Did you win anything at the Leu Auction?

[ComicMan]

With the ancient portion being basically finished, only lots left, did you win anything that you are looking forward to receiving?

 

I am most looking forward to this one, Lot 160. Sex. Pompeius Fostlus, 137 BC. all the details on the obverse are amazing, the shephard, the Romulus and Remus scene, and the three birds. Roma looks stunning, love the eyes, and to be honest I just find it hilarious that the coin says sex. 137 BC was around the time of the Gracchi brothers who are some of my favorite historical figures, and the Pompeia are the family of Pompey the Great! What is not to love?

I know that the condition is not pristine, but honestly I don't mind that at all, this coin looks like it has seen some things which just makes it cooler. Cannot wait to hold this one!

The second coin that I wanted to show off was this Elagabalus Lot 2294CAPPADOCIA. Caesaraea-Eusebia. Elagabalus, 218-222.

He is one of the more interesting emperors, and I did not have a coin from him yet (I do want something with Sol Invictus for him eventually since he is so connected with that deity). The coin is absolutely massive at 26mm, and I love how the portrait looks highlighted against the sand(?). The reverse is also something that I don't have yet, something depicting a geographical place.

So how did the auction go for you guys? Please share your wins and we can be excited together!

[Roman Collector]

Very nice!! That Republican denarius has a very interesting reverse type.

I won this provincial of Faustina II from the mint in Maeonia. It's a city I don't have in my collection and I like how Demeter holds a poppy in addition to the grain ears on the reverse. I also like how the Beckmann Type 1 bust clearly demonstrates that what older numismatists have interpreted as a "band of pearls around the head" is actually a decorative braid of hair carried back and incorporated into the chignon at the empress's occiput. It's a lovely portrait coming from a provincial mint. The die-engravers in Maeonia were quite skilled.

 

You can see this braid behind the brow waves here on this statue in the Capitoline Museum featuring this particular hairstyle.
 

[Helvius Pertinax]

Congrats on the interesting wins, the Fostlus is a really nice type! I was able to win something too, this time, and I am looking forward to it a lot. It is my first auction win ever (after a good 20 losses on other auction) so that adds to the excitement.

I'll go ahead and show the coin now, there's a lot to write about it, so it will get a post in the future.

 

Tissaphernes, 400-395 BC, Mysia (Astyra)

Obv: portrait of Tissaphernes (the second portrait if a living man on a coin, and the first one to survive in large quantity), TISSA below

Rev: cult statue of Artemis Astyrene facing, wearing kalathos, club right and ASTYRE left 

[ComicMan]

9 minutes ago, Roman Collector said:

 

 

Love the hair on the back of her head, it looks so nice and wavy, especially when seen next to the statue!

[ComicMan]

3 minutes ago, Helvius Pertinax said:

Congrats on the interesting wins, the Fostlus is a really nice type! I was able to win something too, this time, and I am looking forward to it a lot. It is my first auction win ever (after a good 20 losses on other auction) so that adds to the excitement.

I'll go ahead and show the coin now, there's a lot to write about it, so it will get a post in the future.

 

Tissaphernes, 400-395 BC, Mysia (Astyra)

Obv: portrait of Tissaphernes (the second portrait if a living man on a coin, and the first one to survive in large quantity), TISSA below

Rev: cult statue of Artemis Astyrene facing, wearing kalathos, club right and ASTYRE left 

Wow, that's cool! Who was the first though?

I am looking around for an Artemis cult statue reverse on ma-shops right now to take a picture of it. It would be pretty meta to make a picture of a stamp of an engraving of a statue.

[DonnaML]

I struck out on all my bids. First time that's happened to me in a Leu auction. Today I'm pivoting to bidding on some non-ancient British material at the Morton & Eden auction.

[Prieure de Sion]

Very fine coins here - the republican Coin with a very nice interesting reverse! Gratulations. And a Faustina II coin goes every time - beautiful women and a beautiful coin. The Greek coin also superb - but thats not my collector area. But fine! 

