Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 456 13 Nov 2019
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ATTICA, Athens. Circa 165-42 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 4.38 g, 12h). New Style coinage. Roman occupation under Sulla. Struck 86-84 BC. Head of Athena Parthenos right, wearing single-pendant earring, necklace, and triple-crested Attic helmet decorated with the foreparts of four horses above the visor, a Pegasos in flight rightward above the raised earpiece, and a curvilinear ornament on the bowl / Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; two monograms flanking; all within wreath. Thompson 1333 (same obv. die); HGC 4, 1779; SNG Copenhagen 293; BMC 522. Attractive old collection tone, minor area of weak strike. Good VF. Very rare, only three in CoinArchives.
From the BRN Collection. Ex Morton & Eden 39 (2 December 2009), lot 15; Glendining (20 November 1975), lot 887.
From NAC 48, lot 79: Few Athenian coins are as historically relevant as those of 87/6-84 B.C., when the Roman consul Sulla landed his army in Greece to wage war against Mithradates VI, the Pontic king who recently had taken the region by force. Not only are these coins the last 'ancient' silver coins struck in Athens, but they are directly tied to historical events, and are mentioned in the ancient literature. The Sullan coinage at Athens consists mainly of silver tetradrachms, a smaller component of silver drachms, and a bronze coinage that today is very rare. The silver coins employ the basic designs of Athenian 'New Style' tetradrachms, which in ancient times were called stephanophoroi ('wreath-bearers') because the reverse design was enclosed within a wreath. But that is where the similarities end between Athenian coinage and the Athenian-style coinage of Sulla. The style of Sulla's coins is quite different than their predecessor Athenian coinage, and the symbols and weighty inscriptions that cluttered the reverse field of the Athenian coins are replaced only with two monograms or two trophies. The monogram coins seem to have been the first issue, for which Thompson suggested a starting date of 86 B.C., after Sulla captured Athens. The trophy coins are regarded as the second issue, and presumably were struck shortly before Sulla left Athens to return to Rome.... Plutarch (Lucullus II.2), describes how Sulla's proquaestor L. Licinius Lucullus was put in charge of coinage on this expedition, and that he did such an fine job that the coins he made came to be named after him: "...it was called 'Lucullan' after him, and circulated very widely because the needs of the soldiers during the war caused it to be exchanged quickly." An inscription from Delphi concerning the sale of slaves echoes Plutarch: "...they paid for these in one sum of a hundred and fifty 'flats' of Lucullus..." A colloquial description like 'flats' would be fitting for Athenian 'New Style' coins, which are broad and thin, and would lend themselves to such a nickname." "
From the BRN Collection. Ex Morton & Eden 39 (2 December 2009), lot 15; Glendining (20 November 1975), lot 887.
From NAC 48, lot 79: Few Athenian coins are as historically relevant as those of 87/6-84 B.C., when the Roman consul Sulla landed his army in Greece to wage war against Mithradates VI, the Pontic king who recently had taken the region by force. Not only are these coins the last 'ancient' silver coins struck in Athens, but they are directly tied to historical events, and are mentioned in the ancient literature. The Sullan coinage at Athens consists mainly of silver tetradrachms, a smaller component of silver drachms, and a bronze coinage that today is very rare. The silver coins employ the basic designs of Athenian 'New Style' tetradrachms, which in ancient times were called stephanophoroi ('wreath-bearers') because the reverse design was enclosed within a wreath. But that is where the similarities end between Athenian coinage and the Athenian-style coinage of Sulla. The style of Sulla's coins is quite different than their predecessor Athenian coinage, and the symbols and weighty inscriptions that cluttered the reverse field of the Athenian coins are replaced only with two monograms or two trophies. The monogram coins seem to have been the first issue, for which Thompson suggested a starting date of 86 B.C., after Sulla captured Athens. The trophy coins are regarded as the second issue, and presumably were struck shortly before Sulla left Athens to return to Rome.... Plutarch (Lucullus II.2), describes how Sulla's proquaestor L. Licinius Lucullus was put in charge of coinage on this expedition, and that he did such an fine job that the coins he made came to be named after him: "...it was called 'Lucullan' after him, and circulated very widely because the needs of the soldiers during the war caused it to be exchanged quickly." An inscription from Delphi concerning the sale of slaves echoes Plutarch: "...they paid for these in one sum of a hundred and fifty 'flats' of Lucullus..." A colloquial description like 'flats' would be fitting for Athenian 'New Style' coins, which are broad and thin, and would lend themselves to such a nickname." "