Top 5 Ancient and World Coins Sold on MA Shops, Oct. 12-18

By CoinWeek….
 

Here (in ascending order) are the top five hammer prices for Ancient and World coins sold on MA Shops the week of October 12-18, 2015:

1. GERMAN, WÜRTTEMBERG: 1811 Fredrick II./I. Silver Kronenthaler. VF+

   

   The kronenthaler was a silver trade coin originally issued in 1755 as the currency of the Hapsburg-dominated parts of the Netherlands. Other German states eventually issued their own versions of the coin.

   The obverse of this coin features Frederick I, the first King of Württemberg (ruled 1797-1816), while the reverse features the coat of arms of Württemberg and the date 1811.

   Sold for: US$4,802.02

2. GERMAN, SAXONY: 1889-E 800th Anniversary House of Wettin Silver Commemorative 5-Mark Coin. About Uncirculated

   

   The House of Wettin is one of the oldest royal houses in Europe, originating in Saxony (Germany) in the early 11th century. The House of Windsor (aka Saxe-Coburg and Gotha), the current royal family of Great Britain, is one branch. This silver commemorative features an “E” mint mark, which in 1889 meant the coin was issued in the second year of production at Muldenhutten, Germany. King Albert of Saxony is featured on the obverse, while an allegorical scene representing Saxony is on the reverse.

   Sold for: US$4,852.87

3. CARTHAGINIAN, AGRIGENTUM: Carthaginian Occupation of Sicily Half Shekel, ca. 213-210 BCE. About Uncirculated

   

   This half shekel comes from the Greek city of Akragas (Latin Agrigentum) in Sicily during the Carthaginian occupation of 213-210 BCE. It features an image of the Semitic/Phoenician god Melqart (understood as Herakles by the Greeks and Hercules by the Romans) crowned with a laurel wreath on the obverse and an elephant walking on the reverse. The portrait of Melqart is undoubtedly influenced by the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal (247-ca. 181 BCE), while the elephant refers to the intimidating war elephants employed by the invading Carthaginian army.

   Sold for: US$9,604.04

4. ROMAN: Gaius Julius Caesar Gold Aureus ca. 46 BCE. G-EF

   

   Issued by Julius Caesar during the Civil War between himself and Pompey the Great, the obverse of this gold aureus features a right-profile of Venus the Roman goddess of love. The Julian clan (of which Caesar was perhaps the greatest representative) claimed descent from Venus through Aeneas, the main figure in Virgil’s patriotic Roman epic The Aeneid. That places this coin squarely in the Roman tradition of simultaneous state, religious and personal propaganda.

   The reverse features a curved priestly staff called a lituus, a jug, and an axe.

   Sold for: US$18,078.19

5. GERMAN, BAVARIA: 1821 Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria River Gold Ducat. Gem

   

   River gold ducats were produced from gold panned from the rivers of Bavaria or as a by-product of industrial gold washing. The ducats made from such gold are among the rarest of Bavarian coins. In the fiscal year during which this particular specimen was issued, only 1,100 were minted. The obverse features a portrait of Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria (ruled 1805/6-1825). The reverse features the image of a Classical river god in the foreground and a Gothic cathedral in the background.

   Sold for: US$22,597.74

About MA Shops

MA Shops is an internet marketplace headquartered in Germany that works with a network of predominantly European coin dealers to sell coins, paper currency, medals, military orders and decorations, stamps and even bottles of wine directly to the collector. Founded by Joachim Schwiening, MA Shops offers a wide variety of Ancient, Modern, World and U.S. coins. For an introductory video, click here.