Untitled - Stephen Album Rare Coins

166 Pages·2013·13.06 MB·English

stephen album rare coins
♦ specialists in islamic, indian, & Oriental cOins ♦
Online Catalog: www.stevealbum.com
auction staff
Stephen Album ............................... Numismatist [e-mail]
Joseph Lang ..................................... Numismatist .................................................... [email protected]
Paul Montz ........................................ Numismatist [e-mail]
Dr. Norman D. Nicol ....................... Numismatist [e-mail]
Michael Barry ................................... Numismatist/Photography [email protected]
Brian Henderson ............................. Photography [e-mail]
Jocelyn McCord ............................... Accounting [e-mail]
Kate Polacci ...................................... Shipping/Receiving [email protected]
Danica Rodarmel ............................ Numismatic Conservation
Natalie Fry ......................................... Graphic Design
auction presented by
Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc.
PO Box 7386
Santa Rosa, CA 95407 USA
Telephone [phone]
www.stevealbum.com
Member: IAPN, ANA, ANS, ONS, RNS, CSNA, AVA, MCS
Bonded California Auctioneers
bidding methods
Email your bids to [email protected]
Bid On Our Website by logging in with your customer number. Contact us if you do not have a customer number.
Mail your bids to Stephen Album Rare Coins, PO Box 7386, Santa Rosa, CA 95407
Bid Live on the days of the auction. See Live Internet Bidding section below.
Fax your bids to 1-707-539-3348
Telephone Bids by prior arrangement only. Please contact us at 707-539-2120
before Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 to become registered for telephone bidding.
Buyer’s Premium 18%
NOTE: If the purchaser pays by cash or “cash equivalent” then the buyer’s premium will be
discounted to 15% buyer’s premium. “Cash equivalent” is defined as paying by cash, cashier’s check, money order,
approved personal check or wire transfer.
live internet bidding
You will be able to bid ‘live’ in our Auction 16 to secure those desired lots! In order to bid live in the auction you must
register on icollector.com (see below). Please be sure to register a few days before the auction begins in the event
that you have difficulties with the registration process. Once you have registered you will be able to bid live online
on the days of the auction by going to the link below.
Register At: http://www.icollector.com/Stephen-Album-Rare-Coins_ae1668
There is no additional charge to bid online. Please telephone us at 707-539-2120 for assistance with registering
to bid live or pre-bid for Auction 16, or send an email to [email protected].
auctiOn 16
may 17-18, 2013
auction number 16
Ancient Coins | 1-62
Parthian..................................................17-25 Friday, May 17, 2013
Sasanian.................................................26-40
Session A
Islamic Dynasties | 63-303, 382-801
09:00 PDT Lots 1 – 440
Arab-Sasanian........................................63-84
Umayyad & Abbasid...........................94-186 [Break 13:00-14:00 PDT]
Spain & North Africa...........................187-204 Session B
Egypt & Syria......................................... 205-262 14:00 PDT Lots 441– 861
Arabian Peninsula............................... 263-285
Anatolian Peninsula........................... 286-303 Saturday, May 18, 2013
Mongol Dynasties............................... 485-616
Session C
Timurid & Later..................................... 648-685
09:00 PDT Lots 862 – 1323
Shahs of Iran......................................... 686-739
Afghan Dynasties.................................751-789 [Break 14:00-15:00 PDT]
Civic Coppers........................................ 790-801
Session D
Ottoman Empire | 304-381
15:00 PDT Lots 1324 – 1903
Early Ottoman...................................... 304-316
*All session and break times are estimated and are
Later Ottoman...................................... 317-381
subject to fluctuation. Please plan accordingly.
China | 802-861
Bidding can be followed live on iCollector.com
Chinese Dynasties............................... 802-822
Modern China....................................... 823-831
Chinese Provincial............................... 832-861
India | 862-1323
Ancient India......................................... 862-908
online pre-bidding
Medieval India...................................... 909-916
Sultanates.............................................. 917-969
You can bid online on our website by logging in with
Mughal Empire.....................................970-1092
Princely States...................................... 1096-1216 your customer number. Please contact us if you do
Colonial India........................................ 1217-1316 not have a customer number.
Modern India........................................ 1317-1323
www.stevealbum.com
Asia & Middle East | 1324-1671
Korea........................................................ 1419-1504 last minute bids
Sarawak................................................... 1552-1580
Straits Settlements.............................. 1582-1641 On the days of auction, May 17-18, 2013,
Africa | 1672-1705 please fax your bids to 707-539-3348 or email
Egypt....................................................... 1679-1683 your bids to: [email protected]
Morocco..................................................1691-1695 *NOTE: Bids sent after the auction has started
Europe | 1706-1816 are not guaranteed to be accepted.
England.................................................. 1714-1722
♦High resolution images of most lots are
Italian States......................................... 1760-1776
available on our website at:
Americas | 1817-1880
Central American Republic............. 1830-1845 www.stevealbum.com
Australia & Pacific | 1881-1902
Additional information on some lots can
Australia................................................. 1881-1899
also be found at our website above.
Worldwide Group Lot | 1903
OUR STAFF

