Sale 26
Lot 80
SASANIAN KINGDOM: Azarmidokht, 631, AR drachm (4.12g), WYHC (theTreasury mint), year 1. G-—. Sunrise-1007, Mochiri-505/10. Standard designs, bearded bust, superb strike, choice EF, RR. Estimated Value$11,000 - 13,000.
A similar piece, equal quality, sold at the Triton Auction XIV, Lot 542, for $28,000. Queen Azarmidokht is the rarest confirmed ruler of the entire Sasanian dynasty, and it is currently estimated that between 20 and 30 pieces are known, probably only from the treasury mint WYHC and the regional mint ShY (probably Shiraz).
Estimate $11,000-13,000
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Lot 91
CARTHAGE: Anonymous, ca. 264-241 BC, electrum tridrachm (10.72g). S-6474. Head of Tanit, wreathed with corn, wearing necklace & triple-drop earring // horse standing, above, sun-disk between 2 uraeus-cobras, 3 pellets above exergue line, About Unc, R. Estimated Value$11,000 - 13,000.
This is truly one of most magnificent examples of the electrum coinage of Carthage, crisply struck from carefully engraved dies.
Estimate $11,000-13,000
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Lot 733
CHINA: AR dollar, ND (1912). Y-320.1. L&M-44. Li Yuan Hung portrait, "OE" instead of "OF" in REPUBLIC OF CHINA, a lovely example of this rare variety, NGC graded AU58. Estimated Value$8,000 - 10,000.
A scarce coin that appears on the market infrequently in this wonderful high-graded condition.
Estimate $8,000-10,000
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Lot 59
SASANIAN KINGDOM: Varahran II, 276-293, AV dinar (7.35g). G-48var. Sunrise-765 (different dies). Royal bust left, wearing winged korymbos, with wings pointing upwards & curled at the tip / fire-altar, without any dots or other symbols, flanked by two attendants, both viewing outwards, excellent strike, with just a touch of weakness over the right attendant, choice EF, RRR. Estimated Value$7,000 - 8,000.
Generally as SNS-A1, but with wings pointing upwards. It appears that all gold dinars of Varahran II published before 2011 bore the wings pointing straight and not curled. Several die varieties of the curled pointed wings have appears in recent years, probably all or most from a single hoard of Sasanian gold dinars. The curled wings are well-known, but quite rare, for silver drachms, of which SNS-A9 is stylistically quite similar to the newly discovered gold dinars. The curled wings also occur on SNS silver drachms of styles G, H, and I, tentatively assigned to Marw, Sakastan (Sijistan), and hwpy (unlocated, perhaps Herat), respectively.
Estimate $7,000-8,000
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Lot 1753
AUSTRALIA: George V, 1910-1936, AE penny, 1930(m). KM-23. Obverse 2 'Indian' die, reverse A 'London' die, key date for the series, NGC graded F15 BR. Estimated Value$7,000 - 9,000.
Obverse 2 is the 'Indian' die, easily identified by the last stroke of the N of OMN pointing to a border bead. This penny obverse die was used at the Calcutta, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth mints. There are 178 border beads. Reverse A is the 'London' die, and can be distinguished by the relative position of the letters ALIA of AUSTRALIA with border beads, with the tops of the letters AL aligned with and IA between beads.
Estimate $7,000-9,000
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Lot 43
ACHAIMENID: Middle Period, ca. 420-375 BC, AV daric (8.28g), Sardes. Sunrise-28. Crowned & robed Persian king advancing right, holding lance & bow, quiver over his shoulder, naturalistic style (unlike the more common later types) / oblong incuse punch, overall superb example of this historic type, strike 5/5, surface 5/5, NGC graded choice About Unc. Estimated Value$4,500 - 5,000
Estimate $4,500-5,000
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Lot 8
MACEDONIAN KINGDOM: Alexander III, the Great, 336-323 BC, AR stater (8.57g). S-6701/03var. Price-1563. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis, M in wreath left and griffin head below, tentatively assigned to the Abydos mint, strike 5/5, surface 4/5, NGC graded choice About Unc. Estimated Value$3,500 - 4,500
Estimate $3,500-4,500
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Lot 1458
CASTILE: Alfonso VII, the Noble, 1158-1214, AV maravedí (3.87g), Tulaytala (Toledo), Safar-1235 (AD 1197). VyE—, Cayón-1010. Date & mint formula in the obverse margin, cross above and ALF in Latin letters below the reverse field, with Christian religious texts in the central field on both sides and in the reverse margin, choice EF, R. Estimated Value$3,500 - 4,500
Estimate $3,500-4,500
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Lot 994
EGYPT: Fuad I, as King, 1922-1936, AR medal (171g), 1927, 72mm, for the official visit of His Majesty Fuad, king of Egypt, to Belgium, 26-28 October 1927: bust of Fuad right, designed by S.E. Vernier // sphinx & Belgian lion, inscribed ancient Egyptian object above, designed by G. Devréeres, minuscule scratch in reverse field (barely noticable without magnification), beautifully toned, About Unc, RRR. Estimated Value$3,500 - 4,000.
A similar piece, about the same condition, sold at the Bertolami Fine Arts Auction 24, Lot 1101, for $4988 (June 2016), the only example listed on CoinArchives since 2001. Photo size reduced.
Estimate $3,500-4,000
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Lot 862
IRAN: Nasir al-Din Shah, 1848-1896, AR 5000 dinars, Tehran, AH1297. KM-914. Plain edge, blazing prooflike surfaces, dappled golden toning, possibly the finest known example of the Tehran mint, NGC graded MS63 PL. Estimated Value$2,500 - 3,500.
This magnificent example is as close to a true proof that could have been manufactured at the Tehran mint, using equipment newly imported from Europe. The details of the lion's face and beard are extraordinarily sharp, and there is a trace of cameo surface, especially on the obverse. The inscription on the reverse is incredibly sharp, despite a trace of double-striking most visible in the ruler's name, as one might expect on an early strike from newly acquired dies. There also exists a proof or specimen version believed to have been struck at the Brussels mint, of which a specimen sold by Heritage in 2014 for $20,000 (Auction 3033, Lot 23326). The Brussels type can be readily distinguished by the position of the ray extending from the sun-face through the lion's tail, thinner and closer to the tip of the tail on the Tehran strike, thicker and further from the tip of the tail on the Brussels type. The Brussels type also has three rays emerging to the left of the lion's head, whereas there are none there on the Tehran piece. The Brussels rays end with a blunt point, whereas Tehran rays are relatively sharp at the edge. Finally, the bottom folds of the wreath's ribbon below the lion is very different. This piece is clearly the Tehran mint product, perhaps a specimen strike from the Tehran mint. It is unquestionably superior to even the finest regular examples of the same type and year.
Estimate $2,500-3,500
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