‘We can’t take any of this for granted’: Gaza’s fight to keep its treasures safe at home

[robinjojo]

I came across this article today, from the September 3rd edition of the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/03/its-heartbreaking-our-heritage-is-being-stolen-gazas-fight-to-keep-its-treasures-safe-at-home

Gaza and the West Bank have been sources for coins and artifacts over many years, even decades.  Actually documenting origin/find information, though, is next to impossible.

I didn't know that the large Roman gold medallion auctioned by CNG last January is allegedly from Gaza, but I am not terribly surprsed.

Edited September 8, 2023 by robinjojo

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

The article mentions that the medallion of Diocletian and Jove dates to 249 A.D. 

More likely 294. I suspect similar things are going around throughout the Near East, including Egypt. It seems like there are certain dealers who specialize in these coins of uncertain provenance, which end up being smuggled out of the countries of their discovery. I believe it would behoove these countries in question to develop policies like the UK has in place to reward compliance with the laws, whilst compensating both finders and landowners.

[Heliodromus]

1 hour ago, robinjojo said:

I didn't know that the large Roman gold medallion auctioned by CNG last January is allegedly from Gaza, but I am not terribly surprsed.

There was a small Gaza sea find (10 pieces) of tetrarchic aureii shown uncleaned on the FORVM board in 4-2022, 5 of which were then sold in CNG 121 in 10-2022.

The Diocletian medallion wasn't reported as part of that find, but would have stuck out like a sore thumb due to it's size/weight (10 aureii!) so could certainly have been held back.

The Gaza pieces were a mixture of mints, reverse types and emperors, but notably all dated to 294 AD, as does the medallion.

 

Edited September 8, 2023 by Heliodromus

[Al Kowsky]

Thanks for the link to this excellent article ☺️. The history of Gaza is a real tragedy. Pictured below is a photo of the gold medallion that was found in Gaza & auctioned by CNG.

Diocletian, AD 284-305 (struck AD 294). Aquileia Mint. AV Medallion of 10 Aurei: 53.65 gm, 38 mm, 12 h.

Pictured below are my 2 favorite coins minted in Roman-Gaza.

Roman-Judea, Gaza. Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161 (dated CY 215, AD 154/5). AE: 20.23 gm, 30.5 mm, 12 h. Obverse: Bust of Antoninus Pius. Reverse bust of Tyche of Gaza. Rosenberger 75; Sofaer 94. Ex Dr. Kenneth Abramowitz collection.

[Heliodromus]

On 9/8/2023 at 5:34 PM, Heliodromus said:

There was a small Gaza sea find (10 pieces) of tetrarchic aureii shown uncleaned on the FORVM board in 4-2022, 5 of which were then sold in CNG 121 in 10-2022.

I just checked, and the other 5 of the 10 that had been shown as a group were all sold in CNG Triton XXVI (alongside the Diocletian medallion).

 

[KenDorney]

I wouldnt be surprised if this were true, but how do they know these coins were from Gaza?  There isnt any information in the article, just the claim.  If archaeologists and governments are going to start laying claim to expensive and unprovenanced coins they will need some actual evidence.  This is easier with antiquities such as sculpture, mosaics and such as often they can be matched up to the site and actual point of removal.  This is not so easy with coins.

[AncientJoe]

On 9/8/2023 at 4:34 PM, Heliodromus said:

There was a small Gaza sea find (10 pieces) of tetrarchic aureii shown uncleaned on the FORVM board in 4-2022, 5 of which were then sold in CNG 121 in 10-2022.

The Diocletian medallion wasn't reported as part of that find, but would have stuck out like a sore thumb due to it's size/weight (10 aureii!) so could certainly have been held back.

The Gaza pieces were a mixture of mints, reverse types and emperors, but notably all dated to 294 AD, as does the medallion.

 

Do you happen to have a link to the Forvm post on the coins in their uncleaned state?