I get some different coins - or better - I get all coins I dont really want and no coin I really want ^^ - the Leu Auction was not my best day. 

 

 

CAPPADOCIA. Caesaraea-Eusebia. Gordian III, 238-244. Drachm (Silver, 17 mm, 3.53 g, 1 h), RY 5 = 241/2. ΑΥ ΚAI Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟ CЄ Laureate head of Gordian III to right. Rev. MHTPO KAICA B N / ЄT Є Mount Argaeus; in field to right, pellet. Ganschow 898g. RPC VII.2 online 3376. Slightly rough, otherwise,good very fine. From the collection of Dr. D. Löer, formed since the 1970s, privately acquired from Frank S. Robinson (with original dealer's ticket).

 

 

 

Domitian, as Caesar, 69-81. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.49 g, 7 h), Rome, struck under Titus, 80-81. CAESAR DIVI F DOMITIANVS COS VII Laureate head of Domitian to right. Rev. PRINCEPS IVVENTVTIS Altar, square in shape, garlanded and lighted. BMC 92. Cohen -. RIC 266. Nicely toned. Light scratches on the obverse. Good very fine. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 88, 14 September 2011, 1301 and Helios 6, 9 March 2011, 141 (deposit on the reverse expertly cleaned since).

 

 

 

Domitian, 81-96. Denarius (Subaeratus, 19 mm, 2.89 g, 12 h), a contemporary imitation plated. Irregular mint, after 84. IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG GERMANIC Laureate and draped bust of Domitianus to left. Rev. P M TR POT III IMP V COS X P P Minerva standing front, head to left, holding thunderbolt in her right hand and spear in her left; behind her, shield set on the ground. Cf. RIC 188 (for prototype). An attractive contemporary plated imitation of a very rare type. Somewhat corroded and with small breaks in plating, otherwise, good very fine. From the collection of Dr. D. Löer, formed since the 1970s, privately acquired from Frank S. Robinson (with original dealer's ticket).

 

 

 

Domitian, 81-96. Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.33 g, 6 h), Rome, September 92-September 93. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XII Laureate head of Domitian to right. Rev. IMP XXII COS XVI CENS P P P Minerva standing right on capital of rostral column decorated with small figures, brandishing spear with her right hand and holding shield in her left; at her feet, owl standing facing. BMC 202. Cohen 281. RIC 740. A beautifully toned example with an excellent portrait. Minor marks and with light die rust on the obverse, otherwise, good extremely fine. Ex Naumann E-Auction 13, 16 February 2014, 58.

 

 

 

Marcus Aurelius, 161-180. Sestertius (Orichalcum, 33 mm, 24.42 g, 5 h), Rome, 163. IMP CAES M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG P M Laureate head of Marcus Aurelius to right. Rev. SALVTI AVGVSTOR TR P XVII / COS III / S - C Salus standing front, head to left, feeding serpent rising from altar out of patera with her right hand and holding short scepter in her left. BMC 1038. Cohen 564. RIC 843. Smoothed and repatinated, otherwise, about extremely fine. Privately acquired from R. Kaiser in 1990 (with original dealer's ticket).

 

 

[ComicMan]

26 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

I struck out on all my bids. First time that's happened to me in a Leu auction. Today I'm pivoting to bidding on some non-ancient British material at the Morton & Eden auction.

From what I saw (I watched the auction for a few hours as I was a passanger in a car for most of it) prices were sky high for a lot of coins. I saw many that I would have paid 100 euros for go for 300 or something. I imagine this problem was even worse at the higher end?

24 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Very fine coins here - the republican Coin with a very nice interesting reverse! Gratulations. And a Faustina II coin goes every time - beautiful women and a beautiful coin. The Greek coin also superb - but thats not my collector area. But fine! 

I get some different coins - or better - I get all coins I dont really want and no coin I really want ^^ - the Leu Auction was not my best day. 

You happen to like Domitian by any chance? With the other thread, this is the fourth coin of his from your collection that I see!

