GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos V Eupator BCE 164-162

AE 15 mm, 2.27 g, 12h, Tyre mint  SE "NP" =BCE 163/2

SC 1580 (R2)

O: diad hd right with ends of diad curling on neck and up towards back of the hd (not straight as assumed in SC). beveled edge and dotted border.

R: limited inscription visible but should read on left ANTIOXOY curving to right and on the right
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ curving to the left. In the field on either side of the palm trunk is a partial N/P for the SE year.

This piece had been identified by the previous owner as Antiochos III SC 1081 and not questioned or identified further by CNG, but the lettering in the field and beveled edge indicated otherwise. It appears to be one of the nicer examples known of this type.


ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org) misidentified as Alexander Balas

.ex: MNL Coll
ex: CNG

According to CNG "… the MNL Collection, (is) perhaps the finest collection of coins of the Seleukid kings to be offered since the dispersal of the Arthur Houghton Collection in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This offering includes coins from many important collections, most notably Houghton, but also Abramowitz, Bement, Charrin, Niggeler, Petrowicz, Pozzi, Seyrig, and Weber, among others. In addition to containing many pedigreed examples, this collection is also notable for the quantity of published examples it contains, as well as the many rarities and unpublished varieties that will inevitably be included in future additions to the Seleucid Coins catalog.” (CNG 109 Catalog Sept. 2018).

GREEK/Seleucid; Achaios BCE 220-214

AE 15 mm, 4.44 g, 12h  Sardes mint 

SC 956a  (S-R1)

O: laureate hd of Apollo r, with corkscrew curls

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕ[ΩΣ] on r., AXAIO[Y] on l., eagle standing r., on wreath, Horse's head countermark in  round punch, no controls visible on outer right.


ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)
ex: MNL Coll
ex: CNG

EUROS Second Generation 2013-2017

2013  Size 120 x 62 mm
Motif: Classical Architecture. The gate is a style element from Greco-Roman antiquity.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LY-B8 Dr
Printing Code=Y (Central Bank of Greece, Athens)

 

 

2014  Size 127 x 67 mm
Motif: Romanesque Architecture. The Romanesque archway is a stylistic element from the Early Middle Ages.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LV-B9 Dr
Printing Code=V (Royal Mint of Spain, Madrid)

2015  Size 133 x 72mm
Motif: Gothic Architecture.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LM-B10Dr
Printing Code=M (Valora S.A., Carregado,Portugal)

2017  Size 140 x 77mm
Motif: Renaissance Architecture.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LV-B14Dr
Printing Code=V (Royal Mint of Spain, Madrid)



GREEK/Seleucid; Seleucus I BCE 312-281

AE 12mm, 1.58 g, 7 h, Antioch mint, c. late 280’s BCE

SC 23

WSM 928

O: winged hd of Medusa r, dotted border

R: BA above ΣE below, bull butting r on ex line dotted border

ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)
Ex: MNL Collection

Ex: CNG

ROMAN/Macrianus CE 260-261

Bi Antoninianus 21 mm, 3.54 g, 12h, Uncertain Syrian Mint,  Summer CE 260 to early Summer 261

RCV 10803

O: rad cuir bust of Macrianus r, IMPCFVLMACRIANVSPFAVG

R: Jupiter std l with eagle at his feet and star in left field, IOVICONSERVATORI

ex: W. Esty

ROMAN/Hadrian CE 117-138, Ex: Mehl

AR Denarius, 3.36 g, 17 mm, 6h, Rome mint, c. CE 134-138 (Sear says CE 135)

RIC 282

RSC 1455

BMCRE 761

O: Laur hd r, HADRIANVS—AVG COS III PP

R: Victory/Nemesis adv r drawing out fold of drapery from her neck with her right hand and pointing downwards with olive branch held in left hand, VICTO—RIAA—VG

 

Ex: B. Max Mehl 1884-1957 with his envelope as depicted. The typed description just says
“Hadrian/117-138/Denarius”.

                                                                 B. Max Mehl

It is thought that this depiction of Victory/Nemesis commemorates the conclusion of the Bar Kokhba rebellion in Judea. It appears to recognize that this victory was a hard fought one as the olive branch is not being held aloft but downwards towards the ground.

BYZANTINE/Heraclius CE 610-641 & Heraclius Constantine CE 613-641

AE Follis 28 mm, 8h, 10.49 g, Nicomedia mint Regnal year IIII=CE 613-614

Sear 834 (undertype Sear 533)

O:  fragmentary legend, though legend of the undertype is easily discernable and mostly clear as δN MAЧГI CN P AЧT from 12 o’clock down to nearly 6 o’clock.  Portrait of host coin is mostly obscured, but is clearly Maurice Tiberius CE 582-602. The host coin was minted approximately 1,000 km from Nicomedia in Theopolis formerly known as Antioch and a portion of the host mint name is visible on the reverse at approximately 11-12 o’clock upside down.

R: Large M between A/N/N/O on the left and II/II on the right with B for the officina beneath the M and in the ex NIK for the mint.

It is interesting that a coin that was minted in Antioch between CE 590-602 circulated for perhaps 10-20 years as a coin of Maurice before being restruck to continue service as a coin of Heraclius and his son and that is how it has come down to us.

 

ex: W. Esty

 

ROMAN/Gallic Empire CE 259-274; Tetricus c. CE 271-274

AE Antoninianus, 16 mm, 11h, 2.62 g, Cologne mint c. CE 272-273

RCV 11255

O: [IMP C TETRI]CVS P [F A] VG, radiate cuir bust right.

R: [VICT]O[RI]AA[VG] Victory adv l. holding wreath and palm.

