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| 6119. 5th CENTURY BC. Sicily, Aitna, Circa 405 BC. Æ Drachm (17.58 gm). Obverse helmeted head of Athena right. Reverse prancing horse right with trailing reins; M above. Calciati III pg.141, 1. VF, dark brown patina, with some earthen highlights. Rare. Ex. CNG. A recent study by Cammarata of the weights of these bronze coins suggests that the denomination is in fact a drachm in bronze. $350 estimate. | |
| 6120. 4th CENTURY BC. Sicily, Syracuse, time of Timoleon, 344-317 BC. Æ Drachm (20.04 gm), struck 344-336 BC. Obverse laureate head of Zeus Eleutherios left. Reverse horse prancing left. Calciati 80. SNG ANS 535. VF, glossy chocolate brown patina and wonderful style. Ex. Numismatic Ars Classica K, 1202. $450 estimate. |  |
| 6121. 3rd Century BC. Bruttium, The Bretti. C. 215-205 BC. AE reduced Sextans (15.07 gm). Helmeted hd. Ares l.; scabbard? below./ BRETTIWN, Hera Hoplosmia adv. r. , holding shield and spear; thunderbolt and monogram in r. field. Scheu 55. EF, rv. a bit softly struck. Choice light green patina. Rare symbol combination. $450 estimate. |  |
| 6122. 2nd CENTURY BC. Ptolemaic Egypt, Alexandria, Ptolemy VI, 180-145 BC. Æ 27mm (14.03 gm). Obverse wreathed female head (Cleopatra I as Isis?) right. Reverse eagle standing left on thunderbolt; PA monogram in left field. SNG Copenhagen 286. gVF, light porosity, with a small flan flaw on the obverse and another flan flaw, or scratch, at reverse center. Despite its minor problems, this is an attractive specimen. Ex. CNG. $350 estimate. |  |
| 6123. 1st CENTURY BC. Roman Republic, Cn. Pompeius Magnus Pius (Sextus Pompey, son of Pompey the Great), Imperatorial General, 48-34 BC. Æ bronze As (22.67 gm), struck in Spain or Sicily about 45 BC. Obverse janiform male head, with the features of Pompey the Great, inscription MAGN above. Reverse prow of ship right, inscription PIVS above and IMP below. Cr. 479/1. Syd. 1044. B. Pompeia 20. Cohen 16. Green patina and about EF. In a much better state of preservation, and with a fuller strike, than normally encountered. Ex. NAC 21, 291. $750 estimate. |  |
| 6124. 1st Century AD. Alexandria, Vespasian, year 8 (A.D. 75-76). Æ Drachm (18.03 gm). Obverse laureate head of Vespasian right. Reverse laureate head of Titus right. Koln 307. Dattari 351 var. Milne 443 var. VF, buff-brown patina. Rare and a choice portrait example. Ex. CNG 53, 1201. $1500 estimate. |  |
| 6125. 2nd CENTURY AD. Rome, Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. Æ sestertius, struck AD 143-144. Obverse laureate head of Antoninus Pius right, inscription ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP. Reverse winged Victory advancing right, holding trophy, inscription IMP II TR POT COS III, SC in exergue. BMC 1607 pl. 38, 13 (rev. only). C-417 (4 Fr). EF, warm-brown patina, with an artistically excellent portrait and especially sharp detailed rv. This rare type commemorates Pius' British victory of AD 143. Ex. Berk 97, 617. Better than image shows. $2750 estimate. |  |
| 6126. 3rd CENTURY AD. Gordian III & Tranquillina, AD 238-244. Æ Medallion (24.0 gm), 38mm, struck at Cilicia, Seleukia ad Calycadnum. Obverse busts of Gordian and Tranquillina confronted. Reverse busts of Apollo on left and Tyche on right, laurel behind Apollo, cornucopia behind Tyche. SNG Paris 1034 (same dies). EF, with chocolate brown patina. Extremely rare. A fantastic coin and a rare opportunity, purchased from a private collection formed over 50 years. Ex. Dorney, private treatise. $1500 estimate. |  |
| 6127. 4th CENTURY AD. Ticinum mint, Constantius I, AD 305-306. Æ Follis (10.68 gm). Obverse laureate bust of Constantius I right, inscription CONSTANTIVS OB CAES. Reverse Moneta standing left, star in field, inscription SACRA MONET, with SC in exergue. EF, with nice chocolate patina. Constantius I was the father of Constantine the Great. Ex. Markov 6, 141. $75 estimate. |  |
