First Astarte Floor Auction after 15 Years of Absence

Astarte SA announces its return to the Auction floor after 15 years of absence. In this Auction XXIII, Astarte presents 728 lots from antiquity to modern times and will close on 28th-29th October 2024 in Lugano.

Lot 381: Egypt. Alexandria. Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD). Drachm, dated L S = year 6 (143 /144 AD). Very Fine with fascinating brown patina. Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection. Starting price: 1,500 CHF.

The Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection of the Coins of Roman Alexandria part II consists of 285 pieces of considerable historical and numismatic importance. Giovanni Maria Staffieri is a well-known scholar of Alexandrian numismatics and the first part of his collection, consisting of 273 coins, was sold in the Triton XII auction in January 2018.

Lot 122: Sicily. Syracuse, Dionysios I. Circa 407-400 BC. Dekadrachm. An attractive specimen of this desirable issue, struck from a very rare pair of dies, an unsigned work of Kimon. About Extremely Fine. Very rare. Starting price: 30,000 CHF.

In addition, a selection of coins of beautiful style and preservation from the ancient Greek period are presented at auction; some boast illustrious provenances such as Duca di Cajanello, Bement, Giuseppe De Ciccio, Albert Hugh Lloyd, Paul Tinchant, A. Moretti and Dr. Feori Pipito.

Lot 202: Zeugitania. Carthage. Circa 264-241 BC. Hexadrachm. Lightly toned. Good Very Fine/Extremely Fine. Exceedingly rare piece, struck from dies unrecorded. Starting price: 35,000 CHF.

The auction house is also pleased to present the collection of a distinguished Lady, who has chosen to remain anonymous. This passionate collector has devoted years to collecting small silver fractions, with coins from 12 ancient regions, some of them rare and even unpublished. These coins, with weights between 0.13 and 1.88 grams, cover a historical period from 520 to 200 BC.

The sale continues with coins from the Republic and the Roman Empire, Byzantine coins, seals and weights and a selection of coins from different historical periods and nations.

Lot 689: Vatican. Pius IX, Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti of Senigallia. (1846-1878). Escape of the Pope to Gaeta. Bronze medal, undated (Year III – 1848). By Nicola Cerbara. Extremely Fine. Extremely rare. Starting price: 3,000 CHF.

To complement this auction, we present medals and plates dating from the 16th to the 20th century, including a collection of selected medals of the popes, offering a fascinating and varied panorama of numismatic culture and art through the centuries.