Please follow the link below to visit the page with this particular new variety:
http://guberman.blogspot.com/2007/04/seleucid-antiochus-i-soter-bce-280-261.html
According to an email from Arthur Houghton, this coin is "...clearly a variant of SC 361.3b, and to my knowledge has not been recorded."
20080924
20080920
20080918
Greece/Macedon; Posthumous Alexander III BCE 323-317
AR Drachm, 4.11 g; 16mm; 5 h. Price 1372; Müller 627;Lampsakos (Mysia) mint,
minted under the authority of Philip III
O: Head right of young Herakles wearing lion’s skin
R:Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and scepter; in left field, buckle, crescent over A beneath throne; AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡ[OY]
Dealers Note: Fine condition. Ex collection of John Quincy Adams and his descendants, donated in 1913 by Henry Adams(1838-1918)to the Massachusetts Historical Society, and later auctioned by Stack’s on 5 March 1971. The prior owner’s notes indicate that the coins appeared in the aforementioned Stack’s sale as lot 150 (multiple coins). Although this coin and the companion drachm of Philip III (see 1338 Mp) are not accompanied by any original documentation, I have no reason to doubt that they do indeed come from this important sale. The coins are deeply toned in the same hues, are in similar grades, and were probably found in the same hoard.
Ex: John Quincy Adams (1767-1848, President 1825-1829) & Descendants Collection
Ex: Massachusetts Historical Society Collection 1913-1971
Ex: Stacks Sale, 5 March 1971, portion of lot 150.
Ex: Dr. John A. Sawhill (1892-1976) Collection
Ex: James Madison University Foundation Inc., Collection
Ex: JMU/Sawhill Collection Deaccession Sale, Stacks 15-16 March 1979 lot 1031 "Ancient and Foreign Coins featuring the collection of Dr. John A. Sawhill sold by order of the James Madison University Foundation Inc."
Ex: Paul Rynearson
Acquisition: 2008
Thanks to Curtis JJ for the additional provenance information related to Sawhill and JMU and the 1979 Stacks auction which was received in May 2026.
John Quincy Adams c. 1843
Notes from Harvey Stack regarding the collection:
Few know that the Adams family also had a coin collection. The numismatic items were first stored at the Society, never even being fully inventoried or studied. The 1950s the collection was moved to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (MFA) to be reviewed and evaluated. Because of its size, this job was slowly worked on. As it was not fully catalogued or available, and funds and people were not available to do this, the collection was considered to be sold. The project was proposed by the MFA.Under the supervision of Cornelius Vermeule, the numismatic curator of MFA and later director of the museum, together with the assistance of Mary Comstock, also of the MFA the collection of coins, medals and other numismatic material was catalogued. After this work was done, it was suggested that the collection be sold at public auction in order to provide the funds to properly microfilm and preserve the entire document collection.My company, Stack's, with our vast experience in dealing with numismatic treasure held by museums and educational institutions, was selected to sell the coins of the Massachusetts Historical Society, which had been assembled by the Adams' family from generation to generation.As to the formation of the collection, it began with the acquisitions of John Adams. He represented Massachusetts at the Continental Congress, from which evolved our Declaration of Independence together with the forming of the United States. His sons continued the numismatic interest.Adams, who later became the second president, in the 1770s and 1780s was not only a delegate to the Continental Congress, but he was also sent to Europe to solicit aid and finances from France in helping the new nation establish itself. While in Europe, because of his interest in coins, he and his son John Quincy Adams (who became our sixth president) assembled coins as they related to history, from the time of the Greek and Roman civilizations, up to the period they lived in.The entire family was quite literate, each having had a Harvard education. They wrote to each other from near and far, telling each other in letters, diaries and documents of their travels. Their writings reflected details of the times they lived in. These narratives are cherished as historical treasures today.An interesting story deserves telling. Norman Stack, my cousin, and I went to Boston to pack up the collection for shipment to New York. The coins and medals were housed in large wooden cabinets, each having some 60 trays to lay out the coins. To secure the collection these cabinets were housed in great storage vaults in a portion of the Museum of Fine Arts. The walls of the vaults were lined with huge display cabinets, some 12 feet high, each containing a quantity of ancient Greek and Roman heads (from statues). There must have been a thousand or more. All seemed to be looking down at Norman and me. All those "watchful eyes" seemed to provide the security for the collection. As there was no table to use for packing, Dr. Vermeule suggested we use the large wooden case in the center of the floor. We asked what was in the case. He told us it was an Egyptian sarcophagus, intact, which the museum hadn't had time to unpack! We remarked, "We guess that's another pair of eyes watching the collection!"After the collection arrived in New York, Stack's prepared a series of catalogs in 1971 and 1973 which offered these numismatic treasures for sale at auction. We were fortunate in obtaining a few photostats of a small inventory of the collection together with a drawing as how the coins were kept in the trays of the cabinets. All were done originally by the Adams family. .. The funds acquired from the sales were used by the Massachusetts Historical Society to photograph and microfilm the papers for permanent record.
