Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3056 3 Aug 2017
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Ancients
IONIA. Ephesus. Ca. 133-88 BC. AV stater (20mm, 8.47 gm, 12h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5. First series, circa 133-100 BC. Draped bust of Artemis to right, hair drawn into knot at back of head, wearing stephane and drop earrings, bow and quiver over her shoulder / Cult statue of the Artemis Ephesia facing, fillet hanging from each hand, Ε-Φ to either side of head, lighted torch in inner right field between statue and fillet. Cf. SNG Von Aulock 1869 (bee and cornucopia symbols). Jenkins, Hellenistic, pl. A, 3 var. (symbol on rev.). Head p. 69, 4 var. (same). Extremely rare! An apparently unrecorded variety, with a head of Artemis in unusually fine style. Attractive matte gold surfaces. One of the finest surviving specimens!
The rare Hellenistic gold staters of Ephesus have been the subject of long-running debate over when they were struck. In the 1880s, the eminent Barklay V. Head assigned them to the period of the Mithradatic Wars, circa 88-86 BC, when Ephesus briefly came under the control of the Pontic King Mithradates VI Eupator. However, as more varieties were discovered over the next century, it became clear they were struck over a much longer period of time. G.K. Jenkins, in a 1987 article, placed them in two groups starting in the later second century BC, after the Roman takeover of Asia Province in 133 BC, and linked the reverse symbols present on several varieties to similar symbols found on the common cistophoric tetradrachm coinage of the Roman era. Staters with a simpler two-letter ethnic, including the present example, belong to the earlier period, prior to 100 BC, while coins with a longer form come later in the series. At least one stater has been linked via distinctive symbols to the time of Pontic control (see CNG 100, lot 80), but most were struck before this under Roman administration. However, it is clear from the minuscule survival rate that these gold staters were not struck in any great quantities to begin with, or perhaps were tendered to the Romans in tribute, who melted down and recoined them.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 20000-30000 USD
IONIA. Ephesus. Ca. 133-88 BC. AV stater (20mm, 8.47 gm, 12h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5. First series, circa 133-100 BC. Draped bust of Artemis to right, hair drawn into knot at back of head, wearing stephane and drop earrings, bow and quiver over her shoulder / Cult statue of the Artemis Ephesia facing, fillet hanging from each hand, Ε-Φ to either side of head, lighted torch in inner right field between statue and fillet. Cf. SNG Von Aulock 1869 (bee and cornucopia symbols). Jenkins, Hellenistic, pl. A, 3 var. (symbol on rev.). Head p. 69, 4 var. (same). Extremely rare! An apparently unrecorded variety, with a head of Artemis in unusually fine style. Attractive matte gold surfaces. One of the finest surviving specimens!
The rare Hellenistic gold staters of Ephesus have been the subject of long-running debate over when they were struck. In the 1880s, the eminent Barklay V. Head assigned them to the period of the Mithradatic Wars, circa 88-86 BC, when Ephesus briefly came under the control of the Pontic King Mithradates VI Eupator. However, as more varieties were discovered over the next century, it became clear they were struck over a much longer period of time. G.K. Jenkins, in a 1987 article, placed them in two groups starting in the later second century BC, after the Roman takeover of Asia Province in 133 BC, and linked the reverse symbols present on several varieties to similar symbols found on the common cistophoric tetradrachm coinage of the Roman era. Staters with a simpler two-letter ethnic, including the present example, belong to the earlier period, prior to 100 BC, while coins with a longer form come later in the series. At least one stater has been linked via distinctive symbols to the time of Pontic control (see CNG 100, lot 80), but most were struck before this under Roman administration. However, it is clear from the minuscule survival rate that these gold staters were not struck in any great quantities to begin with, or perhaps were tendered to the Romans in tribute, who melted down and recoined them.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 20000-30000 USD