Stephen Album - Director of Islamic & Early Indian Numismatics
Steve has been serving the numismatic community since 1960. In 1976 he began dealing nearly exclusively in Islamic and
Indian coins. He has authored several books including a complete rewrite of Marsden's Numismata Orientalia Illustrata, a
guide to Islamic and Oriental coins with values. In 1993 he published A Checklist of Islamic Coins, which now in its third
edition is the standard for collectors of Islamic coins. Mr. Album is currently a senior fellow at the Worcester College, Oxford,
England, and in this position has authored three of the ten volumes of the Sylloge of Islamic Coins in the Ashmolean
(Museum) beginning in 1999. In May of 2004 the Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen in Germany honored Mr. Album with a philosophiae
doctoris honoris causae, an honorary doctoral degree in philosophy. Steve is among the world's leading experts in Islamic and Indian coins.

Joseph Lang - Director of East Asian & Later Indian Numismatics
Joe is a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), as well as many other numismatic associations. He has
been a full-time coin dealer in California since 1987 and was first based in San Diego. Mr. Lang has been a contributing editor
to various editions of Krause publication's Standard Catalog of World Coins, German Coins, and World Paper Money for over
a decade. He has also contributed to past editions of the Monetary Research Institute's Banker's Guide to Foreign Currency.
Mr. Lang has specialized in world coins since 1989 with expertise in Chinese and other Asian cast coins and later machine
struck Chinese coins. He is also one of the main catalogers on Imperial Mughal, Indian Princely States and Colonial Indian coinages.

Paul Montz - Director of World Coins
Paul joined the staff in January 2011. He attended UC Davis from 1975-80, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in
Agricultural Science & Management and Agronomy, respectively. He began working in the numismatic field in the 1970's. In
1981, he founded Olde World Numismatics in Chico, CA, a business he ran for 30 years, focusing on A-Z world coins, before
merging with Stephen Album Rare Coins. He has published price lists for many years and has been a fixture at major coin
shows since the 1980's. Paul is a life member of the American Numismatic Association and is a member of other
organizations. He has been a contributing editor for the Standard Catalog of World Coins since 1998.

Dr. Norman Douglas Nicol - Numismatist / Cataloger
Doug worked as Steve's assistant full-time from 1981 until 1999, after which he moved back to his home area of northeastern
Pennsylvania. Doug began cataloging again for Stephen Album Rare Coins in 2006. Doug received a doctorate in Medieval
Islamic History from the University of Washington (Seattle) in 1979 and during a subsequent post-doctoral stay in Egypt, co-
authored a catalog of the coins and related items in the Egyptian National Library, Cairo (1982). During the years Doug
worked for Steve in California, he researched and compiled his Corpus of Fatimid Coins, which was published in 2006. He
has been a senior research fellow at Oxford University since 2001, having agreed to write five of the proposed ten volumes of the Sylloge of the

Islamic Coins in the Ashmolean.

