Very rare & unpublished Ancient Greek coins in our Auction α

Lot 29, Tauric Chersonesos, Chersonesos. Circa 45–44 BC. Æ 20 mm. 3.4 gm. Obv: Artemis Parthenos advancing left, preparing to strike with raised right hand a stag recumbent left, looking upward at her; XЄPC ЄΛЄY to left. Rev: Bull butting left; legends obscured. Cf. Anokhin 831–2; cf. Anokhin, Khersonesa 200–1; RPC I –; SNG Pushkin –; SNG Stancomb –; Sutzu II –; K.V. Golenko, “Состав денежного обращения Херсонеса” (Composition of Chersonese currency in the 1st century BC) in Вестник древней истории (Journal of Ancient History) 4 (1964), 3 and pl. I, 5. Apparent attempt to “erase” the legend. Extremely rare, possibly the third known.

This obverse of this coin is very similar to Anokhin 832, while the reverse appears to use the obverse type of Anokhin 831. The sole published example, in the Golenko article ( op. cit. ) also exhibits similar “erasures” on its reverse.

Lot 39, Lesbos, Methymna mint. Circa 500-450 BC. BI Diobol, 10 mm. 1.2 gm. Obv: Confronted boars’ heads, M above. Rev: Quadripartite incuse square. SNG Copenhagen – SNG Fitzwilliam – BMC-. Apparently unpublished. Very Rare.

Lot 43 Mysia. Kyzikos. AR Tetradrachm 23 mm. 12.3 gm. 3rd century B.C. NGC VF, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 2/5. Obv: Wreathed head of Kore Soteira left, with hair in sphendone and veil; Rev: Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding phiale and arm resting upon lyre; to upper left, helmeted head of Athena left; scepter (or torch, or thymiaterion?) to lower left. cf. von Fritze-II, 28-32; Boston MFA-Unlisted; SNG BN-Unlisted; Traite-Unlisted; cf. CNG E-415, lot 205. Very rare and apparently unpublished with these symbols. Will remove from slab at no charge upon request. (Weight incorrectly recorded on NGC holder as 17.33 gm.)

Lot 44, Dynasts of Lycia. Zagaba mint. Vekhssere II, Circa 400-380 BC. AR 1/3 Stater 17 mm. 2.9 gm. Obv: Facing lion’s scalp Rev: Helmeted head of Athena facing slightly left; monogram behind. Falghera -; SNG Copenhagen Supp. 469 ; all within incuse circle. Cf. Falghera 186; Reuter 128 (no monogram); Podalia 21–5 corr. (A5/P5; Zagaba not a dynast); SNG Copenhagen Supp. 469 corr. SNG von Aulock –; SNG Keckman II –. Very rare. One of the finest known.
After much debate it has recently been concluded that Zagaba is in fact a place and not a person. (ref. A.G. Keen, Dynastic Lycia: A Political History of the Lycians & Their Relations with Foreign Powers, c. 545-362 BC [Leiden: Brill, 1998], pp. 54–5 and 109). Due to the absence of a dynast’s name on this coin, it is possible that this is a civic issue, but coins of this type and issue do exist that are linked to the name of Vekhessere II.

Lot 52, Phrygia. Synnada. (Circa 1st century BC) Ae 19 mm. 3.6 gm. Obv: Turreted and draped bust of Tyche right. Rev: CYNNAΔЄΩN. Athena standing left, holding owl and spear; shield to right. SNG Copenhagen 710. Rare. Exceptionally well centred and preserved. One of the finest known.

Ptolemaic Kings of Egypt. Ptolemy I Soter. 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm 26 mm. 14.2 gm. Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 294-285 BC. Obv: Diademed head right, wearing aegis around neck. Rev: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; to left, Φ above A. Svoronos-, SNG Copenhagen –; Light graffiti behind eagle. Very Rare with the symbols Φ above A. Ex CNG Web auction Nov. 1999.

Lot 78, The Ptolemies, Cleopatra VII and Caesarion, 47-30 Uncertain mint in Cyprus Bronze circa 47-40, Æ 22 mm. 6.9 gm. Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon r. Rev: Two eagles standing l. on thunderbolt; Isis headdress atop monogram in l. field. Svoronos 1842. SNG Copenhagen 682-3. Pincock type 3, 9 and pag. 12, 3. Very Rare.