cf for more info: http://www.stacks.com/harveystackremembers/archive.aspx
Ex: Paul Rynearson
Acquisition: 2008
Thanks to Curtis JJ for the additional provenance information related to Sawhill and JMU and the 1979 Stacks auction which was received in May 2026.
John Quincy Adams c. 1843Notes from Harvey Stack regarding the collection:
Few know that the Adams family also had a coin collection. The numismatic items were first stored at the Society, never even being fully inventoried or studied. The 1950s the collection was moved to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (MFA) to be reviewed and evaluated. Because of its size, this job was slowly worked on. As it was not fully catalogued or available, and funds and people were not available to do this, the collection was considered to be sold. The project was proposed by the MFA.Under the supervision of Cornelius Vermeule, the numismatic curator of MFA and later director of the museum, together with the assistance of Mary Comstock, also of the MFA the collection of coins, medals and other numismatic material was catalogued. After this work was done, it was suggested that the collection be sold at public auction in order to provide the funds to properly microfilm and preserve the entire document collection.My company, Stack's, with our vast experience in dealing with numismatic treasure held by museums and educational institutions, was selected to sell the coins of the Massachusetts Historical Society, which had been assembled by the Adams' family from generation to generation.As to the formation of the collection, it began with the acquisitions of John Adams. He represented Massachusetts at the Continental Congress, from which evolved our Declaration of Independence together with the forming of the United States. His sons continued the numismatic interest.Adams, who later became the second president, in the 1770s and 1780s was not only a delegate to the Continental Congress, but he was also sent to Europe to solicit aid and finances from France in helping the new nation establish itself. While in Europe, because of his interest in coins, he and his son John Quincy Adams (who became our sixth president) assembled coins as they related to history, from the time of the Greek and Roman civilizations, up to the period they lived in.The entire family was quite literate, each having had a Harvard education. They wrote to each other from near and far, telling each other in letters, diaries and documents of their travels. Their writings reflected details of the times they lived in. These narratives are cherished as historical treasures today.An interesting story deserves telling. Norman Stack, my cousin, and I went to Boston to pack up the collection for shipment to New York. The coins and medals were housed in large wooden cabinets, each having some 60 trays to lay out the coins. To secure the collection these cabinets were housed in great storage vaults in a portion of the Museum of Fine Arts. The walls of the vaults were lined with huge display cabinets, some 12 feet high, each containing a quantity of ancient Greek and Roman heads (from statues). There must have been a thousand or more. All seemed to be looking down at Norman and me. All those "watchful eyes" seemed to provide the security for the collection. As there was no table to use for packing, Dr. Vermeule suggested we use the large wooden case in the center of the floor. We asked what was in the case. He told us it was an Egyptian sarcophagus, intact, which the museum hadn't had time to unpack! We remarked, "We guess that's another pair of eyes watching the collection!"After the collection arrived in New York, Stack's prepared a series of catalogs in 1971 and 1973 which offered these numismatic treasures for sale at auction. We were fortunate in obtaining a few photostats of a small inventory of the collection together with a drawing as how the coins were kept in the trays of the cabinets. All were done originally by the Adams family. .. The funds acquired from the sales were used by the Massachusetts Historical Society to photograph and microfilm the papers for permanent record.
cf for more info: http://www.stacks.com/harveystackremembers/archive.aspx
20080917
Greece/Seleucid; Demetrius III. 97/6-88/7 BCE
Æ 20 mm (6.72 g). Damascus mint BCE 95/4SC 2455.6-8v
O: Radiate diad. bust r.
R: BACΙΛΕΩC ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟV ΘΕΟV ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟC CΩΤHPOC Nike walking r holding wreath and palm branch. dotted border. In ex. HIΣ . This is the SE date corresponding to SE 218 or BCE 95/4. controls indeterminate.
CSE 862 v. , CSE II 801 v.
