Boeotarch’s Collection

THESSALY, Lamia. Circa 400-350 BC. AR Hemidrachm (16mm, 2.51 g, 11h). Group 2. Wreathed head of Dionysos left / Amphora; ivy leaf above; to right, prochous with handle to right. Georgiou, Mint 8; BCD Thessaly 123; HGC 4, 120. Toned, porous, some scratches. Near VF.

From the Michael Anderson Collection.

CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 350/45-285 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 8.41 g, 10h). Pegasos flying left / Helmeted head of Athena left; cuirass to right, AΛ below. Ravel Period V, 1047b (same dies); Pegasi 402; BCD Corinth 120; HGC 4, 1832. Deep iridescent tone, underlying luster, a little off center on obverse. Good VF.

From the Michael Anderson Collection, purchased from Spink, 16 May 2002.

SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos I Soter. 281-261 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.80 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Diademed head right / Apollo, testing arrow and resting hand on grounded bow, seated left on omphalos; monograms to outer left and outer right. SC 379.5a; HGC 9, 128g. Horn silver deposits, roughness. Good VF.

ISLANDS off ATTICA, Aegina. Circa 525-480 BC. AR Stater (19.5mm, 12.17 g). Sea turtle, head in profile, with thick collar [and row of dots down its back] / Incuse square of ‘Union Jack’ pattern with some sections filled. Meadows, Aegina, Group IIb; HGC 6, 430. Struck with worn obverse die, some granularity on reverse. VF.

MACEDON, Akanthos. Circa 430-390 BC. AR Tetrobol (14.5mm, 2.50 g). Forepart of bull left, head right / Quadripartite incuse square with stippled quarters. AMNG III/2, 33–5 var. (symbol); HGC 3, 392. Lightly toned, trace deposits. Near EF.

From the David Welsh Collection. Ex Freeman & Sear inventory G6013 (ND).

KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Drachm (17.5mm, 4.22 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Magnesia ad Maeandrum mint. Struck circa 323-319 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; thyrsos in inner right field. Price 1946 corr. (location of thyrsos). Lightly toned. EF.

KINGS of MACEDON. Demetrios I Poliorketes. 306-283 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 16.41 g, 1h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Salamis mint. Struck circa 306-300 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; monogram in left field. Cf. Newell 19 (stater with this monogram); cf. Price 3189 (same); CNG E-487, lot 112 (same rev. die). Faintly toned, some horn silver, light roughness. VF. Extremely rare, only the second known.

CYPRUS, Salamis. Nikokreon. Circa 331-310 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24.5mm, 17.08 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Struck circa 332/1-323 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; bow in left field. Zapiti & Michaelidou 5–6; Price 3139; Newell, Some 7; Tziambazis 14. Toned, some roughness and minor die shift on obverse, a little off center on reverse. VF.

KYRENAICA, Kyrene. temp. Magas. Circa 294-275 BC. AR Didrachm (19.5mm, 7.63 g, 12h). Head of Zeus Karneios left / Silphion plant; monogram to upper left, star to upper right. BMC 238–41; SNG Copenhagen 1238 corr. (monogram). Slight roughness, a few minor scratches on obverse. VF.

LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 510-470 BC. AR Nomos (24mm, 12h). Ear of barley with six grains; MET up left field, lizard up right field, seen from above / Incuse ear of barley with six grains. Noe Class X, 209–13; HN Italy 1482. In NGC encapsulation 6327610-235, graded Ch VF.

Ex Heritage 232332 (10 August 2023), lot 62006.

Leo I. AD 457-474. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.37 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 1st officina. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield / Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross; star to right; A//CONOB. RIC X 605; Depeyrot 93/1. Toned, trace obverse die rust, minor marks, edge mark. VF.

CYCLADES, Keos. Keian Koinon. Late 3rd-early 2nd century BC. Æ (15.5mm, 3.65 g, 1h). Laureate head of Zeus right / Radiate forepart of Sirius left. Papageorgiadou-Banis Series II, Issue 3, 33–41 (obv. die O18); HGC 6, 592. Dark brown patina, some red deposits. Near VF.

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 548 (18 October 2023), lot 98.

IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Archepolis. Circa 459 BC. AR Tetartemorion (5.5mm, 0.20 g, 3h). Head of Zeus right, wearing tainia / Eagle flying right; AP monogram below; all in linear square within incuse square. Sheedy, Themistocles, Issue Ar.M, 27 (O24/R26); Nollé & Wenninger –. Faintly toned, tiny die break on reverse. VF. Rare.

Archepolis was the son of the Athenian Themistokles, who was perhaps the most important, and certainly one of the most powerful political figures in early fifth century Athens. He persuaded the Athenians to use the newly found wealth from the silver mines of Laurion to build a navy, essential to their defeat of the Persians a short time later. Sometime in the early 460s BC, Themistokles was ostracized. He fled to Asia Minor, where he was well received by the Persian king, who made him the governor of Magnesia on the Maeander and granted him the income of three cities – Lampsakos, Magnesia, and Myos. Themistokles struck a small series of silver fractions at Magnesia, some of which bear a male head that has sometimes been identified as his portrait. After Themistokles’ death, Archepolis succeeded his father as governor, and he issued a similar series of silver fractions. These coins constitute part of the primary evidence of his otherwise little-known reign.

KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Sixth Stater (11mm, 1.66 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Two incuse squares. Berk 25; Kurth S6–7; SNG Ashmolean 773 (Persian period). Toned, granular surfaces, flan flaw on obverse. VF.

KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Twelfth Stater (8mm, 0.86 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Incuse square. Berk 26–7; Kurth S8; SNG Ashmolean 775 (Persian Period). Lightly toned, granular surfaces. VF.

CILICIA, Tarsos. Mazaios. Satrap of Cilicia, 361/0-334 BC. AR Stater (23mm, 10.28 g, 8h). Baal of Tarsos seated left, his torso facing, holding lotus-tipped scepter; thymiaterion to left, rose below throne / Lion walking left on ground. Casabonne Series 5, Group B; Newell, Myriandros 8; SNG BN 431 var. (no symbol below throne; Myriandros); SNG Levante 188 var. (same; Myriandros). Lightly toned, flan flaws and porosity, light scratches, test cut and struck with worn die on obverse. VF. Rare with rose symbol.

PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Kleopatra VII Thea Neotera. 51-30 BC. Æ Diobol – 80 Drachmai (26.5mm, 16.93 g, 12h). Alexandreia mint. Diademed and draped bust right / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopia to left, Π (mark of value) to right. Svoronos 1871; SNG Copenhagen 419–21. Rough dark brown surfaces, with green and red-brown encrustation. Fine.

Pre-reform issues, Arab-Sasanian. Ubaydallah b. Ziyad. AH 54-64 / AD 673-683. AR Drachm (31.6mm, 4.08 g, 3h). BCRA (Basra) mint. Dated AH 56 (AD 675/6). Obverse margin: – / bism Allah / – / –. Malek, Arab-Sasanian 160; SICA 1, 49-51; Album 12. EF.

PAMPHYLIA, Aspendos. Circa 380/75-330/25 BC. AR Stater (21.5mm, 10.87 g, 12h). Two wrestlers, nude, grappling; AΣ between / Slinger in throwing stance right; triskeles to right; all within pelleted square border. Tekin Series 4; SNG BN 86. Softly struck and a little off center on obverse. VF.

KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II ‘the Great’. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.47 g, 12h). Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; monogram to inner right, monogram on rock; all within wreath. SCADA Group 1, obv. die A6; Kovacs 74.1; M&D 2; CAA 17; AC 30. Lightly toned, flan flaws. Good VF.

Diva Mariniana. Died before AD 253. Antoninianus (21mm, 3.74 g, 6h). Consecration issue. Rome mint. 1st emission of Valerian I and Gallienus, AD 253-254. Veiled and draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent / CONSECRATIO, peacock walking right, tail in splendor. RIC V 5; MIR 36, 214b; RSC 11. Toned, obverse struck with a worn die. Near EF.

SICILY, Messana. The Mamertinoi. 264-241 BC. Æ (28mm, 19.24 g, 7h). Laureate head of Ares right; spear to left / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings spread. Särström Series II, Group A, 42; BAR Issue 5; CNS 3 Ds 4; HGC 2, 865. Green-brown surfaces, roughness. VF.

Ex Artemide eLive 9 (6 October 2019), lot 65.

LAKONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta). Mid 1st century BC. Æ Dichalkon(?) (18.5mm, 4.58 g, 1h). Jugate heads of the Dioskouroi right; pellet border / Two amphorai entwined with serpents; Λ-A flanking; pellet border. CNG E-169, lot 33 (erroneously attributed to king Nabis); otherwise unpublished. Rough dark green-brown patina, some cleaning scratches. Near VF. Very rare.

Ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 10 (7 December 2019), lot 287.

This unpublished bronze issue of Lakedaimon is quite enigmatic. It is most similar to Grunauer’s Group XV dichalkoi, which have the same general types, but lack the serpents, have a chevron-barred A in the ethnic, a wreath surrounding the reverse type, and bear magistrates’ initials. The reverse type, with serpents around the amphorai, is a match with the reverses of Grunauer’s Group X hexachalkoi, but that issue, which also includes the contemporary Group XI tetrachalkoi, has the full ethnic, rather than the abbreviated version here. Nonetheless, the present coin likely belongs to a period relative to these succeeding Grunauer Groups, which places it sometime in the mid 1st century BC.

KINGS of LYDIA. Kroisos. Circa 564/53-550/39 BC. AR Twelfth Stater (8.5mm, 0.82 g). Sardes mint. Confronted foreparts of lion and bull / Incuse square. Berk 26–7; Kurth S8; SNG Ashmolean 775 (Persian Period). VF. Good metal for issue.

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 525 (20 October 2022), lot 339.