Tetradrachm ø 25mm (17.05g). 310 - 306/5 BC. With NGC-tag
(XF, strike: 4/5, surface: 4/5, Fine Style). Attractive dark toning,
excellent.
to modern times
323 - 317 BC. Stater (8.55g). Gold! Sharply marked splendid
specimen of excellent style! Large, medallion-like mould,
somewhat smoothed at the cheek, excellent.
to modern times
279/8 - 255 BC. Tetradrachm ø 29mm (16.75g). 264 - 255 BC
RR! Marvellous toning, excellent.
to modern times
(15.15g). 408/4 - 380/66 BC. One of the best known specimens!
Excellent.
to modern times
Tetradrachm ø 26mm (15.15g). RR! Delicate toning,
small die break on obverse, nearly mint
to modern times
AD. Aureus ø 19mm (7.28g). 193 A.D. Mint undetermined in the
East (Emesa or Alexandria. Gold! RRR! Tiny pressure mark
at the eyebrow, brilliant uncirculated.
to modern times
medallion ø 35mm (17,17g). Mint. Rome. RRR!
Specimen of the Franz Trau Collection! Dark brown patina,
very nice-excellent.
to modern times
Augustalis. n.d. (after 1231), Messina. 5.25 g. Gold! Gold! RR!
Attractive specimen with sharp inscription. Fine toning,
tiny graffito, very fine - excellent.
to modern times
Electors and Albertines. Johann Georg I, 1611 - 1656. 5 ducats
1630, Dresden.17,04 g. Gold! Rare! Attractive specimen!
Marvellous gold toning, tiny scratches, very nice - excellent.
to modern times
ARCHBISHOPRIC. 1612-1619. thaler cliff 1617, Salzburg.
Of greatest rarity! Splendid specimen! Marvellous toning,
tiny scratches, excellent / superb - Brilliant Uncirculate
to modern times
The Collection of a Lawyer: Roman Coins with Exquisite Provenances
Künker
Auction 419
Coins
17 March 2025
D-Osnabrück
Only 638 lots will be offered in Künker’s auction 419 of ancient coins. But these 638 lots are truly special. No matter whether you are interested in Celtic rarities, the finest Greek art or outstanding Roman portraits – in auction 419 you will find what you are looking for. The offer presents several collections. Two of them are particularly remarkable: for one the collection of a lawyer who exclusively bought Roman coins with exquisite provenances; and an anonymous collection that was completed before 1990 and contains many showpieces.
No. 2: Celts. Gaul. Anonymous. Gold stater, “soy” type, 3rd century BC. From Leu Numismatik AG auction 4 (2019), No. 92. Very rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 12,500 euros
No. 32: Celts. Pannonia. Tetradrachm, “tournament horseman” type, around 150 BC. From Kress auction 135 (1966), No. 219. Extremely rare in this quality. Extremely fine. Estimate: 15,000 euros.
Celtic Rarities
Celtic coins are still a specialist area of numismatics that appeals to all those who are looking for something exceptional. In its auction, Künker is offering 37 lots from the Celtic culture, including some highly rare pieces. Connoisseurs will find not only the well-known and popular “rainbow cups” but also rare types such as the imitation of a gold stater based on the coins of Philip II and a tetradrachm of the “tournament horseman” type. Both pieces testify to the fact that the Celts learnt about coinage while fighting as mercenaries in the Macedonian army. Celtic artists used these coins as models for their own designs.
No. 60: Caulonia / Bruttium. Stater, 525-500 BC. From the Edward Perry Warren and John Pierpont Morgan Collection. Extremely fine +. Estimate: 25,000 euros.
No. 86: Messana / Sicily. Tetradrachm, 425-421 BC. From Giessener Münzhandlung auction 190 (2010), No. 54. Extremely fine. Estimate: 15,000 euros.
No. 121: Olbia / Scythia. Dolphin money, 525-410 BC. 71.86(!) g. From Heritage auction 3075 (2019), No. 32014. This denomination extremely rare. Very fine. Estimate: 12,500 euros.
No. 143: Neapolis / Macedon. Stater, 525-450. From the Armand Trampitsch Collection, Vinchon auction (13 November 1986), No. 111. Rare, especially in this quality. Extremely fine. Estimate: 20,000 euros.
No. 198: Axos / Crete. Stater, around 300 BC. From the Eckenheimer Collection, Roma Numismatics auction IX (2015), No. 262. Very rare. Very fine to extremely fine. Estimate: 10,000 euros.
No. 306: Carthage / Zeugitania. Trihemistater in gold, around 260 BC. From Hess-Leu auction 7 (1957), No. 145. Rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 30,000 euros.
Masterpieces by Greek Engravers
Anyone with a passion for classical aesthetics will be amazed by the impressive skill of Greek engravers. No one created more beautiful designs, some of which influenced coinage right up to modern times. Some very special examples of this coinage can be found in Künker’s auction sale. Most of them have excellent provenances and some have not been on the market for more than three decades. If you love Greek coins, you should study the catalog carefully.