Michael Barry - Numismatist / Office Manager
Mike joined the company in June of 2008. Mike's background is in archaeological theory, having completed his bachelor’s
degree in Anthropology & Archaeology at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2007. Prior to attending UC Santa Cruz
Mike attended the local Santa Rosa Junior College, completing an AA in Anthropology as well as an AS in Natural Sciences
in 2005.

Jocelyn McCord - Accounting & Payroll
Jocelyn joined the firm in 2007 and is responsible for the bookkeeping department. Jocelyn is in charge of all of our
accounting and payroll tasks. She handles payments, overdue accounts, account inquiries, refunds for returns, and other
financial aspects of the company.

Brian Henderson - Photography
Brian joined the company in July 2010. He is a fine art photographer and avid collector of obscure ephemera. He entered the
art world via his interest in skateboarding, and has been involved in the skate scene for
25 years. Brian uses his expertise in photography to create our catalogs as well as employing his artfully mastered people
skills in handling customer relations.

Kate Polacci - Shipping & Receiving
Kate started working for the company in June 2011. She is the manager for all of our outgoing and incoming shipments, as
well as helping to process sales and other aspects of the production of our fixed-price and auction catalogs.

Danica Rodarmel - Numismatic Conservation
Danica joined the company in October of 2008. She is currently a student at the University of California at Berkeley where
she is completing the second half of her undergraduate coursework in English. She hopes to pursue a career in writing creative
nonfiction. She is our resident numismatic conservationist and is continually fine-tuning her knowledge of the nuances
involved in coin restoration.
DR. RUUD SCHÜTTENHELM (1942-2012)

Ruud Schüttenhelm was born during the 2nd World War in the Frisian village
Scharsterbrug on April 11, 1942, where his parents temporarily resided. After the war they
moved back to the province of Holland. Ruud was the eldest son of the family and grew-up
in Wassenaar and later moved to Bussum. As a young boy he developed a love for nature
and environment as well as a sharp eye for bird watching. Also during his later years he
would hardly travel without taking a book on birds and a pair of binoculars with him.
During high school he developed a keen interest in history, which he seemingly effortlessly
mastered. It’s also from that time that his interest in numismatics blossomed, initially with
Roman, but also Indo-Greek coins. His historical interest continued during his study of
geology at the University of Utrecht. Despite the limited funds as a student he continued to
look for coins to satisfy his historical interest. In the early seventies on one of his regular visits to the legendary coin
shop of Jacques Schulman on the Keizersgracht in Amsterdam, Ruud bought his first Mongol coin. This aroused his
interest more than anything else.

Fascinated by its design and historical background of this less documented series, he soon could expand his
collection at an auction by Dr. Busso Peus in Frankfurt (D). He prepared a want list as well as a list of secondary
choices. Jacques Schulman took care of it and after the auction it proved that not only the coins of the initial want
list were obtained but also the coins of the list with the secondary choices, all within the budget he had put aside for
the initial want list. From that moment his passion for the series of Mongol coinage, and the culture and history of
Central Asia, blossomed. One of his favorite books was Babur the Tiger: First of the Great Mughals, by Harold
Lamb.

In a period of well over 40 years a remarkable coherent collection of Mongol and related dynasties has been built-
up, comprising of almost 2500 coins in gold, silver and base metal, covering much of Central Asia and present Iran.

Multiple countermarks are regularly found on the coins of the Timurids, which provides much information about the
period that these coins were in circulation and also about the geographic spread of their use. These countermarked
coins received his particular attention and are well represented in his collection. Coins were for him also a pleasant
way to find relaxation and he was seemingly gratified when he was able to decipher a previously unclear inscription.

For his professional work as a geologist he was employed with the German Texaco, the Dutch Geological Survey
in Haarlem and T.N.O. (Scientific Research and Advisory Institute) in Utrecht. For his work he traveled quite often
and even sailed the high seas when he was engaged in geological research of the ocean floor. As a doctoral advisor
at the University of Utrecht he also assisted students with their doctoral studies.