Biographical Info: http://www.sfagn.info/information/gb_demetrios_iii.html
Ex: Imperial/A. de la Fe
Acquisition: 2008
20080912
Greece/Sicily; Syracuse 3rd Cent. BCE, Two examples
Hieron II BCE 270-215AE 18 mm, 5.25 g, 11 h. circa BCE 270-230
SG 1223 v.
O: Head of Poseidon left wearing tainia
R: Ornamented trident head between two dolphins dividing IEPΩ/NOΣ in lower field.
Hieron II BCE 270-215
AE 19 mm, 5.74 g, 10 h. circa BCE 270-230
SG 1223 v.
O: Head of Poseidon left wearing tainia
R: Ornamented trident head between two dolphins dividing IEP/ΩNOΣ in lower field.
Both examples Ex: FSR
Acquisition: 2008
“One of the commonest of all Sicilian coins is the bronze bearing the head of Poseidon on the obverse, and his trident on the reverse, with IEPΩNOΣ across the field. Enormous quantities of this coin must have been struck, to judge by the numbers found in modern times.”
---- G.F. HILL, Coins of Ancient Sicily (London, 1903) p. 193
20080908
Greece/Seleucid; Demetrius I Soter BCE 162-150
SC 1638.1i, SMA 97, Babelon 719, CSE-, SG 7014 v (example has been overcleaned, though obv. portrait is still attractive)
O: Diad hd of Demetrius rt (cleaning scratch above head) laurel wreath border
R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗMHTPIOY, monogram HP outer left, Tyche std l. on throne holding sceptre, and cornucopiae (horn silver)
Ex: Windsor Antiquities
Acquisition: 2008
20080906
Judea/ Herodian; Herod Archelaus BCE 4 – CE 6
AE Prutah (17 mm, 2.52 g)Hendin 505, AJC II, 241, 6 v, Meshorer TJC 73 v.
O: bunch of grapes with vine leaf and tendril above HP[ωΔOY]
R: Tall helmet with crest and cheek straps viewed from the front, caduceus below to left and inscription [εΘNAPXOY].
Ex: CUd
Acquisition: 2008
cf. TJC pp. 79-80 and Hendin pp.168-171 (4th ed.) for information pertaining to this type (as well as others of this ruler).
20080831
Greece/Seleucid; Demetrius I BCE 162-150
AR Drachm, 17.3mm, 4.05 g., Antioch mint, Yr. 161 S.E.= BCE 152/1SNG Spaer 1279, CSE 159 v, SG 7019 v, SC 1642.3d
O: Diad. hd of Demetrius r. fillet border
R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΣΟΤHPOΣ, monograms and SE date AΞP in lower field, cornucopiae to rt.
Ex: Zuzim Judea (NY)
Acquisition: 2008
Tantalus ID# 35558
Biographical info: http://www.sfagn.info/information/gb_demetrios_i.html
Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus XII circa 88 - 84 BCE
AE 19mm, 4.98 g. Damascus mint
O: diad bust r.
R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY ΔIONYΣΟY EΠIΦANOYΣ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ KAΛΛINIKOY, nude Apollo stg l. holding palm branch and resting l elbow on tripod.
CSE 869 v.
Biographical Info: http://www.sfagn.info/information/gb_antiochos_xii.html
Ex: David Liebert/Time Machine
Acquisition: 2008
20080828
Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus VIII Epiphanes (Grypos) BCE 121-96
AR Tetradrachm; 16.40 g, 31 x 28 mm, 12 h. Antioch Mint, struck circa BCE 121-113.
O: Diademed head right
R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY EΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ, Zeus Uranios standing left, crescent above head, holding scepter in left hand, star above extended right hand; IE/A to outer left; all within wreath with Φ at 6 o'clock where the wreath halves meet.
SMA 377; Babelon -; SNG Spaer 2500 v; CSE-, SC 2298.1b
Dealer Notes: Fully lustrous, few "bag" marks on cheek. Reverse bold and fully lustrous.
Close up of Zeus Uranios from reverse of this coin with nice artistic detail.Ex: Eukratides Numismatics/Brad Bowlin
Ex: CNG EA 182 portion lot 307 (20 Feb 2008)
Acquisition: 2008
Biographical Info: http://www.sfagn.info/information/gb_antiochos_viii.html
20080816
Greece/Macedon; Antigonus Gonatus BCE 277-239
AE 16 mm, 4.18 g.
SNG Cop. 1223 v.
O: ANTI monogram within Macedonian shield.
R: BA-ΣI divided by Macedonian helmet with monograms above on rt and l.
