Greece/Euboia; Histiaia c. late 4th century BCE

AR Drachm, 15 mm, 3.32 g (c. BCE 350-300)

Obv: Wreathed head of nymph Histiaia right
Rev: IΣTI, Bull standing right before grape vine; monogram to right.

BCD 374 (R)-375 (O); SNG Copenhagen 516; BMC Central Greece page 125, 4; Traite II 119, Grose 5725

Dealer’s notes: Good VF, well centered. Darkly toned (almost black). Scarce

Ex Stack's 15-17 March 1979, lot 119 (sold for $160.00 + 5%). According to the Stack's Public Auction Sale Catalogue, the coin was noted as "Rare, VF" with a reserve of $150. Purchased by BCD from the Stack's Auction.

Ex BCD Collection (not in Lanz sale).

Ex CNG "Coin Shop" listed 19 November 2004 for $295.

Ex ANE

Acquisition: 2007

Greece/Ionia; Smyrna, after BCE 190

AE Homerion 22 mm, 10.91 g, c. BCE 115-105 (Künker date)

Milne 256v, (256 has an A behind the hd on the obs) a similar coin naming the same magistrate sold in the Fritz Rudolf Künker Münzhandlung Auction 133 on 11 October 2007, Lot 7596 per coinarchives.com


Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right. Letter "B" left in field.
Rev: ΣΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ, The poet Homer seated left, holding staff and scroll, name of magistrates to left ΑΙΣΧΡΙΩΝ/ΔΙΟΓΕΝΟΥ . (Aiskrion Diogenous)


Dealer’s remarks: Good VF, attractive glossy brown patina. Scarce variant. Nicely centered with all letters clear.

Strabo mentions specifically this issue of bronze coinage from Smyrna when, discussing the city, he says "there is also a library; and the 'Homereum', a quadrangular portico containing a shrine and wooden statue of Homer; for the Smyrnaeans also lay especial claim to the poet and indeed a bronze coin of theirs is called a Homereum" (Strabo, Geographica XIV, I.37, transl. by H.C. Jones, The Geography of Strabo, VI [Loeb, 1960], pp. 245-247). (http://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=58802)


Ex: CNG Triton VIII, portion of lot 1880 (10 January 2005)

Ex: ANE

Acquisition: 2007

Greece/Seleucid/ Antiochus VIII Grypos BCE 121-96

AE 16x17 mm, 5.46 g, Antioch mint, c. BCE 121-120
SGCV 7154, CSE 323 v
O: radiate hd of Antiochus r
R: eagle stg l sceptre in bkgd BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY on r, on l. EΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ
IE in field to the left, beneath eagle S.E. Date BQP (192)

Ex: CP

Acquisition: 2007

Crispus Caesar CE 316-326

AE 3, 19 mm, 3 g, Siscia mint, CE 317-324
RIC VII Siscia 161 S
O: laur bust r, IVL CRIS-PVS NOBC
R: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM/VOT /dot/V within wreath/ЄSIS*

Ex: CP

Acquisition: 2007

Crispus Caesar CE 316-326

AE 3, 19 mm, 3.2 g, Siscia mint, CE 324-326
CHK 725, RIC VII Siscia 201 R1
O: laur bust r, IVL CRIS-PVS NOBC
R: Campgate, PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS/dot ΔSIS dot

Ex: CP

Acquisition: 2007

Constantius II, as Caesar CE 324-337

AE 3, 18 mm, 3.03 g, Siscia mint, CE 324-330
CHK 739, RIC VII Siscia 217 C3
O: laur cuir dr bust left, FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOBC
R: Campgate, PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS /ΔSIS crescents

Ex: CP

Acquisition: 2007

Greece/Seleucid/ Antiochus VI Dionysus BCE 145-142

AE Serrated 22 mm, 6.53 g, Antioch mint, c. BCE 143-142
SGCV 708, CSE 248
O: radiate hd of Antiochus as Dionysus r obs o/c to lower r
R: elephant adv l holding torch in trunk, in field to r ΣTA and cornucopia, above BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ/ ANTIOXOY below EΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ/[ΔIONYΣOY]

Ex: CP

Acquisition: 2007

Greece/Cilicia; Soloi-Pompeiopolis, Pompey the Great after BCE 66-1st Cent. CE

AE 22, 11.21 g
SGCV 5628 v
O: Hd of Pompey r (star below chin is not visible)
R: Athena stg l holding nike, shield adjacent to r. (no inscription visible though should read ΠΟΝΠΗΙΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ETOYC----)

Ex: CP

sold: 2007

Greece/ Euboia; Histiaea, 3/2 centuries BCE

AR Tetrobol, 3/2 centuries BCE, 2.33 g, 16 mm.

