Zeus design is employed. Next in the series is an issue in the name of the Seleucid King Antiochus II (as conqueror), though clearly with a portrait of Diodotus, which suggests it was meant to recall the earliest Diodotid issues, which bore the name of Antiochus. That type is accompanied by tetradrachms that are identical except for the use of the name Diodotus (one time as saviour, another as a god) in place of Antiochus. Other Greco-Bactrian kings honored by Agathocles include Euthydemus I (as a god), Demetrius I (as invincible), and Pantaleon (as saviour). Missing from his list is Euthydemus II, who may have been excluded for reasons that are not apparent, or who may have been honoured without any example of that coinage having yet surfaced. The pedigree series of Agathocles' successor Antimachus includes issues for Diodotus (as saviour) and Euthydemus I (as a god). Estimate: 10000 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 165 | Auction date: 26 May 2026 |
| Lot number: 398 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: Antiochos XI and Philip I, 94 – 93 Tetradrachm uncertain mint in Cilicia circa 94-93, AR 26 mm, 15.75 g. Jugate diademed heads of Antiochos XI and Philip I r.; bead-and-reel border. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] / ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ / ΚΑΙ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ Zeus seated l., holding Nike and sceptre; below, Φ. All within wreath. SC 2438 (these dies). HGC 9, 1297 (these dies). cf. Triton sale II, 1998, 484 (these dies) Of the highest rarity, only the second specimen known. An excellent jugate portrait and a light tone, minor reparation on obverse edge, otherwise good very fine Ex Triton sale XXII, 2019, 341. Privately purchased from Frank Kovacs in 2011. From the MNL collection. This extremely rare tetradrachm belongs to the deeply troubled late period of Seleucid history, in which the once great empire spanning Asia Minor, the Near East, and Central Asia founded by Seleucus I in 312 BC was in its final stages of disintegration through the secession of indigenous rulers and an endless civil war between the descendants of Demetrius II Nicator and Antiochus VII Sidetes. By the time this coin was struck in the early first century BC, the formerly vast Seleucid territory had been reduced to the rival capitals at Antioch on the Orontes and Damascus, and a few other cities in northern Syria and Cilicia, most of which were rapidly tiring of the failing monarchy. When Seleucus VI Epiphanes, the older brother of Antiochus IX and Philip I – all grandsons of Demetrius II – was expelled from Antioch by Antiochus X Eusebes, the grandson of Antiochus VII, in ca. 95/4 BC, he withdrew to Mopsuestia in Cilicia to regroup for a campaign to recapture the city. Unfortunately, Seleucus' financial demands on the Mopsuestians led to rioting in which the king was killed and his palace set ablaze. Upon learning of their brother's death, the twins Antiochus IX and Philip I, who may have controlled the city of Tarsus, jointly claimed the royal title for themselves and marched to take revenge against the Mopsuestians. The present tetradrachm may very well have been struck to finance the punitive campaign against the city. After sacking Mopsuestia, the brothers began to consider the work of driving Antiochus X out of Antioch. To retain control of their possessions in Cilicia, in 94/3 BC, it was agreed that Philip I would remain there while Antiochus XI led an army into Syria. He succeeded in expelling Antiochus X and held Antioch for a period of months before the latter returned. Unfortunately, when Antiochus XI faced his cousin this time, he was defeated and drowned while trying to escape across the Orontes River. After the death of Antiochus XI, Philip I made some inroads into northern Syria, but faced opposition from both Antiochus X and his brother Demetrius III Eukairos, who ruled in Damascus. Only after these two were swept away by the Parthians was Philip I finally able to seize the gleaming prize of Antioch in ca. 88/7 BC. The confused nature of the sources for late Seleucid history makes it difficult to know precisely how long Philip I continued to reign after this, with 84/3 and 76/5 BC possible dates for its end. The tetradrachm follows the usual model for late Seleucid silver, which regularly depicts a royal portrait on the obverse and the enthroned figure of Zeus on the reverse. This piece, however, is remarkable for the use of a jugate portrait of the brothers together. Previously on Seleucid coins, jugate portraits were reserved for depictions of husband and wife (Cleopatra Thea and Alexander I or Antiochus VII) and mother and son (Cleopatra Thea and Antiochus VIII). Here, for the first time, a jugate portrait has been used for two brothers. Also notable here is the sideburn on the portrait of Antiochus XI, which is thought to represent the growth of a campaign beard perhaps as a visual indicator of a vow of revenge against Mopsuestia and/or Antiochus X. Estimate: 10000 CHF |  |