Ex: Frank Robinson
Acquisition: 2008
Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus III BCE 223-187
AE 11 mm, 2.14 g, Antioch mintBMC 53 v, Houghton/Lorber 1052
O: laureate hd of Antiochus III as Apollo, dotted border.
R: BAΣIΛΕΩ[Σ on rt., ANTIOXOY on left but off center on this example], Apollo stg l. testing arrow and resting l. hand on grounded bow.
Ex: Duane Pichler via eBay
Acquisition: 2008
Biographical Info: http://www.sfagn.info/information/gb_antiochos_iii.html
Greece/Macedon; Pyrrhus BCE 274-272
AE 16 mm, 4.13 g, Pella mintLiampi M18b v
O: Monogram of ΠYP in ctr of Macedonian shield.
R: BA-ΣI divided by monogram Macedonian helmet all within oak wreath.
Ex: Frank Robinson
Acquisition: 2008
Greece/Macedon; Demetrius Poliorcetes BCE 294-288
AE 17 mm, 3.67 g.Newell 131 v.
O: monogram of Demetrius in ctr of Macedonian shield.
R: BA-ΣI in lower field on either side of Macedonian helmet.
Ex: Frank Robinson
Acquisition: 2008
Greece/Ionia; Miletus c. BCE 525
AR 1/2 Stater, 9 x 8 mm, 1.23 g.SG 3533 v
O: forepart of lion left
R: star in incuse square
Ex: Frank Robinson
Acquisition: 2008
20080719
Greece/Cappadocian Tetradrachm in name of Antiochus VII
Kings of Cappadocia; Ariarathes VII Philometor circa BCE 112/110-100, AR Tetradrachm, 16.41 g, 28 mm, 12 h. Ariaratheia or Eusebia-Tyana mint(?) Struck possibly circa 104-102 BCE.
SC 2148, SNG Spaer 1872 v. (Antiochos VII); Newell SMA 298 v. (Antiochos VII) ; Lorber/Houghton "Cappadocian Tetradrachms in the Name of Antiochus VII", plate 17 #294 (this coin) Series 1 Issue 3. Three examples listed from die A25 and this coin was the example chosen to illustrate the die.
O: Diademed hd of Antiochus VII r. fillet border.
R: BAΣIΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY ΕYEPΓETOY, on outer left monogram ΔI above A, O Λ on inner fields. Athene stg. left holding Nike with rt hand, spear with left arm and resting left hand on shield depicting Gorgon.
Ex: Unpublished E. Anatolia, E. Syria or N. Mesopotamia Hoard 1990 (CH X; 339)
Ex: CUd, WA
Acquisition: 2008
Tantalus ID#35537
Reference:
CNG Research site noting the Houghton/Lorber article in the NC 2006, "Cappadocian Tetradrachms in the Name of Antiochus VII". The CNG note (appearing under EA 167 Lot 58) states: "Lorber & Houghton identify a series of Seleukid style tetradrachms that are linked to the Cappadocian regal series by shared control marks and hoard finds. The series belongs to the confused period in Cappadocia after the assassination of Ariarathes VI around 112 BC, when Mithradates VI of Pontus and Nicomedes III of Bithynia contended for influence over the strategic kingdom. Nicomedes had married the widow of Ariarathes VI, but Mithradates drove both of them out and installed Ariarathes VII as a puppet ruler, only to have him murdered a few years later. The tetradrachms were probably struck to pay the mercenary armies employed during the time of troubles."
This coin bears the same control marks as a Tetradrachm struck by Ariarathes VII in his own name, therefore the attribution.
Frankly, I obtained this as an Antiochus VII Tet. but am satisfied that it depicts the object of my search as well as being something a little more interesting and an historically fascinating attribution besides.
Photo from the NC article showing #294, this coin.According to an email from Alan Humphries (UK) "Your coin appears to be no 294 (p.74, obv. die A25, rev. die P1) in their listing, illustrated on Pl.17, and noted as coming from a 1990 hoard." He later added when asked if 294 was indeed this coin "If yours weighs 16.39 gm then I am certain it is No.294: if it differs very much from that then we are in the territory of cast fakes, but the illustration on pl.17 appears identical to your piece. The exact provenance of the 1990 hoard is uncertain, but Turkey/northern Syria is the rough area." When advised that there was a +0.02 to +0.03 g difference he felt that this was within the realm of error as his was +0.01 g on his scale.