S.2496 v, BMC 64 v., BCD Euboia 392 v., CH VIII (1994), plate XXXIII, 12 (this coin)


O: Nymph hd r (not one of the more pleasing portraits from this series)
R: nymph std on galley, I]Σ T[I]/AIEΩИ (retrograde "N") bipennis under galley with sigma before it.

Dealers auction note: "VF, minimally off-ctr on a good sized flan, tiny edge split, nice metal with lt tone, decent, Ex-BCD with his tag."

Ex: F. Robinson MBS 70, 6 November 2007, 31

Ex: BCD (not in Lanz Catalogue)

According to BCD's tag, "Ex: Aug 85/North of Lari. hd/Cost: 5000 drs"
at that time the drachm exchange would indicate a USD cost of between $43-$50 or thereabouts. (according to my wife who was in Greece in 1985 the drachm was exchanging at 100-115 to 1 USD)


According to Coin Hoards VIII (1994) the hoard in question is #517, North of Larissa, Greece 1985 (or per BCD August 1985).

The hoard was deposited circa BCE 75 and it's contents consisted of 1,260+ silver pieces of which more than 60% were either late Tetrobols of Histiaia or Hellenistic Triobols of Sikyon. The disposition of the hoard is noted as "in trade".


As noted above a number of pieces from the hoard are plated in CH VIII and this particular coin is one of them. (thanks to Sveto K. for the info from CH VIII***)


Photo of CH VIII, plate XXXIII, #12 (as noted above).

Acquisition: 2007

Tantalus ID#35548

Another source regarding this hoard is found in a footnote appearing on p. 200 of John D. Grainger's book The League of the Aitolians (Brill, 1999), footnote #52 reads "The latest hoard to contain an Aitolian coin is dated from c. 75 BC (Coin Hoards VIII, 517, from North of Larisa in Thessaly)." According to CH VIII, 517; only one coin from the hoard was of the Aitolian League and that was a quarter stater.

Greece/Seleucid; Seleucus III BCE 226-223

AE 16 mm, 4.7 g, Antioch on the Orontes mint

Houghton 922.1 v, CSE 61-62 v

O: draped bust of Artemis r, quiver at shoulder, dotted border

R: Apollo std l on omphalos, testing arrow and resting l hand on grounded bow. BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r. ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ on left.

ex: Time Machine (NY)

Acquisition: 2007

Greece/ Boiotia; Tanagra c. BCE 387-374

AR Obol, 11 mm, 0.70 g, (also early to mid 4th century BCE)

GCV 2451, BCD Boiotia 276b-277 var. For type.

O: Boiotian shield
R: forepart of horse r. T above, A before both turned slightly clockwise, all within incuse concave circle with curved edge.

Ex: Ancient Byways/Copper Penny
Ex: Tamco Numismatics (Sweden)

Acquisition: 2007

Map of Boiotia, showing Tanagra's location highlighted in red about 25 km east of Thebes.

map adapted from the BCD Boiotia catalogue

Greece/ Argolis; Argos, c. 260s-250s BCE

AR Triobol (16 mm, 2.43 gm) dealer stating "Good VF, Scarce."

Obv: Forepart of wolf at bay to left; O with dot inside it above

Rev: Large A; Δ-Ε above on either side; eagle stg right on harpa below; all within shallow incuse square.

BMC Peloponnesus 61; BCD Peloponnesos 1109-1110 v., Mycenae pl. 9, 24-25, SNG Cop. 31, Grose 6836-6839.

Acquisition: 2007

Ex: ANE (Canada)

Ex: BCD Collection

Ex: Bank Leu (January, 1974)

Ex: Jacob Hirsch (1874-1955) stock with original coin ticket.

Probably passed via inheritance to Leo Mildenberg who sold “all those of BCD’s area to him in the late 1970’s” [BCD Peloponnesos p. 4).

Ex: Prof. Athanasios Rhousopoulos (1823-1898) collection sold 1905 by Jacob Hirsch.

Green card is Hirsch's denoting R/G meaning “Rhousopoulos Greichen” originating in the Rhousopoulos collection, white card is BCD's.

