Ancient Gold Coins - Greek

  PrevNext  

Lot 2936    SESSION 11 (9.30AM THURSDAY 4TH APRIL)    Ancient Gold Coins - Greek

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,400

SICILY, Syracuse, Kingdom of, Agathocles, (317-289 B.C.), gold two thirds stater or octobol, (5.66 g), Attic standard, equivalent to 80 silver litrai or two silver decadrachms, obv. head of Athena to right, wearing necklace, pendant earring and crested Corinthian helmet decorated with griffin running right on the bowl, her hair is long and knotted on the neck with the ends hanging loose with a few strands escaping above the ear, rev. winged thunderbolt, above **AGAQOKLEOS, below **BASILEOS* and monogram TP, (S.970, BMC 416, Robinson "Calouste Gulbenkian Collection", Part I, No.341). Trace of original mint bloom, very fine or better and rare.

Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 60 (lot 1710).

The issue was probably a commemorative issue on the occasion of Agathokles' daughter Lanassa's marriage to Pyrrhos of Epeiros in 297 B.C., the Epeirote character of this coin and the smaller denominations have led to this as being the principal suggestion. Alternatively it has been suggested that the series could honour Agathokles assumption of the royal title in 304, reflected in the choice of Athena for the obverse type similar to that of Alexander the Great's gold coinage. The issue of these gold octobols was for only a brief time and indicated that the issue was certainly commemorative in nature.

Estimate / sale price does not include buyer's premium (currently 22% including GST) which is added to hammer price. All bids are executed on the understanding that the Terms & Conditions of sale have been read and accepted. For information on grading and estimates please refer to the Buying at Auction advice.

Quick find

View a lot by number and sale.

Adjacent lots

  • Lot 2934  

    GAUL, Northwest, Namnetes, (2nd - 1st century B.C.), electrum quarter stater, (1.37 g), obv. stylised ...

    Estimate $100

  • Lot 2935  

    CELTIC, Northern Gaul, Morini, (c.56-55 B.C.), gold quarter stater, (1.31 g), uniface tree type, obv. ...

    Estimate $300

  • Lot 2936   This lot

    SICILY, Syracuse, Kingdom of, Agathocles, (317-289 B.C.), gold two thirds stater or octobol, (5.66 g), ...

    Estimate $2,000

  • Lot 2937  

    SICILY, Syracuse, Hieron II (275-215 B.C.), gold sixty litrai - dekadrachm (4.29 g), struck circa ...

    Estimate $7,000

  • Lot 2938  

    THRACE, Kingdom of, Lysimachos, (323-281 B.C.), gold stater, (8.30 g), Kallatis mint, posthumous issue c.88-86 ...

    Estimate $2,500