Collection of Exceptional Tetradrachms at Leu

Leu presents its Auction 17 featuring 525 carefully curated coins from the ancient world. Each piece was selected with great care, distinguished by its exceptional quality, rarity, and rich historical significance and provenance. The attention has been on Celtic, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine coinage entrusted to the auction house over the past eight months.

Lot 123: Kings of Macedon. Alexander III ‘the Great’, 336-323 BC. Distater, Amphipolis, struck under Antipater, Polyperchon, or Kassander, circa 321-316. Estimate: 50,000 CHF

A highlight of this auction is the collection of Dr. med. Cora Flinsch (born 1920 in Frankfurt am Main). Dr. Flinsch had a lifelong passion for literature, history, and the art of antiquity, and it was ultimately the coins of the ancient Greeks that captured her heart. Since the 1970s, Dr. Flinsch maintained close ties with leading figures in numismatics, such as Dr. Herbert Cahn, Pierre Strauss, Dr. Hans Vögtli, Dr. Leo Mildenberg, and especially Silvia Hurter, who assisted her at Leu Numismatik AG.

Lot 284: Kings of Macedon. Philip V, 221-179 BC. Tetradrachm, Pella or Amphipolis, circa 220-211 BC. Estimate: 25,000 CHF.

With great expertise, passion, and a trained eye, she built an impressive collection, which she bequeathed to the Priestly Fraternity of St Pius X upon her death in 2022, at the age of 102. Through the mediation of a Swiss numismatist, this collection eventually made its way to Leu Numismatik.

Lot 345: Baktria, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Antialkidas, circa 130-120 BC. Tetradrachm, Indian standard, Kapisa (?). Estimate: 15,000 CHF.

A particularly noteworthy highlight is the Basileiai Hellēnikai Collection of exceptional Tetradrachms (lots 279–350). Comprising more than 70 Hellenistic Tetradrachms, all in outstanding condition and many with excellent provenances, this collection provides a fascinating insight into a defining era. The three centuries of Hellenism, from Alexander the Great (336–323 BC) to the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, were not only marked by profound historical upheaval, but also by significant numismatic developments, particularly in the depiction of rulers, whose influence can still be seen today.

Lot 389: Quintus Labienus Parthicus, 42-39 BC. Denarius, uncertain mint moving with Labienus in southeastern Asia Minor, early 40. Estimate: 75,000 CHF.

For those whose collecting interests extend beyond the ancient world – or those looking to broaden their horizons – Leu Numismatik is pleased to announce Auction 18, scheduled for 1 June 2025. This will be their very first floor sale dedicated to medieval and modern coins and medal, held the day after Auction 17. A preview will be published in CoinsWeekly next week, but of course you can already browse the material online.