Those who were acquainted with Ruud, will agree that he was a very friendly gentleman, erudite, an enthusiast and
always helpful. His love for collecting, however, didn’t restrict to numismatics only, but a wide range of subjects
attracted his interest. Every trip abroad or holiday in France would often lead him to antiquarian bookshops and
markets and the acquisition of various books, catalogs, prints, itineraries, etc. were the result. His thirst for
knowledge seems to have never been satiated and anything once read would be concealed in his excellent memory.
The accumulation of books brought his wife Anna Marie to a short-lived ultimatum for ‘one book in – one book
out’. This strategy did not work as it made him much too sad to adhere to such limitations.

Ruud could neither resist the temptation, when out in the countryside with his grandchildren, to collect, as an
amateur archeologist, various fragments of medieval pottery. Everything would be cleaned and stored in boxes and
crates for “later, when I have time.”

Unfortunately this time was not given to him. He passed away on October 7, 2012, due to an extremely aggressive
and incurable form of cancer that took him away in the course of only a few months. Ruud is survived by his wife
Anna Marie, two sons and two grandchildren.

Part of his legacy and most dearest, the collection of Mongol and related coins, will at his own request be auctioned
and sold by Stephen Album Rare Coins, from whom many of these coins have also originated.
Ancient Coins
Session A
Begins May 17, 2013 at 09:00 PDT
Ancient Coins
5. MACEDONIA: Alexander III, 336-323 BC, AR tetradrachm
(16.64g), ND, head of young Herakles right, clad in lion’s skin /
Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle & sceptre, posthumous issue
in the Danubian region, very broad flan, ca. 2nd century BC,
VF-EF $200 - 300
1. CELTIC BRITAIN: Cunobelin, ca. AD 41, AV stater (5.39g),
Catuvellauni & Trinovantes, S-283, Van Arsdell-1933, CA-MV,
grain ear / CVN-O, celticized horse galloping right; branch
above, VF $1,700 - 1,900
The son of Tasciovanus, Cunobelin became the most powerful
tribal ruler in northern Europe after seizing control of
Camulodunum in about AD 10. Most of his coins carry both his
name and that of his capital, which under his command expanded
from a large hillfort or oppidum into an international trade center
covering ten square miles. A similar example sold in Heritage 6. MACEDONIA: Phillip II, 359-336 BC, AR tetradrachm
Auction 3016 lot 23013 in 2012 for $3,250. (14.37g), S-6680 ff, head of Zeus right / horseman right,
Amphipolis mint, A below horse, lovely strike, especially on
the obverse, lovely bold VF, R $1,000 - 1,200
7. BOEOTIA: Anonymous, ca. 525-480 BC, AR drachm (5.67g),
2. CELTIC CENTRAL EUROPE & ASIA MINOR: Danubian Celts,
Thebes, S-1779, SNG-Cop 243, Boeotian shield / square
ca. 3rd-2nd Century BC, AR tetradrachm, imitating tetradrachms
incuse with a mill sail pattern, VG-F, RR $300 - 400
of Phillip II of Macedon, extremely abstracted head of Apollo
Thebes is a city in Boeotia, central Greece. It played an
facing right / stylized horse galloping left, EF $75 - 100
important role in Greek mythology, as the site of the stories
of Cadmus, Oedipus, and Dionysus.
8. DIOSKOURIAS: Anonymous, ca. 2nd-1st Century BC, AE unit
(1.45g), S-3629, caps of the Dioskouroi, each surmounted by a
star / thrysos, text D IO S K O U RI A D O S in 3 lines across,