| 6128. 5th CENTURY AD (the most challenging century). China, Emperor Wen Ti, AD 471-499, Reign title: T'ai-Ho (AD 476-?). Copper 5 shu Chinese cash (25.5 mm, 2.75 gm), cast in AD 495. Obverse inscription T'AI-HO WU-SHU (The great harmony wu-shu) with T'ai-ho in a slightly angular seal script form. Reverse blank. S-237-8. VF and exceptionally rare. In the 19th year of T'ai-ho (AD 495) it was determined coinage was needed. Wu-shu with the "T'ai-ho" reign title were proposed, but with no government mint (later set up in AD 529 under the next emperor) private minting was officially sanctioned with the provision only pure copper of adequate weight be used. This is assumed to mean that the coins were to weigh about 2.5 grams, the official standard for a Wu Shu. Specimens of light weight and slightly crude style are encountered (Schjoth's copper specimen weighed only 1.51 grams), suggesting private casting occurred without adequate copper content. Schjoth also had one specimen in iron (S-237) weighing 7.0 grams. All 5th century cash coins of the Northern Wei Dynasty are rare, whether of full weight (like this coin) or otherwise. Robert Kokotailo remarked that, in 15 years as a dealer, he had only handled one other example besides this specimen. Ex. Calgary Coin Gallery. The Northern Wei Dynasty was established in AD 386 by a northern Turko-Mongol people known as the Toba (or T'u Pa). They proved very powerful and gradually expanded, conquering several of the surrounding dynasties. In about AD 490, after moving the capital P'ing Ch'eng in Shansi to Loyang in Hunan, the Toba began adopting Chinese culture and only after this do we see any coins being issued. There is evidence suggesting that no coins were cast by the emperors of Northern Wei prior to AD 495. Emperors of the Northern Wei dynasty (AD 386-550) were as follows: T'o Pa Kuei, AD 386 - c. 420; T'o Pa Suei, AD c. 420 - c. 422; T'o Pa Tao, AD c. 422 - 452; T'o Pa Sium, AD 452 - c. 466; T'o Pa Hong I, AD c. 466 - 471; T'o Pa Hong II, also known as Wen Ti, AD 471 - 499; T'o Pa Koh, also known as Hsuan Wu Ti, AD 500 - 515; T'o Pa Tze Yu, also known as Hsiao Chuang Ti, AD 515 - 530; and an Uncertain ruler, AD 530 - 535. This period also saw Northern Wei power eroded until, in AD 535, two generals succeeded in a coup. In an unusual move they did not declare themselves emperors, but rather established new dynasties as Eastern and Western Wei which they ruled through puppet emperors. $200 estimate. |  |
| 6129. 6th CENTURY AD. Nicomedia, Justinian I, AD 527-565. Æ Follis (23.19 gm), Officina A = 1, struck AD 538/539. Obverse facing bust of Justinian wearing helmet and cuirass and carrying globus cruciger and shield. Reverse large M; XII (year 12), NIK. EF, well struck with flatness only on the nose, brown patina with green encrustation. An immense flan. Sear-201. Ex. Berk 111, 513. $550 estimate. |  |
| 6130. 7th CENTURY AD. Constans II, AD 641-668. Æ Follis (7.07 gm), struck in Sicily. Obverse bust of Constans II facing, wearing helmet and cuirass and holding globus cruciger. Reverse Constans and Constantine IV standing and flanking large M; monogram for Constans above; SCL in ex. Sear 1109. DO 180. Overstruck on earlier coin. EF/VF, with green patina. This coin is highlighted in a minor way, but easy to see and in high relief as these go; all in all, an excellent example of this type on a huge flan and would be very difficult indeed to improve on. Ex Waddell, private treaty. $200 estimate. |  |
| 6131. 8th CENTURY AD. Caria, dated AD 738-739. PB Bulla (22.38 gm). Obverse half-length figures of Leo III and Constantine V. Reverse inscription. Choice EF, wonderful lead seal with exceptional patina. This seal of the Imperial Commercia refers to the warehouses of Asia and Caria that were jointly administered. Ex. George Zacos collection. Ex. Spink 127, 15. Ex. CNG 51, 1659. See 14th Century AD description for biography of Zacos. $1450 estimate. |  |
| 6132. 9th CENTURY AD. Michael II & Theophilus, AD 821-829. Æ 40 Nummia (7.22 gm). Obverse two facing busts, inscription. Reverse Large M with cross above and other markings to left and right. S-1642. Weak at edge, otherwise VF+. Dark green patina with tan earthen highlights. Ex. George Fehlhaber collection. Ex. Kovacs XIV, 442. $150 estimate. |  |
