11-06-2016 – 01-01-1970
Live Auction 23
Naville Numismatics’ Live Auction 23
Naville Numismatics presents its 23rd Live Auction. The auction will close on Sunday 12 June 2016, 16.00 UK time, at which time the live session will begin. Absentee bidders can bid electronically through Naville Numismatics website from the day the sale is published online up to the start of the live Session. It features a selection from the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. In 1956 Vladimir and Elvira received an invitation to become Curators of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. Here, they developed one of the most extensive and important collections in the world. When the Smithsonian opened their new building in 1961 called The National Museum of American History, the Stefanelli’s secured a large area to become The National Numismatic Collection. The collection contained 60,000 coins, and upon the death of Dr. Stefanelli in 1982, it had grown to more than 900,000 pieces. Due to the endless efforts of Dr.& Mrs. Stefanelli, they received donations from the Dupont Collection of the Mihailovich Russian Collection (one of the most complete in the world), the Norwebs, Paul Straub, Zabriski, Neiken and the Stack Family. Probably the most notable collection they were able to solicit was the Josiah K. Lily Collection of 6200 gold coins, a complete set of U.S. gold coins including Pioneer and Territorial Collections.
Lot 251: Egypt, Alexandria, Hadrian, ca. 117-138 (year 8), drachm. Geissen 1123. Dattari -. BMC 758. From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection. Attractive light green patina. Good to very fine. Starting bid: £ 300.
The Clain-Stefanelli’s also lectured and wrote many books about the National Collection, as well as creating instructive and illuminating displays. The highlight exhibit was displayed in 1975, “The Bicentennial History of American Banking”, which became a major landmark learning exhibit for bankers here and abroad.
Lot 131: Sicily, Syracuse Bronze, ca. 274-216. SNG Copenhagen 832. Calciati II, 196. Very rare. Very fine/good fine. From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. Starting bid: £ 300.
After Dr. Stefanelli passed away, Elvira took the reins, she completed the computerized inventory of the collection her husband had begun. She continued to write and publish a Numismatic bibliography. She also became the Executive Director of the Numismatic Collection and served until her retirement.
They both had great passion for collecting and assembling coins of the Roman Republic and Southern Europe, especially Italy and Austria-Germany. Their work for the advancement of Numismatics and its studies, their writings, lectures and exhibits will long be remembered as a major milestone in the development and interest of Numismatics.
The auction also features a selection of 510 lots of Greek and Roman coins, all chosen with contribution from NAC’s experts.
The sale begins with a selection of coins from Magna Graecia and Sicily, including bronzes and fractions. Coins from rare mints such as as Ariminum, Ausculum, Matolum, Agyrion, Amenestratus, Centuripae, and Lipara are all featured. In the continental section there is a notable and very rare bronze of Epeiros, as well as an attractive diobol of Aenus.
Of the selection from continental Greece it is important to draw attention to an extremely rare bronze struck in Lesbos for an Homonoia with Mytilene, an unpublished bronze of Trajan for Cyprus and an extremely interesting bronze of Julia Domna struck in Smyrna. There is also a small, but notable, selection of drachms and tetradrachms from Alexandria.
Lot 268: Semunica Luceria, ca. 211-208. D’Ailly 3387. Cf. Sydenham 7. Of the highest rarity: very few specimens known. Attractive brown patina. Good very fine. From the E. E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. Starting bid: £ 180.
The Roman part of the sale boasts an interesting series of Roman Republican bronzes including an extremely rare Semuncia for Luceria (Crawford 27/4), and a rare Semis of the Rostrum tridens series (Crawford 114/3). There is also an impressive selection of denarii including coins of Cn. Pompeius Magnus, Terentius Varro (Crawford 447/1a) and two rare denarii of Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius.
Lot 482: Aurelianus with Severina, double sestertius January-September AD 275. RIC V 1 (Sestertius). CBN 322-6 (Dupondius). Attractive light green patina. Good very fine. From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. Starting bid: £ 300.
The Roman Imperial selection includes a notable sestertius of Nero with Adlocutio on the reverse, an extremely rare Semis of Titus with Judaea Capta on the reverse, an interesting sestertius of Antoninus Pius with the Emperor in quadriga; a rare sestertius of Gordian I Africanus and an extremely rare double sestertius of Aurelianus and his wife Severina.
Naville Numismatics Ltd’s partnership with NAC guarantees highly professional numismatic service and certifies an unlimited warranty of authenticity for the lots it sells.
Lots can be viewed at the NN office in London, by prior appointment only.
The auction catalogue is available online.