Obolos 30 – Back to the Ancients

By Johannes Stelzhammer

Only a few weeks ago the Nomos AG El-Greco Collection of Modern Greek Rarities (Nomos 31) sale turned into a firework of scarce, rare and super-rare issues of the Kingdom of Greece from the 19th and 20th century.

With the 31st edition of the online auction obolos, which is online now and will close on 21st April 2024, starting at 14:00 CEST live on the webpage, Nomos are returning to the ancient predecessors of those modern Greeks. So, do not expect any Wittelsbach-inspired coins this time, but 872 mostly ancient lots, with many interesting and rare Greek, Roman Provincial and Byzantine issues.

Lot 5: Greek. Gaul, Massalia. Hemiobol, c. 500-475 BC. Milesian standard, “Auriol”. Very rare and attractively toned. Good very fine. Starting Price: 300 CHF.

Right at the start of the Greek section, we are proud to present some splendid specimens of early coins from Massalia and the Greco-Provencale region of Southern France! This beautifully toned hemiobol from Massalia with its facing head, dated to c. 500-475 BC, is my first pic from obolos 31 for this newsletter. Facing heads on coins are always intriguing, especially when they adorn a small denomination. The lovely golden halo makes this lot even more desirable!

Lot 66: Greek. Sicily. Leontini. Tetradrachm, c. 425-420 BC. Rare type. Attractive cabinet tone and of fine style. Good very fine. Starting Price: 1,000 CHF.

The head of Apollo on a tetradrachm from Leontini on Sicily from c. 425 BC is a textbook example for the Classical period. However, what makes this coin – struck from the same dies as examples in the de Luynes and Gillet collections – truly remarkable is its reverse. One of the grain kernels surrounding the lion has been exchanged for a fish. Or to be more precise, a mullet!

Lot 81: Greek. Thrace. Lysimacheia, c. 309-220 BC. AE, struck probably before 279 BC. The only portrait of Lysimachos on coinage! Encrustations and minor corrosion, otherwise, very fine. Starting Price: 100 CHF.

Lysimachos was already an old man (for ancient standards!) when he became king of Thrace as one of the Diadochi of Alexander the Great. Nevertheless, when the officials of Lysimacheia decided to honor their eponymous city founder on a civic bronze coin, they opted for a youthful and probably idealized portrait of the king. Although the attribution is not beyond all doubt, it is widely accepted today and the arguments for it are quite convincing. This type, minted sometime between 309/8-279 BC, is therefore an important addition to any collection covering the first generation of Hellenistic rulers after Alexander!

Lot 805: Crusaders. Knights of Rhodes (Knights Hospitallers). Fabrizio del Carretto (1513-1521). Ducat, imitating the Venetian Ducat, mint of Rhodes. Very rare and sharp and clear with fine portraits. Nearly extremely fine. Starting Price: 850 CHF.

Don’t forget to have a look at all of the lots of obolos 30, before it starts closing live on our Nomos webpage beginning at 14:00 CEST on Sunday, 21 April 2024! You have plenty of time, but as they say, time flies! If you have any trouble logging into your account, or have questions about the sale, please do not hesitate to contact us.