Obolos 33 – Interesting Selections from the John Aiello Collection

by Johannes Stelzhammer

Just before summer, we ended the auction season with the very successful sale of The Childeric Collection of Merovingian Coins. Now we are back with the 33rd edition of our electronic auction obolos, which is already online and will close on the 8th of September 2024, starting at 14:00 CEST live on the Nomos webpage!

This time obolos comprises 1191 lots, with many interesting and rare Greek, Roman Provincial, and Byzantine issues. We are particularly thrilled to be able to offer a further selection of coins from the Jonathan H. Kagan Collection of Ancient Greek Coins.

I am sure Dr. Alan Walker will take the opportunity to introduce you to some of his favorite Kagan-coins in this selection in a few days’ time. (He might also already share some stories about the thrilling upcoming Nomos 34 auction, scheduled for the 13th of October 2024!)

In the meantime, let us have a look at another group of rare coins in this sale from a single collector: A selection of Greek and Roman Provincial coins from the John Aiello collection, with many of the lots originally coming from the BCD Collection or other illustrious previous owners.

Lot 336: Greek. Arkadia. Pheneos. Circa 300-240 BC. Chalkous. Very rare. Some deposits, otherwise, good very fine. Starting Price: 75 CHF.

Lot 336 (Starting Price: 75 CHF): The selection of coins from the Aiello collection is particularly strong on small bronze denominations from Greece. Many of them rare, and most of them have not seen the light of day for a decade or more! This Chalkous from Pheneos in Arkadia, struck circa 300-240 BC, is a perfect example for the general “vibe” of the collection. Well struck, rare and undisturbed – and spared any attempt to clean it!

Lot 781: Greek. Laconia. Lacedaemon (Sparta). Claudius, 41-54. As. Rare. Rough surfaces, otherwise, very fine. Starting Price: 75 CHF.

Lot 781 (Starting Price: 75 CHF): This base metal As was minted during the reign of Claudius in Lakedaimonia (Sparta) and was previously in the collection of BCD (although not in the sales). On the reverse, it features a rendering of Apollo Karneios. Karneios was a very old local Peloponnesian deity associated with the harvest, especially the harvest of wine. Similar to Ammon in Egypt, he was sometimes depicted with horns. Later, Karneios was ‘merged’ with Apollo and henceforth worshipped in temples throughout the Peloponnesus. This coin type shows the god leaning on a thin pillar or column and holding a cornucopia. This posture is reminiscent of grave stele dating to the 4th century BC. A classical Greek motif picked up during the Roman Empire to express local identity?

Lot 958: Roman Provincial. Egypt. Alexandria. Domitius Domitianus, Usurper, 297-298. Octodrachm, LΒ = year 2 = 297/8. Very rare, desirable issue and usurper. Extremely rare with the regnal year in this position, and only one other example, but struck from different dies, recorded in the RPC. Rough surfaces, otherwise, about extremely fine. Starting Price: 200 CHF.

Lot 958 (Starting Price: 200 CHF): As you would expect from a usurper, this base metal Octodrachm issued by Domitius Domitianus in 297/8 in Alexandria is very rare! However, what makes this particular specimen even more special is the orientation of the regnal year (‘LB’), which can be found on the left side of the reverse. We are aware of just one other coin, from a different die, with this orientation. The pleasing dark brown patina is an additional advantage, as is its pedigree to the John Aiello collection and a Jean Elsen sale in November of 1996.