3. BRUTTIUM: Anonymous, 282-203 BC, AE sextans
VF, R $100 - 150
(16.52g), Grose-1517, Ares in Corinthian helmet left /
Dioskourias is located within the area of present day
Bellona advancing right, holding large oval shield,
Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia, a disputed region
thunderbold to right, lovely patina, F-VF $150 - 250
on the Black Sea coast and formally part of the
Republic of Georgia.
9. IONIA: Anonymous, ca. 540-478 BC, AR hemiobol (1.26g),
Teos, SNG-Cop 1441, griffin with curled wings seated right /
quadripartite incuse square, VF $100 - 150
4. SYRACUSE: Hieron II, 275-215 BC, AE 27 (17.85g), S-1222,
diademed head of Hieron left, beardless / horseman prancing
right, holding spear, beneath A R monogram, scratched in the
field, mainly on reverse, lovely patination, VF $100 - 150
10. LYCIA: Uncertain Dynasty, ca. 500-460 BC, AR stater
(9.92g), SNG von Aulock-4089, round shield depicting
curled wing Pegasus flying left / triskeles, without pellet or
monogram, wonderfully centered obverse, nicely displaying
most of the shields rim, choice EF $1,000 - 1,500
1
Stephen Album Rare Coins | Auction 16 | May 17-18, 2013
Ancient Near East
16. HIMYARITE: ‘Amdan Bayyin, 1-2nd Century AD, AR ½ denarius
(1.19g), Raydan mint, with monogram MWO (mawa?) in obverse
11. SIDE: Anonymous, 2nd-1st century BC, AR tetradrachm field, appears unpublished, possibly very rare, EF, RR $225 - 275
(15.93g), S-5436, head of Athena r., wearing crested
Corinthian helmet / Nike advancing left, holding wreath,
pomegranate in field, K L E U C below, VF $200 - 300
17. PARTHIAN: Mithradates III, c. 57-54 BC, AE tetrachalkous
(2.49g), Sell-41.20, diademed bust left, star behind / elephant
right, lovely strike without a trace of weakness, VF-EF $150 - 200
12. SELEUKEIA: Aniochus VII Euergetes, 138-129 BC,
AR tetradrachm (16.54g), ND, S-7092, diademed head r. /
Athena standing l., holding Nike, spead & shield, some
scratches on obverse, lovely portrait, VF-EF $200 - 300 18. PARTHIAN: Orodes II, c. 57-38 BC, AE tetrachalkous
(3.26g), Ekbatana, Sell-43.13, diademed narrow bust left,
short beard / Pegasus right, complete inscription around,
lovely strike, strong VF $125 - 175
19. PARTHIAN: Orodes II, c. 57-38 BC, AE dichalkous? (1.48g),
Sell-45.40, diademed broad bust left, short beard / fort with 2
13. SELEUKEIA: Alexander I (Balas), 150-145 BC, small & 2 tall towers, very light porosity, VF $100 - 120
AR tetradrachm (13.28g), Tyre, Sel-164 (149/148 NC),
S-7033, diademed head r. / eagle standing l., some tooling
in obverse field, VF $150 - 220
20. PARTHIAN: Orodes II, c. 57-38 BC, AR tetradrachm (14.96g),
Shore-209, bear-headed bust left, short beard / king seated
right on throne, Tyche kneeling left, holding sceptre, extending
14. SELEUKEIA: Seleukos II Kallinikos, 246-226 BC, arms to one another, monograph #45, lovely bold VF $350 - 450
AR tetradrachm (17.05g), North Mesopotamian Mint,
SC-724.6, SNG Spaer -, diademed head of Seleukos II,
dotted border / BAS IL EW S S E L EYKOY, Apollo standing
left, holding arrow and resting elbow on tripod, monogram
in left field, VF $225 - 300
21. PARTHIAN: Artabanos II, AD 10-38, AE chalkous (1.32g),
[Ekbatana], Sell-45.40, bust left / king on horseback left, wearing
diadem, all within beaded circle, superb strike, VF $140 - 160
15. PHOENICIA: Uncertain king, ca. 348/7-339/8 BC,
AR stater, Arados, S-5968, BMC-7, Betlyon-26, laureate
