Auction XXIV by Astarte
Astarte SA
Auction XXIV
Coins
10 June 2025
CH-Lugano
Astarte SA will hold the Floor and Live Auction XXIV in Lugano, Switzerland, on 10 June. The sale will feature a curated selection of classical coins, a number of modern issues, and a remarkable set of Napoleonic medals preserved in their original case. Among the classical coins, several outstanding pieces are distinguished by their notable provenance.
Lot 86. Sicily. Syracuse. AR Octobol struck under Hieron II. Circa 265-263 BC. Estimate: 5,000 CHF.
Lot 122. Mysia. Lampsakos. AV Stater. Circa 350-340 BC. Estimate: 30,000 CHF.
Lot 235. Egypt. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138. AE Drachm dated RY 15 = AD 130/1. Estimate: 5,000 CHF
Lot 372. Titus, as Caesar. AE Dupondius struck under his father Vespasian. Rome. AD 72. Estimate: 300 CHF.
The sale includes a Stater of Heraclea (Lot 21), once part of the Hermitage Museum collection in St. Petersburg; the Tetradrachm of Gela (Lot 48), formerly in the renowned De Ciccio Collection dispersed by Sambon in 1907; the 12 Litrai of Syracuse (Lot 89), from the collection of Count Magnaguti; the Hemidrachm of Olympia (Lot 115), once owned by the eminent collector R. C. Lockett; and the gold Stater of Lampsakos (Lot 122), from the G. Philipsen Collection, sold by Hirsch in 1909. Lot 86 is particularly noteworthy: an exceptional silver octobol of Syracuse struck under Hieron II, formerly in the Michel Eddé Collection and sold by Numismatic Fine Arts in 1987. This piece stands out for its superb state of preservation, refined patina, and compelling aesthetic. We also highlight Lot 419, a unique and previously unpublished Semissis of the Byzantine Empress Irene, struck in Syracuse – an exceptional rarity. Finally, we present the final offering of Roman coins from the Alexandria mint, part of the Staffieri Collection.
