Freeman & Sear - Gemini I, Session 1



      ancient classic artifacts coins numismatic roman greek 



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                        Lot: 130

                        (click on image to enlarge)
                        ATTICA: Athens. Ca. 520-518 BC. AR.

                        ATTICA. Athens. Ca. 520-518 BC. Silver "Wappenmünzen" 
                        tetradrachm (16.80 gm). Gorgoneion with tightly curled 
                        snaky locks, grimacing fanged mouth and protruding 
                        tongue / Facing lion head and paws in shallow incuse 
                        square. Nicolet-Pierre, RN 1983, p. 19 and pl. 4, 25 
                        (this coin). Asyut 260 (this coin). Rosen 195 (this 
                        coin). Seltman Group K (these dies not recorded, but cf. 
                        A208 and P264). Extremely rare. Obverse somewhat porous. 
                        Good fine/very fine 

                        Ex Jonathan P. Rosen Collection (Münzen und Medaillen 
                        72, 6 October 1987, lot 397); ex Asyut hoard, 1969. 

                        The earliest tetradrachm of the Athenian "Wappen-münzen" 
                        series, known in but a single example, featured the 
                        Gorgoneion obverse and a facing bull head reverse. The 
                        Gorgoneion/lion head variety followed in the succeeding 
                        year. According to Kroll, ANSMN 26, pp. 10-15, the 
                        Gorgoneion was the first "national" coin type of Athens, 
                        in contrast to the changing types chosen by the monetary 
                        magistrates; and the tetradrachm denomination was 
                        introduced for use in international trade. This piece is 
                        thus one of the very first Athenian tetradrachms among 
                        the millions which followed over the next five 
                        centuries. 
                        Estimated Value: $ 20,000 




...Sold for $16,000 USD [ approx 12160 EUR, 8480 GBP ] plus 15% buyers fee. 

Gemini I Auction Closed Jan 11-12, 2005. 

Re-used by permission of Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com) 
                      and Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com).