head of Ba’al-Arwad right / galley right, Pataikos on prow,
above waves; Aramaic M A ‘ above (written right to left),
good strike for type $350 - 450 22. PARTHIAN: Vardanes I, AD 40-57, AR tetradrachm (11.50g),
Seleukia, Sel-353 (41AD), Shore-350 ff, bust left, with royal
wart / Tyche handing palm branch to seated king, F-VF $120 - 160
2
Ancient Coins
23. PARTHIAN: Artabanos IV, AD 216-224, AE chalkous (1.06g),
[Ekbatana], Sell-89.6, diademed bust left, with tiara crown and
round crest above / horned sheep galloping left, VF-EF $120 - 160
24. PARTHIAN: LOT of 4 silver drachms, Mithradates II (123-88 BC),
type Sh-69, vf, and Sh-96, avf, Gotarzes I (95-87 BC), type
Sh-111, vf-ef, and Orodes II (57-38 BC), as type Sh-255 but with
symbol #27, choice vf, lot of 4 pieces $200 - 250 31. SASANIAN: Peroz, 457-484, AR drachm (3.53g), NM, ND,
25. PARTHIAN: LOT of 5 silver drachms, Phraates IV (38-2 BC), G-169/171, Tokharistan imitation for use along the silk
one vf, the other f-vf, Gotarzes II (40-51), choice vf, Vologases road, strange “blob” design before king’s head, no
IV (147-191), corroded vf, and Osroes II (ca. 190), choice vf, inscriptions, VF-EF, RR $75 - 100
lot of 5 pieces $140 - 180
32. SASANIAN: Peroz, 457-484, AV stater (4.36g), G-172var, king’s
bust, winged crown, completely blundered text left & right / two
attendants around fire altar, unknown symbols left and right,
26. SASANIAN: Ardashir I, 224-241, BI tetradrachm (12.15g), G-7,
contemporary imitation, probably from the central silk
type derived from last Parthian tetradrachm of Seleukia, lovely
road area that lies between what is now northern Afghanistan
bold strike, choice VF-EF $350 - 450
and Xinjiang province of China, choice EF, RR $2,000 - 2,500
Note that the top of the attendants’ headgear has
become a separate pellet outside the beaded
border around the reverse.
33. SASANIAN: Kavad I, 2nd reign, 499-531, AE pashiz
(0.57g), ST (Istakhr), year 11, G-188, type 2 style, lovely
27. SASANIAN: Varahran II, 276-293, AR drachm (3.73g), strike with full even margins, good Fine, RR $200 - 300
G-68, son handing a diadem with very short ribbons to his
parents, nice strike, much scratching on obverse, VF $100 - 150
34. SASANIAN: Khusro I, 531-579, AR drachm (4.04g), “PR”
28. SASANIAN: Narseh, 293-303, AR drachm (3.68g), G-76,
(Furat), year “9", G-—, a very interesting contemporary
second type, 3 branches above the base of the crown,
imitation, with the bust facing left, and all the obverse text
couple small scratches, attractive VF $150 - 200
retrograde, the reverse text correct, VF, RRR $425 - 475
This piece was published by F.D.J. Paruck in 1924, from the
collection of the Russian General Bartholomaei, who died in
1870. The plates were published in some obscure location
by Dorn in 1873, without the text. Both the text and drawings
were published by Paruck, and this piece appears on table
23, item #16, and seems to have been struck from the same
or very similar dies. This is undoubtedly some type of local
imitation, probably from the Caucasus region, given that it
was in a collection assembled in Russia in the mid-19th
century. Unfortunately, no references to the provenance of
29. SASANIAN: Hormizd II, 303-309, AR drachm, G-83, nice these pieces have been preserved, and we have made no
style, common type with reverse design filling the field, EF$75 - 100 attempt to search potentially relevant post-1924 publications.
Furat is located north of Basra in Iraq.
