16 / 46
surrendered to Octavian and was pardoned after Antony and Cleopatra fled Actium.
This is the finest example of this coin we have ever handled. aEF........................1300
443.
Augustus
; 27 BC-14 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria, Year 26
Actian Era and Cos 12 = 5 BC, Tetradrachm, 15.15g. RPC-4151 (8 coins, 4 obv. dies),
Prieur-50 (27 spec.), McAlee-180. Obv: ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΣΕ - ΒΑΣΤΟV from upper right,
Laureate head of Augustus r.; fillet border. Rx: ΕΤΟYΣ - SK - ΝΙΚΗΣ Tyche seated r.
on rock, holding palm branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming r.; in field below
palm branch, monogram VΠAIB (=COS XII) and ANT monogram. From the same
dies as McAlee’s illustrated specimen, p. 115, 180/2 . EF.....................................2000
444.
Augustus
; 27 BC-14 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria, Year
30 Actian Era = 2/1 BC, Tetradrachm, 15.15g. RPC-4156 (21 coins, 7 obv. dies),
Prieur-55 (36 spec.), McAlee-185. Obv: ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΣΕ - ΒΑΣΤΟV from upper right,
Laureate head of Augustus r.; fillet border. Rx: ΕΤΟVΣ - Λ - ΝΙΚΗΣ Tyche seated r.
on rock, holding palm branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming r.; in field below
palm branch, monogram VΠA/IΓ (=COS XIII) and ANT monogram. EF..........2000
445.
Octavian
; (Gaul?), After 38 BC, Dupondius (ancient imitation), 13.56g. Cf. RPC-
620 & 621, Cr-535/1 & 2), Sear Imperators-308 & 9 etc. Obv: Bare head of Octavian
r., CAES[AR] before, [DIVI F] behind. Rx: DIVOS / IVLIVS in two lines in laurel
wreath. This coin is a hybrid of Cr-535/1 (obverse) and Cr-535/2 (reverse). With a
handwritten Berk ticket from c. the 1990s. Fine.....................................................350
Caligula and Agrippina
446.
Caligula and Agrippina
; 37-41 AD. Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and
Pieria, Year 3 = 38/9 AD, Tetradrachm, 14.91g. RPC-4168 (5 spec.), Prieur-67 (13
spec.), McAlee-226 (“Rare”). Obv: ΓAIO[YKAIΣAPOΣ - ΣEBA - ΓERMA] Laureate
head of Caligula r. Rx: AΓPIΠΠEIN[HΣ ANTIO].MHTPO. around, date ET below
Γ in r. field, Draped bust of Agrippina r., hair in long braid behind, three long curls
hanging down neck, pellet behind bust. Fine+ / VF.............................................2950
447.
Otho
; 69 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria, Tetradrachm, 11.02g.
Prieur-102 (43 spec.), RPC-4200 (26 coins, 7 obv. dies), McAlee-315. Obv:
[AYTOKPATWP M]APKOC OΘWN KAICA[P CEBACTOC] Head laureate r. Rx:
[ETOYC A] Eagle, wings raised, standing l. on two laurel branches, wreath in beak,
palm branch in l. field. Bold Fine / VF...................................................................300
448.
Otho
; 69 AD, Alexandria, Egypt, Tetradrachm, 12.41g. RPC-5360 (16 spec.),
Cologne-246, Dattari-325, Emmett-183. Obv: AY[TOK] MAPK OΘ[ΩNOΣ KAIΣ]
ΣEB Head laureate r., date LA before neck. Rx: EIPH - NH Wreathed, draped, veiled
bust of Pax r., caduceus behind shoulder. Acquired from Joel Malter, with their ticket.
Good Fine.................................................................................................................350
449.
Domitian and Domitia
; Aegeae, Cilicia, Year 135 = 88/9 AD, AE 30, 16.13g.
Cf. RPC-1771 (one spec., private collection, legends different than on our coin). Obv:
ΔOMITIANOC KA... Laureate head of Domitian l. Rx: Draped bust of Domitia r.,
legend mostly illegible. Fine...................................................................................175
450.
Domitian
; 81-96 AD, Philippopolis, Thrace, 88-9 AD, AE 30-32, 16.57g.
Apparently unpublished denomination and reverse type. Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT
AVGGERM - COS XIIII CENS PER PPHead laureate r. Rx: ΦIΛIΠΠO - ΠOΛEITΩN
Hercules stepping r., wrestling with the Nemean lion. Unusual bilingual issue, the
obverse legend copied from Rome-mint bronze coins. This is a new denomination (the
second largest) and a new reverse type for the issue, which had previously been known
with just these four types (RPC 351-4): c. 32mm, 22.5g, portrait laureate, rev. City
goddess standing l., river god reclining r. at her feet c. 27mm, 11.2g, portrait radiate,
rev. Naked figure leaning on column c. 23mm, 6.6g, portrait radiate, rev. Ares standing
l. c. 17mm, 3.0g, portrait laureate, rev. Artemis advancing r. Fine...........................300
451.
