08-07-2015 – 01-01-1970
Bid & Buy Sale 194
194th Buy or Bid sale at Harlan J. Berk
Harlan J. Berk offers 264 ancient coins in its 194th Buy or Bid sale which will be closing on July 9, 2015. The sale features many rarities of ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine coinage.
There is a lot going on around the HJB offices this spring. One of the most exciting is the launch of the brand new auction format, HJB Mobility. First available on Apple through the app store and later coming on other platforms as well as standard computer desktops which will not require any download. A preview to the Mobility Auction I you may find here in CoinsWeekly.
The true backbone of the business model of HJB however has been the Buy or Bid format. Harlan introduced this format back in 1980 and closed this sale on December 8th (previously he started his lists 6 years earlier in 1974). HJB has continuously offered coin in this way for almost 35 years.
So turning to the current auction, the 194th Buy or Bid sale: There are 264 ancient coins on offer.
Below are some of the highlights of the sale:
Lot 5: Early electrum trite of Phanes. This coin is the pinnacle of early Greek coinage. Minted sometime around c. 625 BC it is amongst the earliest of all known Greek coins. It is also the very first coin that identifies a person, Phanes, on its surfaces. No one knows for certain who Phanes was, but its significance on the medium of coinage to transmit personal information is very noteworthy. This coin is pedigreed to the Jonathan Rosen collection. 57,000 $
Lot 6: An excessively rare hecte with a horsefly on the obverse. Very few examples ever found on the market. Gemini X, lot 96 sold for a hammer of 40,000 USD. 24,500 $
Lot 22: An exquisite aureus of Septimius Severus. This aureus is unquestionably a beauty and worth consideration. 32,500 $
Lot 38: Interregnum, Revolt of the Heraclii, solidus. The Interregnum aureii of Carthage are much rarer than the issues of Alexandria. This differs from Alexandria in that the future emperor Heraclius is beardless. This coin is so rare that this is the first example we remembering handling in 51 years. A great rarity of historical importance in that it established a reign that lasted until 711 AD. 31,500 $
Lot 58: Calabria, Tarentum nomos. An extraordinary gem. This coin has lovely imagery and a fine style that is the hallmark of Greek die cutters. 15,500 $
Lot 64: Exceptional Locroi Epizephyrii nomos. The condition of the coin is noteworthy. A beautiful piece. 16,000 $
Lot 109: Exceedingly rare coin from Crete. There has been a disproportionate amount of coinage from Crete on the market in recent months. Customers should not be swayed into thinking that these coins are often seen. Such is truly not the case. This coin is rarely found on the market and normally comes in unsightly condition. 16,000 $
Lot 165: Exceptional Example of a Rare Brutus Denarius. This type is not often available in this condition. 19,500 $
There are many more coins that are worthwhile for your consideration that have not been described. You can browse through the complete auction catalogue online here.
If you like to get a printed version of the catalogue you may contact HJB:
Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 31 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60602, phone: 001 / 312 / 609 0018 or via email.