35. SASANIAN: Khusraw II, 591-628, AE pashiz (0.85g), NM,
ND, G-216var, unread word to right of bust on obverse, no
trace of inscriptions for date or mint, stylized type that was
most likely struck after Khusraw’s death in 628, perhaps
30. SASANIAN: Yazdigerd II, 438-457, AR drachm (4.09g), WH officially or privately under Arab rule in the 640s or
(Veh-Ardashir), G-160, cf. SNS-19, attendants hold long spears, somewhat later, type appears unpublished, Fine, RR $75 - 100
very broad margins, bold strike, choice EF $150 - 200
3
Stephen Album Rare Coins | Auction 16 | May 17-18, 2013
Ancient Africa
36. SASANIAN: Kavad II, 628, AR drachm (4.15g), AHM 41. PTOLEMAIS: Ptolemy IX, 116-106 & 88-80 BC, AR tetradrachm
(Hamadan), year 2, G-223, bold strike, choice EF, R $900 - 1,100 (14.13g), Paphos, year 8 (=109/8 BC), S-7921/22, diademed head
right / eagle standing left, minor adhesion spot on reverse,
bold VF $125 - 200
42. CARTHAGE: Anonymous, ca. 230-220 BC, AR tridrachm (8.21g),
37. SASANIAN: Ardashir III, 628-630, AR drachm (4.16g),
S-6497, head of Tanit left, wreathed with corn / horse standing,
WYHC (the Treasury), year 1, G-225, first type, without
looking back, right foreleg raised, debased silver, VF $300 - 400
wings on the crown, bold strike, minor adhesions, only in
obverse margin, EF, R $200 - 260
43. AXUM: Anonymous, ca. 330-350, AE unit (0.78g), M&J-52,
bust right / cross in center, text in the surrounding margin,
attractive VF $120 - 160
38. SASANIAN: Yazdigerd III, 632-651, AR drachm (3.64g),
MY (Mishan), year 20, G-235, Tyler-Smith-163/164, 44. AXUM: Ebana, ca. 450, AV unit (1.59g), ND, M&J-73,
attractive strike, VF, RRR $450 - 550 blundered inscription, die-linked to issues with legible name
Mishan, located in southern Iraq, had been conquered by the of Ebana; small edge nick, VF-EF, R $500 - 700
Arabs more than a decade before the regnal year 20 of
Yazdigerd III (651 AD), and would not have officially struck Roman & Byzantine Coinage
Sasanian coins in that year. Thus this piece is either a local
imiative issue, or the mint “MY” mint was no longer located at
Mishan. The “Y” of the mint name is slightly curved to the
lower right, and is conceivably a somewhat coarsely
engraved “L” or “R”. The letters “MR” applied to the city of
Marw on both Sasanian and early Arab-Sasanian drachms
(the latter dated YE20, 22 and 23). I would suggest that the
actual mint was Marw, where the Arab armies captured and
executed Yazdigerd in his 20th regnal year.
45. ROMAN EMPIRE: Tiberius, 14-37 AD, AR denarius, the “tribute
39. SASANIAN: LOT of 2 silver drachms, Varahran IV (420-438,
penny” (3.78g), Lugdunum, RIC-28, RSC-16b, TI CAESAR DIVI
ST or AT mint, vf-ef) and Ardashir III (628-630, AYRAN mint,
AVG F AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / PONTIF MAXIM, Livia
vf, large nick in reverse center), lot of 2 pieces $150 - 200
(as Pax) seated right, holding olive-branch and inverted spear;
AYRAN is regarded as the city of Hulwan in west-central chair legs ornamented, triple line below, F-VF $350 - 400
Iran, on the old highway from Baghdad to Rayy.
The “tribute penny ” is popularized as the coin to which
40. SASANIAN & RELATED: LOT of 5 miscellaneous coins, Jesus referred in Mark 12:17 “render unto Caesar that
Sasanian, Shahpur I (AE pashiz, Göbl-27, crude F-VF), which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s.”
Yazdigerd I (AR drachm, G-149, F-VF), and Peroz (AR drachm,