Domitian
; 81-96 AD, Caesarea Maritima, Judaea, c. 92-3 AD, AE 18-20, 6.03g.
RPC-2309 (11 spec.); Hendin-1460; Sofaer pl. 225, 22. Obv: IMP DOMIT - AVG
GERM Head laureate r. Rx: VICTOR - AVG Trophy. Ex Superior, 15-18 November
1976, Mount Vernon Collection, lot 1959. Ex Superior, 17-22 June 1974, Dr. Charles
Ruby Coll., Part 2, lot 503. With the original Superior envelopes from these two sales.
VG / Good Fine........................................................................................................300
452.
Trajan
; 98-117 AD, Alexandria, Egypt, Year 16=112/3 AD, Dichalkon, 1.74g.
Emmett-720, Dattari/Savio-pl. 55, 1114. Obv: Laureate head of Trajan r., no legend.
Rx: Sistrum; date L - IS across field. Rare small coin, apparently unpublished from
Year 16. Emmett-720 lists this type from eight other years, seven of them R5 and the
eighth R3. Somewhat encrusted; a candidate for careful hand cleaning. EF...........300
453.
Antoninus Pius
; 138-161 AD, Alexandria, Egypt, Year 4 = 140/1 AD, Drachm,
24.10g. Cologne-1336 (same rev. die); Dattari/Savio-pl. 119, 2458 bis; Oxford-1681a.
Obv: ΑΥΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ - ΑΝΤωΝΙΝΟC EYC - EB Head laureate r. Rx: L TE -
T - APTOY Ares standing l. holding spear and parazonium. Lovely sharpness and
beautiful in hand; Alexandrian drachms very rarely come so fine. About EF........1500
454.
Caracalla
; 198-217 AD, Nicopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, 198 AD, AE 27,
10.12g. Varbanov-2911 (quoting and illustrating a specimen from Wildwinds, from
the same dies as ours). Obv: AV.K.M.AVP - ANTΩNINOC Bust laureate, draped,
cuirassed r. Rx: EVTV / XΩC TOIC / KVPIOIC / NIKOΠOΛ / ΠPOC I in five lines
within laurel wreath. A very interesting reverse type, with Greek legend “Good Luck
to our Masters!” followed by the mint name, probably issued to celebrate Septimius’
capture of Ctesiphon and his promotion of Caracalla to the rank of co-Augustus and
Geta to that of Caesar in January 198 (see AMNG I.i, p. 346). Very rare: AMNG 1344
and 1625 knew this reverse type in just two specimens for Septimius Severus and two
specimens for Caracalla and Geta together, but not for Caracalla alone as on our coin.
Acquired from Nemesis. Glossy green patination. Fine / VF...................................375
455.
Tranquillina
; Caesarea, Cappadocia, Year 4=241 AD, Drachm, 3.89g.
Sydenham/Malloy-617aa, citing Leu 18, 1977, lot 373 (same dies). Obv: CABINIA
TRANKVΛΛINA AV Bust draped r., wearing stephane, the hair falling onto neck
arranged in two horizontal ridges. Rx: MHTPO KAICAB NE around, ETΔin exergue,
Mt. Argaeus, without pellet in field. The obverse die in a late state, with numerous die
breaks in the legend, especially on the letters of CABINI and AV. Rare silver drachm
of Tranquillina at Caesarea, unknown until 1978 when Sydenham/Malloy-617aa
reported two specimens, in Leu 18, 5 May 1977, lot 373 and the Burbules Collection.
Recently several dozen further specimens of this rare drachm have appeared on the
market, mostly of Year 4 like the two Sydenham/Malloy pieces, but also several of
Year 5. The Year 4 pieces all seem to come from only three obverse dies, one without
stephane and with a nest of braids on the neck, and two with stephane and without the
nest of braids. The Year 4 reverse dies vary in the abbreviation of the legend, KAIC B
N or KAICA B NE, and in the placement of a pellet in the field left of Mt. Argeus on
some dies. The three Year 5 drachms come from a fourth obverse die, and from two
reverse dies, both with a pellet in upper right rather than upper left field. EF.....1500
456.
Philip I
; 244-249 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria, 247 AD,
Tetradrachm, 14.10g. McAlee-731a (V. Rare), Prieur-363 (2 spec.). Obv: AVTOK
K M IOYΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC CEB Bust laureate, draped, cuirassed l., seen from front,
cuirass flaps visible on both shoulders. Rx: ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC VΠΑ TΟ Γ
around, ANTIOXIA / S C in exergue, Eagle with spread wings standing l., wreath in
beak. A very rare left-facing bust variety. From the same obverse die as the illustrated
specimens McAlee-731a and Prieur-363. EF.........................................................280
457.
Philip I
; 244-249 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria, 247 AD,
Tetradrachm, 11.99g. McAlee-923, Prieur-373 (26 spec.). Obv: AVTOK K M IOVΛI
ΦIΛIΠΠOC CEB Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. Rx: ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC VΠΑ
TΟ Γ around, ANTIOXIA / S C in exergue, Eagle with spread wings standing l.,
wreath in beak. EF..................................................................................................400
458.