[maridvnvm]

I bid on 30 lots and struck out on each. Ho hum....

[DonnaML]

4 minutes ago, ComicMan said:

From what I saw (I watched the auction for a few hours as I was a passanger in a car for most of it) prices were sky high for a lot of coins. I saw many that I would have paid 100 euros for go for 300 or something. I imagine this problem was even worse at the higher end?

 

I wonder if people think that this auction suggests that prices are suddenly skyrocketing again, or is it simply that the auction offered a lot of high-quality material?

By the way, at least I did win one of the two items I bid on in the Morton & Eden auction today, namely a William III  half-guinea in "Good Fine," to add a 25th, and earliest, coin to my relatively small collection of British gold. I lost out on a cased William IV silver coronation medal, despite making what I thought was a very reasonable bid.

 

Edited December 6, 2022 by DonnaML

[Prieure de Sion]

16 minutes ago, ComicMan said:

You happen to like Domitian by any chance? With the other thread, this is the fourth coin of his from your collection that I see!

The problem is - I like pretty much all ancient Roman coins. And since I could never decide on ONE collecting area - I simply became a dealer ... 😄 

[ComicMan]

26 minutes ago, maridvnvm said:

I bid on 30 lots and struck out on each. Ho hum....

Hot damn, idk what to say.

 

24 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

I wonder if people think that this auction suggests that prices are suddenly skyrocketing again, or is it simply that the auction offered a lot of high-quality material?

By the way, at least I did win one of the two items I bid on in the Morton & Eden auction today, namely a William III  half-guinea in "Good Fine," to add a 25th, and earliest, coin to my relatively small collection of British gold. I lost out on a cased William IV silver coronation medal, despite making what I thought was a very reasonable bid.

 

I don't know about general trends, but isn't Leu always just the most expensive? And nice on the William coin!

 

19 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

The problem is - I like pretty much all ancient Roman coins. And since I could never decide on ONE collecting area - I simply became a dealer ... 😄 

I also haven't been able to focus my collection, I now have a few Roman Republicans, some Roman Imperials, Greek coins from all over, and even some from the middle ages. I think that I like all of antiquity too much and I doubt that I will ever "specialize".

Maybe I will find 1 particular emperor that I really like and get more coins from them than anyone else (Marcus Aurelius, Aurelian, Julian, Constantine's family, there are some candidates), but I cannot imagine never buying a Byzantine or middle ages coin after that or something because all of them were cool 😅

What kind of dealer are you by the way?

[Prieure de Sion]

1 minute ago, ComicMan said:

I also haven't been able to focus my collection, I now have a few Roman Republicans, some Roman Imperials, Greek coins from all over, and even some from the middle ages. I think that I like all of antiquity too much and I doubt that I will ever "specialize".

And that's the right thing to do - collect what gives YOU pleasure and joy! 😉

[KenDorney]

This and the last few Leu auctions have been amazingly strong.  I lost almost everything I bid on, which is a shame as there were some neat coins I wanted to add to my collection.  I think I got one or two peripheral provincials of Gordian III.  I am reserving my assessment of what I won as the status page for my bids seems to change depending on when I look at it.  For a day or so I saw that I had won a number, but then the following day says I lost, so I dont know!  This is probably a good indicator of where one might consign in the future though!

[Helvius Pertinax]

2 hours ago, ComicMan said:

Wow, that's cool! Who was the first though?

I am looking around for an Artemis cult statue reverse on ma-shops right now to take a picture of it. It would be pretty meta to make a picture of a stamp of an engraving of a statue.

The first Was Cyrus the Younger, not more than 10 years earlier. During the Peleponnesian war, Athens stopped producing owl tets, but since the Spartan fleet that the Persians sponsored wanted to be paid in owls, they struck their own. The very first ones have an image of Cyrus on Athenas cheek, there are 2 known examples iirc.