blundered mint, G-176 but probably contemporary eastern
imitation, VF-EF), also Tabaristan (A-63, Sulayman, dated
PYE137, EF, and A-73, Anonymous “afzut”, also dated PYE137,
EF), lot of 5 pieces $150 - 200
46. ROMAN EMPIRE: Galba, 68-69 AD, AE sestersius (23.64g),
S-2118, SER GALBA IMP CAESAR AVG TR P, laureate
bust right / LIBER(TAS) AUG S C, Libertas standing left,
nice portrait, some tiny pits, partly tooled surfaces, F-VF $400 - 600
4
Ancient Coins
47. ROMAN EMPIRE: Trajan, 98-117 AD, AR tetradrachm 52. ROMAN EMPIRE: Philip I, 244-249 AD, AR tetradrachm,
(14.99g), Tyre, Phoenicia, Prieur-1465, laureate head of Antioch, Syria, Prieur-304, CP-317, laureated, draped and
Trajan right, supported by eagle standing right; to right, cuirassed bust right seen from behind / eagle standing left,
club facing downward / laureate head of Melqart right, with wreath in beak, SCwithin eagles wings, strike 5/5, surface
lion’s skin draped around neck, bold strike, EF $250 - 350 5/5, fine style, NGC graded choice AU star designation $350 - 450
48. ROMAN EMPIRE: Hadrian, 117-138 AD, BI tetradrachm,
53. ROMAN EMPIRE: Phillip II, 247-249 AD, AR tetradrachm,
Aegeae in Cilicia, Prieur-721, struck AD 133/4, laureate,
Antioch, Syria, Prieur-411, CP-831, laureated, draped and
draped, and cuirassed bust of Hadrian right / eagle with
cuirassed bust right seen from behind / eagle standing left,
spread wings standing facing on harpe, head left, tiny goat
wreath in beak, SC in exergue, strike 5/5, surface 5/5,
kneeling right in exergue, VF, RR $150 - 250
NGC graded Mint State $350 - 450
54. ROMAN EMPIRE: Trajan Decius, 249-251 AD,
AR tetradrachm, Antioch, Syria, Prieur-538, CP-1517,
49. ROMAN EMPIRE: Hadrian, 117-138 AD, AE sestersius laureated, draped and cuirassed bust right seen from
(24.13g), S-3621, IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS behind; two pellets below bust / eagle standing left on
AVG, laureate head left / PONT MAX TR POT COS III S C, palm, wreath in beak, SC in exergue, strike 5/5,
Jupiter seated l., holding Victory and sceptre, couple nicks surface 4/5, NGC graded Mint State $350 - 450
on reverse, lovely portrait, VF $150 - 250
55. ROMAN EMPIRE: Valens, 364-378 AD, AV solidus (4.47g),
Antioch, RIC-15c/15d, D N VALENS - PER F AVG,
diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r., Rv. GLORIA - R
(ChiRho) O - MANORVM, Roma and Constantinople seated
front, holding sceptres and supporting a shield inscribed
50. ROMAN EMPIRE: Hadrian, 117-138 AD, AE sestersius VOT / X / MVL / XX; ANOB in exergue, Choice EF $1,200 - 1,400
(24.93g), S-3621, IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS
AVG, laureate head left / PONT MAX TR POT COS III S C, A very similar example sold in ArtCoins Roma Auction 6 lot
Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopiae, number 1247 in 2012 for €1480.
lovely portrait, VF $150 - 250
56. ROMAN EMPIRE: Leo I, 457-474 AD, AV solidus (4.39g),
Constantinople mint, RIC-605, DN LEO PERPET AVC,
diademed, helmeted and cuirassed 3/4 facing bust, spear
51. ROMAN EMPIRE: Philip I, 244-249 AD, AR tetradrachm, over shoulder / VICTORIA AVCCC I, Victory standing left
Antioch, Syria, Prieur-310, laureated, draped and with long cross, star in right field, CONOB in ex, EF $750 - 850
cuirassed bust right seen from behind / eagle standing left,
wreath in beak, SC within eagles wings, strike 5/5, surface
5/5, fine style, NGC graded choice Mint State $350 - 450
5