Stack's Bowers Offers Rare Ancient Greek Coins Certified by NGC Ancients

One of the finest collections of ancient Greek coinage ever assembled is being offered in an upcoming Stack's Bowers sale. Bidding is already underway for nearly 400 ancient coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) in the Mark & Lottie Salton Collection of Ancient and World Coins, which concludes on January 17, 2022.

The centerpiece of the collection is a Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-400 BC (Kimon) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch VF★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style. One side shows a quadriga while the other shows the nymph Arethusa, a patron figure of Syracuse frequently portrayed with dolphins on its coinage. In her headband is the signature of Kimon, a master engraver whose coinage is highly prized. This coin (lot 4142) has an estimate of $100,000 to $200,000.

Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-400 BC (Kimon) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch VF★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style Click images to enlarge.

Another highlight in the sale is a coin with similar design elements: a Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-370 BC (Euainetos) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ch XF★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style. Along with Kimon, Euainetos, the engraver of this example, produced some of the most beautiful ancient coinage. This coin (lot 4143) has an estimate of $50,000 to $75,000.

Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-370 BC (Euainetos) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch XF★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style Click images to enlarge.

The sale also includes a great rarity from the Ptolemaic Kingdom: an Arsinoe II (died 270/68 BC) Gold Octodrachm (issued after c. 193/2 BC) graded NGC Ancients MS, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface. In the 270s BC, Arsinoe II was queen of the Greek-ruled Egyptian kingdom that emerged after Alexander the Great's conquest. After her death, she was deified. This coin showing Arsinoe II (lot 4382) has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.

Ptolemaic Kingdom, Arsinoe II (died 270/68 BC) Gold Octodrachm (issued after c. 193/2 BC) graded NGC Ancients MS, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface Click images to enlarge.

A sortable image gallery with high-quality photos of the ancient Greek coins in this sale is available at NGCcoin.com/salton.

Natives of Germany, Mark and Lottie Salton emigrated to New York in the 1940s and married. Proceeds from the sale of their coins will benefit three organizations that are committed to the remembrance of victims of the Holocaust, which had a devastating impact on the Saltons' own families.

Additional selections from their impressive collection of ancient and world coins will be offered in the months ahead by Stack's Bowers and German auction house Künker. Other NGC Ancients-certified highlights in the current Salton Collection sale include:

• a Sicily, Siculo-Punic c. 264-260 BC Silver 5 Shekels graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 4/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4173), with an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000
• a Bruttium, Caulonia late 6th Century BC Silver Stater graded NGC Ancients Ch AU★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4071), with an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000
• a Sicily, Catana c. 415-403/2 Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients XF, 4/5 Strike and 1/5 Surface (lot 4108), with an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000
• a Sicily, Gela c. 420-415 BC Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 4/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4114), with an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000
• a Sicily, Syracuse c. 415-405 BC Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients AU, 5/5 Strike and 2/5 Surface (lot 4140), with an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000
• a Sicily, Syrcause c. 405-400 BC Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch VF, 4/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (lot 4145), with an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000
• a Bruttium, Caulonia late 6th Century BC Silver Stater graded NGC Ancients AU★, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4072), with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000
• a Bruttium, Caulonia late 6th Century BC Silver Stater graded NGC Ancients Ch XF★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface (lot 4073), with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000
• a Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-395 BC Gold 100 Litrai graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4152), with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000
• a Macedon, Mende c. 460-423 BC Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4181), with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000
• a Kingdom of Macedon Alexander III (336-323 BC) Gold Distater (lifetime to early posthumous) graded NGC Ancients XF, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (lot 4187), with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000
• a Kingdom of Macedon Alexander III (336-323 BC) Gold Distater (lifetime to early posthumous) graded NGC Ancients XF, 5/5 Strike and 2/5 Surface (lot 4188), with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000
• an Elis, Olympia c. 432-420 BC Silver Stater graded NGC Ancients VF★, 4/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4310), with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000

All estimates are provided by the auction house in US Dollars.

Related Link
Image Gallery: Salton Collection of Ancient Greek Coins