According to BCD Peloponnesos catalogue, “The O / ΔΕ…issues are among the last silver issues of the 3rd century, and were almost certainly struck just prior to the weight reduction in c. 250/240….” (p.270 note after lot #1105)

Antoninus Pius CE 138-161, as Caesar under Hadrian

AE As, 10.32 g, c. 25 February-10 July CE 138
RCV 4332, C. 1066, RIC II 1088a (Hadrian), BMCRE 1948 (Hadrian)

considered Rare, though CNG sold a reasonably nice example from the Weller collection for only $120 off a $200 estimate.

O: bare hd bust r., IMP T AELIVS CAESAR ANTONINVS
R: joined hands and caduceus, TRIB POT COS SC

Ex: Silenos

Acquisition: 2005

Procurators of Judea; Pontius Pilate CE 26-36

AE Prutah, 16 mm, 2.15 g, c. CE 30
H. 649

O: Lituus, TIBEPIOY KAICAP
R: L IZ in wreath

Ex: Ancient Byways/Copper Penny

Acquisition: 2006

Gordian III CE 238-244

AR Antoninianus, 5.64 g, Rome mint, CE 238-239

RSC 105, RCV 8614

O: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, rad cuir bust r.
R: IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jove stg l with small Gordian stg to left

Ex: Ancient Byways/Copper Penny

Acquisition: 2005

Constantine I CE 307-337

AE 3, 19 mm, 2.35 g c. CE 323-324 Trier mint

O: laur hd r CONSTAN-TINVS AVG
R: Victory adv rt with captive below r, SARMATIA-DEVIC[TA]/PT[-]

Ex: Silenos

Acquisition: 2004

Domitian CE 81-96 Roman Provincial Judea

AE 23 mm, 10.85 g, after CE 83, minted Caesarea Maritima

H. 749

O: hd of Domitian left, [DOMITIANV]S CAES AV[G GERMANICVS]
R: Minerva adv. l with trophy shield and spear

“Judea Capta” issue

Ex: Zurqieh (Dubai)

Acquisition: 2004

Greece/Sikyonia, Sikyon, Circa 330/20-280 BCE

AR Triobol (14 mm, 2.77 gm.).

Warren, Silver 21-3; BCD Peloponnesos 292 v reverse, BCD Peloponnesos 293.1 v. obverse; SNG Copenhagen 64-5. VF, struck on short and thick flan.

Obv: retrograde ΣΙ, Chimaera standing left.

Rev: Dove flying left; Dove flying left; pellet above tail.

Ex: ANE/Svetolik Kovačević (Canada)

Ex. BCD collection.

Ex: "Near Itea hoard" as per coin ticket. According to Andrew Meadows at the ANS (who I thank for the information), the Itea hoard is listed in Coin Hoards VIII as hoard #254. It was found in several lots around 1983 and consisted of 1,500+ coins, of which 640 reside in the Numismatic Museum in Athens, Greece and the remaining 900 are in commerce.

The hoard has a date of deposit approximately of between BCE 290-270.

Here is the information as it appears (somewhat redacted) in CH VIII, courtesy of Sveto K.:

From COIN HOARDS VIII; 254 (published 1994)

254 Near Itea, Greece, 1983?
Burial: c. 290-270 BC
Contents: 1500+ AR
Recorded in several lots:
A: 321 AR + 321 AR
B: 900+ AR

Disposition: A: In Athens Museum, Protonotarios donation (as noted in BCH 114-JG)
B: in trade.

Sources: BCH 114 (1990), p. 704; AΔ 37 (1982), 1989, p. 1; AΔ 38 (1983), 1989, p. 1

Lot A to be fully published by M. Oeconomidou; lot B to be published by U. Wartenberg.

From source BCH 114 (1990) p. 704, Chronique des Fouilles en 1989; Athènes, musées et collections:

Musée numismatique:

Les collections du musée se sont, comme chaque année, enrichies de monnaies provenant de fouilles…et des donations (trésor d’hémidrachmes en argent du IV e s.av. J-C, trouvé en mer dans une amphore, près des côtes de Locride ou d’Eubée, et offert par P. Protonotariou).

[Translation from French by JG-"Chronicle of the Excavations in 1989; Athens, museums and collections: Numismatic museum:

As each year goes by, the collections of the museum grow richer from the coins originating from excavations…and donations (a find of silver hemidrachms from the 4th century BCE found at sea in an amphora near the coast of Locris or Euboia and offered by P. Protonotariou)."]