| 6133. 10th CENTURY AD. Byzantine Empire, John 1, AD 969-976. Æ 28 Follis of anonymous type A, struck in Constantinople during reign of John I. Obverse facing bust of Christ holding book of Gospels. Reverse Greek inscription in four lines, "Jesus Christ, King of Kings." Sear 1793. Good VF, excellent strike. Ex. Waddell, private treatise. $275 estimate. |  |
| 6134. 11th CENTURY AD. Constantinople. Theodore, magistros and asekretes, second half of 11th Century AD Lead Seal (27.73 gm), 36 mm diameter. Obverse Virgin Platytera seated facing on throne with high back, holding the Christ Child on her knees. Reverse inscription in five lines, ornaments above and below. Good VF, dark brown patina, a rare and interesting item. Ex. Freeman & Sear MBS 5, 568. An askretes was a lawyer in the imperial service at Constantinople. $350 estimate. |  |
| 6135. 12th CENTURY AD. Turkoman, Artuqids of Mardin. Qutb al-Din Il-Ghazi II, AD 1176-1184. Æ Fals (14.50 gm). Obverse two facing busts. Reverse Inscription. Spengler/Sayles Type 32. Good VF, dark brown patina with light earthen highlights. Ex. Waddell, 73, 148. The Artuqids were Turkish Atabegs known numismatically for their wonderful figural bronzes. $150 estimate. |  |
| 6136. 13th CENTURY AD. Turkoman, Artukids of Mardin. Nasir al-Din Arslan, AD 1201 -1239. Æ Dirhem, 23mm diameter. Obverse facing Turkish bust (Sol). Reverse five-line legend. EF, beautiful brown and green patina. One of the finest specimens of this type in existence, exceptional in every way. Ex. Bridgeview Galleries in Australia. The engravers of Turkoman figural bronzes often copied obverse types from ancient Roman coins, modified somewhat to Arabic tastes and style. This particular coin loosely imitates a Roman Republic anonymous bronze issue of 217-215 BC. $175 estimate. |  |
| 6137. 14th CENTURY AD. Constantinople, 14th Century AD (possibly a few years earlier). PB Bulla (40.80 gm). Obverse Saint John the Theologian standing facing, holding gospels. Reverse inscription. Konstantopoulos, Molybdobulla 993; Laurent, Bulles metriques 43. EF, dark brown with white highlights. The owner is unidentifiable, but the seal is an attractive example of late Byzantine epigraphy. Ex. George Zacos collection. Ex. Spink 127, 104. The late George Zacos (1911-1983) was the doyen of Byzantine Seal collectors. Between the late 1940s and his death he formed two collections of seals totalling some 18,000 pieces. The first collection of over 10,000 seals was acquired by Mr. & Mrs. Bliss in 1951. George Zacos formed his second collection between 1951 and his death. A large proportion of this collection was published in two volumes entitled ?Byzantine Lead Seals? in 1972 and 1984. His widow, Janet Zacos, generously donated the bulk of the second collection to the Bibliotheque Nationale of Paris. However, a select group of seals, approximately 600 in total, were set aside on account of their artistic quality, superior preservation and historical interest. Among the select grouping retained by Mrs. Zacos is this present piece, which was auctioned off by Spink on 7 October 1998. $850 estimate. |  |
| 6138. 15th CENTURY AD. Venetian Pope Paul II (Pietro Barbo), AD 1464-1471. Æ 39 (43.10 gm) medal struck in bronze. Obverse bust of Pope Paul II left, wearing ornate papal frock with large button, inscription PAVLVS II VENETVS PONT MAX. Reverse Saint Peter and Saint Paul sitting on either side of a gathering of sheep who look up at the nimbate Lamb (Christ) standing before a raised throne, palms behind, in exergue PABVLVM SALVTIS. Armand II 33, 14. Hill 199, 760. Ex. Astarte Asta 6, 1422. Originally intended for a career in business, Pietro Barbo, born in Venice in 1417, was ordained when his uncle, Eugene IV, was elected to the papacy. Barbo was elected pope in 1464 and took the name Paul, after having been persuaded that his choice, Formosus (Greek for handsome), was