Philip I
; 244-249 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria, 244 AD,
Tetradrachm, 13.26g. McAlee-889 (V. Rare), Prieur-320 (3 spec.). Obv: AVTOK K
M IOVΛ ΦIΛIΠΠOC CEB Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed l., seen from back. Rx:
ΔHMAPX - EΞOVCIAC around, S C in exergue, Eagle with spread wings standing r.
on palm branch, head l., wreath in beak. Very rare left facing bust type. From the same
obverse die as the illustrated specimens McAlee-889 and Prieur-320. Mint State.450
459.
Philip II as Caesar
; 245-247 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria,
244 AD, Tetradrachm, 12.34g. McAlee-1008, Prieur-333 (30 spec.). Obv: MAP
IOYΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC KECAP Bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust r. Rx: ΔHMAPX
- EΞOYCIAC around, S C in exergue, Eagle with spread wings standing r. on palm
branch, head l., holding wreath in beak. Mint State...............................................275
460.
Philip II as Caesar
; 245-247 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem, Seleucis and Pieria,
245 AD, Tetradrachm, 12.95g. McAlee-1009, Prieur-332 (24 spec.). Obv: MAP
IOYΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC KECAP Bare-headed, draped bust r. Rx: ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC
VΠA TO A around, S C in exergue, Eagle with spread wings standing l. on palm
branch, holding wreath in beak. EF........................................................................195
461.
Trajan Decius
; 249-251 AD, Philomelium, Phrygia, AE 24, 7.75g. BM-42, SNG
Munich-437 (same dies). Obv: AVT K Γ MEC K TPAI ΔEKIO CE Radiate, draped,
cuirassed bust r. Rx: ΦIΛOMHΛΕΩN EΠ EVTVXOVC River-god Gallos reclining
l., holding cornucopia before him, l. hand on urn from which water flows, reed under
l. arm; B in l. field. VF / EF....................................................................................550
462.
Herennius Etruscus as Caesar
; 250-251 AD, Antiochia ad Orontem,
Seleucis and Pieria, Tetradrachm, 12.58g. McAlee-1153c (Scarce), Prieur-632 (18
spec.). Obv: EPENN ETPOV ME KV ΔEKIOC KECAP Bare-headed, draped bust
r., three pellets (officina 3) below bust. Rx: ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC around, S C in
exergue, Eagle with spread wings standing l. on palm branch, holding wreath in beak.
VF.............................................................................................................................275
463.
Valerian IandGallienus
; 253-260AD, Mytilene, Lesbos,AE 43, Medallion,
40.31g. Unpublished, but cf. Franke/Nollé-1343/4 (the same rev. die, coupled with an
obv. type of Zeus). Obv: AVT K ΠΛΙΚ ΒΑΛEPIANOCAVT K ΠΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC
Vis-à-vis busts of Valerian on the l. and Gallienus on the r., each laureate, draped, and
cuirassed. Rx: EΠI CTP - BAΛ APICT - O - MA - XOV around, OMO - NOI / A in
two lines in upper field, MVTIΛHNAIΩN / ΠEPΓAMHN / EΦECI in three lines in
exergue, City-goddess of Mytilene seated facing, wearing mural crown and holding
patera and herm of Dionysos, between (a) standing figure of Asklepios of Pergamum
on l., holding rod with serpent entwined around it, and (b) archaic cult-image of
Artemis of Ephesus on r. A rare reverse type showing Mytilene in alliance with both
Pergamum and Ephesus, apparently unique and unpublished in combination with this
obverse type of Valerian I and Gallienus together. Our reverse type was hitherto known
on only two medallions, in Paris and in the von Aulock collection, both from the same
reverse die as our medallion, but coupled with a “quasi-autonomous” obverse type of
Zeus Boulaios (Franke-Nollé-1343/4). Under the same strategos Val. Aristomachos,
Mytilene indeed struck smaller bronze coins for both Valerian I alone and Gallienus
alone, but our medallion die combining the portraits and titles of both emperors was
hitherto unknown. Cohen reports provincial medallions of Valerian I and Gallienus
together only from two mints, Temenothyrae in Phrygia (e.g. SNG Aulock-4012) and
Tripolis in Lydia (Mionnet III, p. 396. no. 541); the reported pieces have different
legends and bust types than our medallion, so are from different obverse dies. The
alliances commemorated on provincial coins were normally only between two cities;
types like ours that commemorated an alliance among three cities were unusual. See
H. von Aulock, Die Homonoia-Münzen von Mytilene, JNG XIX, 1969, pp. 83-88, pl.
7-8. VF / Choice EF..............................................................................................9000
ISLAMIC
464.
ALCHON HUNS IN GANDHARA NARENDRA
; 540-580 AD, Drachm
(Bracteate), 3.80g. Mitchiner-1444, Göbl-150. Obv: Bust of Khan Narendra holding
pot of flowers. Rx: Same type incuse. EF...............................................................100