Much thanks to Alan Humphries for a copy of the NC article and his emails and please visit a site and museum Alan is associated with http://www.thackraymuseum.org/
20080716
Greece/Calabria; Taras (Tarentum) BCE 380-334
Vlasto 1312 (this coin) [note: though once again, the plate photo of the plaster cast bares only a passing resemblance to the actual coin. see below]
O: Hd of Athena r wearing crested helmet upon which Skylla is depicted, on flap of helmet Φ.
R: ------Herakles naked kneeling r. on r. knee grappling with lion, in r. club, in f. above strygil.
Ex: M. P. Vlasto (1874-1936) Collection, 1312 (V.F.)
Ex: Den of Antiquity, UK
Acquisition: 2008
Tantalus ID#35538
Plate photo from Ravel's text on the Vlasto Collection, plate XL. thanks to Don Hay for the scan of the photo and info from the catalogue
20080613
Greece/Seleucid Empire; Antiochus III BCE 223-187
AR Tetradrachm (16.89 gm, 28 mm). Susa mint. After BCE 220
O:Diademed head right
R:Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow and bow; monograms to outer left and right of ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ANTIOXO[Y] .
SC 1069.3b (this coin); CSE 1051 (this coin).
Dealer notes: “A very rare coin with a superb pedigree. Very nice Eastern style.”
EX: Susiana Hoard (1965?) IGCH 1806 deposition after BCE 138
Reported in Un trésor de monnaies hellénistiques trouvé près de Suse in Revue Numismatique 1966 Houghton/LeRider pp. 111-127, illus. Plate 4, 112.2 (this coin) 16.89 g
EX: Arthur Houghton Collection SC 1069.3b, CSE 1051 (this coin in both)
EX: WKR Collection
EX: Eukratides Ancient Numismatics (Dr. Brad Bowlin) (MS/USA)
Acquisition: 2008
O:Diademed head right
R:Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow and bow; monograms to outer left and right of ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ANTIOXO[Y] .
SC 1069.3b (this coin); CSE 1051 (this coin).
Dealer notes: “A very rare coin with a superb pedigree. Very nice Eastern style.”
EX: Susiana Hoard (1965?) IGCH 1806 deposition after BCE 138
Reported in Un trésor de monnaies hellénistiques trouvé près de Suse in Revue Numismatique 1966 Houghton/LeRider pp. 111-127, illus. Plate 4, 112.2 (this coin) 16.89 g
EX: Arthur Houghton Collection SC 1069.3b, CSE 1051 (this coin in both)
EX: WKR Collection
EX: Eukratides Ancient Numismatics (Dr. Brad Bowlin) (MS/USA)
Acquisition: 2008
RN 1966 (p. 112) Houghton/LeRider reported the following:
Antiochos III (223-187) : 7 exemplaires.
2. Suse : 16.89, ->, pl. IV (coll. Houghton).
Au droit, l'un des fanons du diadème paraît se relever derrière la tête et la bordure est formée d'un grènetis. Au revers, à g. ext. --, à dr. ext. -- (monograms-jg) Í grènetis. Cette pièce constitue une variété nouvelle. Le monogramme de g. peut être rapproché de celui qui figure sur le tétradrachme susien du trésor de Failaka, cf. Suse, p. 53. Le monogramme de dr. rappelle celui de monnaies de bronze frappées à Suse sous Séleucos II ou Séleucos III, cf. Suse, p. 52, n° 27. Le non-ajustement des coins et la présence d'un grènetis au droit et au revers sont habituels à Suse à cette époque.
In Houghton/Lorber (part I, Vol. I, p. 357) they note that "Antiochus III commemorated his recovery of Susa with an issue of gold staters and by the addition of a horn to his portrait on both silver and bronze." This coin does bear the small horn above the ear and thus likely dates the coin to circa BCE 220-211/208 possibly.
On page 101 of the CSE (1983) Houghton states the following about the history of the mint of Susa:
Shortly after the assertion of his claim to rule the empire of Alexander in the east, and possibly in connection with his eastern campaigns, Seleucus I began issuing coins in his own name at Susa, which he renamed Seleucia on the Eulaeus. Thereafter Susa struck continuously as a Seleucid mint until the occupation of the city by the Elymaean ruler Kamnaskires I c. 147 B.C. Demetrius II regained Susa, issuing a brief coinage of tetradrachms c. 145 B.C. before the city was retaken by Kamnaskires. It fell briefly under Parthian rule, then was occupied c. 130 B.C. by Antiochus VII before finally falling to the Parthians.
photo (from plate 63) and excerpt (from p. 105) from CSE (1983) for this coin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)