[Heliodromus]

34 minutes ago, AncientJoe said:

Do you happen to have a link to the Forvm post on the coins in their uncleaned state?

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=127951.msg769426#msg769426

There was also a group shot of the coins which I saved, below.

 1 RIC VI Nicomedia 5a,        294 AD
 2 RIC VI Carthage 2a,         296-298 AD (RIC VI mint opening date)
 3 RIC VI Rome 7a,             294-295 AD
 4 RIC VI Nicomedia 4,         294 AD
 5 RIC VI Alexandria 3,        294-296 AD
 6 RIC VI Alexandria 4,        294-295 AD
 7 RIC VI Antioch 8,           293-295 AD
 8 RIC VI Nicomedia 2 var,     294 AD (lionskin shoulder, no apples, Std L, Head R)
 9 RIC VI Nicomedia 5a,        294 AD
10 RIC VI Alexandria 4,        294-295 AD

3,7,8,9 & 10 were sold in CNG 21.

1,2,4,5 & 6 were sold in Triton XXVI.

 

[Al Kowsky]

48 minutes ago, Heliodromus said:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=127951.msg769426#msg769426

There was also a group shot of the coins which I saved, below.

 1 RIC VI Nicomedia 5a,        294 AD
 2 RIC VI Carthage 2a,         296-298 AD (RIC VI mint opening date)
 3 RIC VI Rome 7a,             294-295 AD
 4 RIC VI Nicomedia 4,         294 AD
 5 RIC VI Alexandria 3,        294-296 AD
 6 RIC VI Alexandria 4,        294-295 AD
 7 RIC VI Antioch 8,           293-295 AD
 8 RIC VI Nicomedia 2 var,     294 AD (lionskin shoulder, no apples, Std L, Head R)
 9 RIC VI Nicomedia 5a,        294 AD
10 RIC VI Alexandria 4,        294-295 AD

3,7,8,9 & 10 were sold in CNG 21.

1,2,4,5 & 6 were sold in Triton XXVI.

 

Thanks for posting ☺️.

[GinoLR]

Thanks for posting !

This "Ayad S" posted pictures of these gold coins on  April 10, 2022, and it has been his only post on Forum. He was last active on April 15 2022... His text is hilarious: "Sorry i do not know the law. I want to know information about this treasure I find while I hunt in the sea in Gaza. Gaza territory do not have law for old coins. I get good information before and like to get it again."

CNG auctioned these coins on October 6-8 2022 and January 11 2023, all of them with no provenance (as if nobody wants to know...), but these coins do have a provenance, "Ayad S" post is evidence. And who will believe nobody at CNG was aware of this "Ayad S" post? We don't know who commissioned the coins and pocketed most of the money, but we know CNG got its percentage and can be proven in court making a profit from illegally trafficked coins. If the commissioner has links with the Hamas armed branch, officially on the list of terrorist organizations, CNG can be sued for funding terror. Whow... I can't wait for the next episode.

Something is rotten...

 

[Heliodromus]

21 hours ago, GinoLR said:

His text is hilarious: "Sorry i do not know the law.

FWIW, I think the poster was referring to the "laws" of the FORVM message board here. He first posted the group shot, above, which had attracted some discussion, but was then told by the board owner that coin photos had to be posted individually. I'm not sure who deleted the earlier thread - maybe a forum moderator.

21 hours ago, GinoLR said:

If the commissioner has links with the Hamas armed branch,

That seems a crazy and totally unsupported suggestion! I'd assume there was a middleman involved who was the consignor and made most of the money, and the finders personally pocketed whatever they were given. The Guardian article says "The average daily wage in the strip is 35 shekels (£7.30)", so I find it hard to fault the finders (and no reason to jump to weird accusations of them being terrorists), especially as I doubt they'd be compensated if they reported them; but, at the same time it's a shame to see an unusual hoard/find like this broken up and unreported, with associated loss of numismatic knowledge.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Heliodromus