Not my coin, obviously. Sold at Künker for around 20.000€

 

[ComicMan]

17 minutes ago, Helvius Pertinax said:

Not my coin, obviously. Sold at Künker for around 20.000€

 

So when are you adding it to your collection? 🤔

That is lovely though! I am currently reading a book on Athens (Democracy: a Life) and man they were cool.

24 minutes ago, KenDorney said:

This and the last few Leu auctions have been amazingly strong.  I lost almost everything I bid on, which is a shame as there were some neat coins I wanted to add to my collection.  I think I got one or two peripheral provincials of Gordian III.  I am reserving my assessment of what I won as the status page for my bids seems to change depending on when I look at it.  For a day or so I saw that I had won a number, but then the following day says I lost, so I dont know!  This is probably a good indicator of where one might consign in the future though!

Wow, that is awkward! I hope you get your coins.

[Finn235]

Currently in the lead for 3 lots which I know I won't win. Haven't won anything from Leu since auction 16, and I don't think I've gotten a "bargain" from them since pre-covid.

[Cordoba]

After striking out on a few Roma auctions, I got some nice wins with Leu rounding out my bactrian collection for the year. The antimachos tetradrachm went for a lot less than I expected, so I'm pretty happy.

 

 

[ominus1]

...haha!...i didn't even lQQk till just now after seeing this thread.....i bid on a few and this is my 1st Leu win and my 3rd auction house buy...a Caesar i didn't have..a sestertius of Max Thrax Jr.... 

[ComicMan]

13 minutes ago, Cordoba said:

After striking out on a few Roma auctions, I got some nice wins with Leu rounding out my bactrian collection for the year. The antimachos tetradrachm went for a lot less than I expected, so I'm pretty happy.

 

 

Daaamn, those are nice! Mind if I ask how much they went for? The second one especially has a beautiful portrait.

4 minutes ago, ominus1 said:

...haha!...i didn't even lQQk till just now after seeing this thread.....i bid on a few and this is my 1st Leu win and my 3rd auction house buy...a Caesar i didn't have..a sestertius of Max Thrax Jr.... 

Nice!

[Cordoba]

Just now, ComicMan said:

Daaamn, those are nice! Mind if I ask how much they went for? The second one especially has a beautiful portrait.

Nice!

600 and 550 chf respectively. I went a little high on the euthydemos one but managed to stay under my max. really liked the portrait on that one 🙂

[ComicMan]

2 minutes ago, Cordoba said:

600 and 550 chf respectively. I went a little high on the euthydemos one but managed to stay under my max. really liked the portrait on that one 🙂

Yeah, idk what it is about it but the face is really amazing. I know a guy that looks just like that, I will tell him that he is on a coin 😄 Also, the hair is in a very nice style.

[kirispupis]

I picked up this Pedasa bronze, the only coin I bid on.

[ComicMan]

4 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

I picked up this Pedasa bronze, the only coin I bid on.

Fascinating! Looks like that is the only type they had according to wildwinds? Interesting that they just decided to go with what Athens was doing. My grandmother's favorite animal is the owl, I definitely want to pick up a bronze with it for her I think that she would like it, though it definitely does not have to be a tetradrachm so something like this would be cute.

[kirispupis]

2 minutes ago, ComicMan said:

Fascinating! Looks like that is the only type they had according to wildwinds? Interesting that they just decided to go with what Athens was doing. My grandmother's favorite animal is the owl, I definitely want to pick up a bronze with it for her I think that she would like it, though it definitely does not have to be a tetradrachm so something like this would be cute.

ACSearch lists seven sales of the city, so the coin isn't unique - but also isn't that common. I prefer to avoid bidding at Leu due to the high prices, but I wasn't sure when I would see this city again due to its rarity.

If you're after an owl, many cities minted them. You have cities like Sigeon, Adramyteion, Tyre, Dorylaion, and Argos Amphillochikon that minted bronzes (silver for Tyre) with their own designs + owls. Then you have 'imitation' coins in various denominations minted in the style of Athens from places/people such as Gaza, Yehud, Arabia, Hezekiah, Sophytes, Andragoras, Mesopotamia, and Egypt among others.