not a fortunate one. A lover of carnival and sport, he promulgated the celebration of Holy Year every 25 years, beginning in 1475. Although he forbade Roman children the study of pagan poetry, he restored ancient monuments in Rome and installed the first printing press in Rome. Eager to combat the Turks, he supported Hungarian and Albanian rebels (including Skanderbeg) with the revenues from the alum mines near Toffa. He did not, however, support the the rebellion of George of Podebrady, King of Bohemia, because he had Hussite tendencies and had refused to suppress the Ultraquists. Paul excommunicated the king in 1466. Discouraged by the loss of Negroponte to the Turks, Paul called unsuccessfully for a crusade against the Turks in 1470. At the time of his death the following year, Paul was negotiating a marriage between Ivan III of Russia and the daughter of Thomas Palælogos. $700 estimate. |  |
| 6139. 16th CENTURY AD. Ferrante Gonzaga Count of Guastalla Medal, original, Ca. 1552. Cast Æ 69, by Jacopo Nizolla da Trezzo. Obverse bust of Gonzaga left, in ornate armor, inscription FER. GONZ. PAREF. GAL. CISAL. TRIB. MAX. LEGG. CAROLI. V. CAES. AVG., Legate of Emperor Charles V. Reverse Aurora in chariot drawn by winged horse, bearing flaming torch while strewing flowers, inscription VIRTVTIS FORMAEQVE PREAEVIA. Armand I, p. 164:12, Molinari 59 rev, Kress 438 rev. Choice EF, extremely high relief, with delightful saddle-brown patina that adds to the beauty of this sharp and full cast. Ex. Coin Galleries 4/15/98, 1628. A military commander of the Imperial forces in Italy, Ferrante Gonzaga purchased Guastalla from the last female descendant of the Torelli in AD 1539. This Milanese medalist was born in AD 1515, died in Madrid in AD 1589, and was celebrated as a gem engraver as well as medalist. Ferrante Gonzaga was the father of Ippolyta, whose own medal with this reverse is cited in the Molinari reference. $950 estimate. |  |
| 6140. 17th CENTURY AD. AE49 Papal medal of Pope Innocent XI. AD 1679. Bust of the Pope in ceremonial robe, INNOCEN XI-PONT-MAX/FEGIT PAACEM-SUPER-TERRAN. Beautiful choice condition, in high relief, with die break on rv. A wonderful old piece. $175 estimate. |  |
| 6141. 18th CENTURY AD. Russian copper medal, 1772. AE67. “C. LEBERECHT. F” in small letters below imperial bust. $150 estimate. |  |
| 6142. 19th CENTURY AD. "Orpheus" French bronze medal, 1899. Cast Æ66, by Marie Coudray. Obverse facing bust of Orpheus holding lyre. Reverse angel with trumpet seated on panel over violin and laurel branch. VF+ with warm toning and exquisite high relief devices. Ex. Whitford XVII, 1103. Marie Alexandre Lucien Coudray, French sculptor and medallist, was born at Paris on the 21st day of February, 1864. He entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1882 and became a pupil of Dumont, Thomas, Allouard, and Ponscarme. In 1893, he won the Grand Prix de Rome for a bas-relief representing Orpheus at the Gates of Hell, a theme which he later reprised with this famous medallion. Some of his other non-portrait medallic works include: Adam and Eve recovering the body of Abel; Winged Genius protecting Humanity against the strokes of Destiny; France spreading civilization in her Colonies; and the Triumph of Amphitrite. The artist devoted most of his time to medal-engraving and imitated the artists of the Renaissance, by preparing his own castings, not without meeting with the greatest success. $145 estimate. |  |
| 6143. 20th CENTURY AD. Russian Medal Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of Columbus Discovery of America, 1992. Struck Æ65, by Shamayev. Obverse facing bust of Christopher Columbus, inscription COLUMBUS. Reverse map of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea (in English), with three sailing ships, Latin inscriptions ANNO QUINGENTISIMO and AB SMERICA REPERTA around. Mint State, antique finish. Interesting medal. It is the artist's signature and the Leningrad mintmark that betray the medal’s origin. Ex. Basok, 12, 810. $75 estimate. |  |