No. 337: M. Iunius Brutus. Denarius, 42 BC, military mint in Asia Minor or Northern Greece, L. Plaetorius Cestianus. From a collection completed before 1990. Very rare. Fine to very fine. Estimate: 50,000 euros.
No. 342: Marcus Antonius / Octavianus. Aureus, 41 BC, Ephesus, M. Barbatius. From a collection completed before 1990. Very rare. Very fine + / very fine. Estimate: 12,500 euros.
No. 344: Marcus Antonius / Octavia. Aureus, 38 BC, Athens(?). From a collection completed before 1990. Extremely rare. Very fine. Estimate: 15,000 euros.
No. 346: Marcus Antonius / Antyllus. Aureus, 34 BC, Syrian or Armenian mint. From Münzen und Medaillen AG auction 25 (1962), No. 586. Extremely rare. Very fine. Estimate: 30,000 euros.
Coins from the Time of the Civil Wars
From a numismatic point of view, the most exciting period of Roman coinage was probably the civil wars that followed Caesar’s death. This is not only because portraits established themselves as a typical coin motif during these years. Never before and never again has there been a time where coins were minted by so many different mints with so many different political messages. The coins of this period give us an insight into day-to-day politics during the last phase of the Roman Republic, with its short-lived alliances that quickly fell apart.
If you are interested in this era, Künker’s catalog 419 is a must-read as it contains a wealth of iconic issues. There are, of course, several portraits of Caesar, but also the famous Eid Mar denarius, which comes from a collection completed before 1990. From the same collection are aurei that combine the portraits of various players, for example Marcus Antonius with Octavian or his sister Octavia. In addition to the Eid Mar denarius, the highlight of this small series is an aureus from a Syrian or Armenian mint showing Marcus Antonius presenting his son and presumed successor, Antonius Antyllus. Antyllus, who had been betrothed to Octavian’s two-year-old daughter Julia at the age of 10, was only 13 years old at the time of the issue. After the suicide of his father and Cleopatra, he fled to the temple of Divus Iulius to seek asylum. But the “peace emperor” Augustus had no mercy: Antyllus, the son of Marcus Antonius and Fulvia, was executed along with 17-year-old Caesarion, the son of Caesar and Cleopatra.
No. 411: Vitellius, 69. Sestertius. From the collection of a lawyer; from the Dr. Etienne Paul Nicolas Collection, Kampmann auction (9/10 March 1982), No. 242. Rare. Very fine to extremely fine. Estimate: 5,000 euros.
No. 443: Hadrian, 117-138. Aureus, 130-132. From the collection of a lawyer; from the Gustave de Ponton d’Amécourt Collection, Rollin & Feuardent auction (25 April 1887), No. 240 (described as FDC); from the Montagu Collection, Rollin & Feuardent auction (20 April 1896), No. 295 (described as FDC). FDC. Estimate: 15,000 euros.
No. 493: Commodus, 177-192. Aureus, 191-192. From a collection completed before 1990. Extremely rare. Estimate: 40,000 euros.
No. 497: Pescennius Niger, 193-194. Aureus, unknown, perhaps moving mint. From a collection completed before 1990. Extremely rare. Traces of mounting, otherwise extremely fine / Very fine +. Estimate: 75,000 euros
No. 526: Daldis / Lydia. Gordianus III, 238-244. AE medallion. From Giessener Münzhandlung auction 265 (2019), No. 1008. Very rare. Very fine +. Estimate: 15,000 euros.
No. 535: Postumus, 260-268. Aureus, 266, Cologne. From the Vicomte E. de Quelen Collection, Rollin & Feuardent auction (14-26 May 1888), No. 1750; from the Montagu Collection, Rollin & Feuardent auction (20-26 April 1896), No. 656; from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sotheby auction (10 November 1972), No. 188. Very rare. About extremely fine. Estimate: 30,000 euros
No. 554: Constantinus I, 306-337. Medallion of 1 1/2 solidi, 326, Antioch. From a collection completed before 1990. Extremely rare. About extremely fine / Very fine +. Estimate: 25,000 euros.
No. 507: Caracalla, 198-217. Sestertius with hammered edge turning it into a protocontorniate, 213. Rev. Circus Maximus. From the collection of a lawyer. From Sotheby (8/9 October 1992), No. 1066. With old collector’s card. Very rare. Very fine. Estimate: 5,000 euros
Gold, Silver, Bronze: The Colorful World of Roman Coinage
No matter whether you love Roman aurei, prefer the magnificent portraits of Roman denarii, are desperate for a medallion or want to enjoy beautiful patinas: Künker’s auction 419 has something for every taste. Of course, there are plenty of rare emperors and historically relevant reverses. The many excellent provenances, meticulously noted by the “lawyer”, make many coins highly sought-after, rare and exclusive collectibles that are also popular with investors. It will be interesting to see what results individual pieces will fetch.
To order a catalog contact Künker, Nobbenburger Straße 4a, 49076 Osnabrück; phone: +49 541 / 962020; fax: +49 541 / 9620222; or via e-mail.