ROMAN/Divus Constantine CE 342-348

AE 16mm, 11h, 1.87 g, Alexandria mint c. CE 342-348

RCV 17473 or 17475

O: veiled bust of "deified" Constantine right [DV CONST]ANTINVS PT AVG

R: Constantine stg rt. VN--MR on either side of standing figure and SMAL[--]

SPAIN/Catalunya; Jaume II of Aragon CE 1291-1327

Billon Dinero (Diner) 0.7g. 16mm. Barcelona mint

Adolfo & Cayon 1723

O: Crowned bust, l., +IACOBVS REX

R: Long cross quartered with pellets and annulets. B'A/QI/NO/NA

BYZANTINE/Constantine V Copronymus CE 741-775 & Leo IV, the Khazar from CE 751

AE Follis 1.96g, 18mm, 6h, Mint of Syracuse CE 751-775

SB 1569

O: Constantine V facing bearded on l and Leo IV beardless on r each wearing a crown and chlamys nad holding akakia, bet their hds a cross. No inscription visible on this example.

R:  Leo III stg bearded facing wearing crown and chlamys and holding a cross potent, only visible inscription is Δ/ϵ on right.

Ex: Alex G. Malloy FPL Medieval Coins IV (1971) lot 77 (after the MHS sale in March 1971)

Malloy Catologue photo depicting coin and JQA provenance. Malloy had purchased lot 971 at the MHS sale and reflected in documentary evidence provided by Curtis JJ in May 2026, whom I thank for this information. 

Ex: Massachusetts Historical Society Collection/John Quincy Adams & Descendants Collection sold by Stacks March 5 & 6, 1971, portion of lot 971.

ROMAN/ Hadrian CE 117-138 from the Travel Series

AR Denarius,  3.27 g, 18 mm, 6h, Roma mint, c. CE 136

RSC 842a

O: Hadrian bareheaded r. HADRIANVS/AVGCOSIIIPP

R: personification of Hispania reclining to the left holding olive branches in her right hand,
HISPANIA

ROMAN/Vabalathus & Aurelian CE 270-272

AE Antoninianus, 20 mm, 2.51g, 12h, Antioch mint

RCV 11718
RIC 381

O: Laur, dr bust of Vabalathus right, VABALATHVS VCRIMDR
R: Rad cuir bust r of Aurelian, IMPCAVRELIANVSAVG, in ex. officina indicated by S

Ex: Schulman Auction (12/2-4/1974) lot 1696 (see below)

Ex. W. Esty Collection

ROMAN/Gratian CE 367-383

AE 2  5.66g, 22 mm, 12h, Cyzicus mint CE 383

RIC Cyzicus 14a
RCV 19999

O: helmeted dr, cuir bust r holding spear and shield, DNGRATIA--NVSPFAVG
R: Gratian helmeted and in military attire stg l on galley hd r his r hand raised, Victory seated at helm, mint mark SMKA in ex, with wreath in field to left of Gratian. GLORIARO--MANORVM




Ex: W. Esty
Ex: Berk

AN XLVIII

ROMAN EGYPT/Antoninus Pius CE 138-161

AE Drachm, 33 mm, 25.68 g, 12h, Alexandria mint, Regnal Year 8/CE 144-145

Emmett 1668 var.

Köln 1468 var.

O: laur draped bust right, AVTKTAIΛAΔP/ANTωNINOC

R: Serapis std l inside a temple, L H

 
Ex: CNG 418 (11 April 2018) portion of lot 662

ROMAN EGYPT/Antoninus Pius CE 138-161

AE Drachm, 34 mm, 20.64 g, 11h, Alexandria mint, Regnal Year 13/CE 149-150

Milne 2054 var.

Emmett 1621 var.

O: laur draped bust right, AVTKTAIΛAΔP/ANTωNINOCCEBE/VC

R: Serapis std l inside a temple, TPICKAIIς

The Greek "16" after the date is supposed to have recorded the number of Cubits the Nile rose that year, 16 cubits being 7.315 meters or 24 feet which appears to be about average for lower Egypt.  

Ex: CNG 418 (11 April 2018) portion of lot 662

Greece/Seleucid; Seleucus II Callinicus BCE 246-225

AR Tetradrachm,  30 x 27 mm, 17.09 g., 11h, Uncertain Mint 40 probably in Commagene,

SC C727.5 (control below arrow) (R1 according to Hoover but more like R2 based upon census).

O: diad hd of Seleucus II r. dotted border.

R:  BAΣIΛEΩΣ on r., ΣEΛEYKOY on l., Apollo stg l., testing arrow and resting l. elbow on tripod. Control on outer left NA below arrow.  Reverse is double struck and obverse depicts die abnormalities that are discussed in SC.

Likely Ex: Commerce "Seleucus III" Hoard 2002, as 10 of this variety were part of that hoard with die axes the same as this example. Hoard consisted of approximately 6,500 AR pieces and had a closure around BCE 225/4.
 
Ex: VAuctions/Triskeles Auctions, Sale 315, Lot 73 (closed 23 April 2015)


A similar example from the same dies was recently sold by CNG:

Auction 421 lot 282 (closed 30 May 2018)

AR Tetradrachm 29.8 mm, 16.78 g and 12h.

 

Ex: the MNL Collection. & Freeman & Sear Inventory, no. G4043

 

Greece/Seleucid; Alexander I Balas BCE 152-145

AE 21 mm, 7.47 g., 12h Apamea on Orontes mint, SE 163 (BCE 150-149) without countermark

SC 1804a (control is similar to symbol for Phoenician deity Tanit) (R2)

O: diad hd of Balas r.

R: AΠΑΜΕΩΝ, Zeus stg l holding a Corinthian helmet and resting on a scepter,  helmet above date ΓΞΡ, see above re control.