Guy Clark's Ancient Coins and Antiquities

Ancient Gold Coins

Last update: 22 August 2008

AV= Gold EL= Electrum (a natural alloy of gold and silver)

Greek Gold coinage

GS20. Macedonia, Kings of, Alexander III, the Great, 336-323 BC, AV Stater (8.53g). Athena head rt./Nike standing left holding wreath, struck ca 334-323 BC, Sardeis mint, Price 2539. Centered, clear types, nice example, Very Fine....SOLD Photo

Celtic Gold Coinage

KC255. Gaul, the Senones, ca 70-60 BC, AV Stater (7.15g). Plain with faint traces of a 3-spoked wheel-like design/Plain, LT7387, SLM704. Both sides of this coin are essentially convex blobs, the overall coin being an irregular pellet of about 12-13mm diameter, these were actually struck but are very crude and rather RARE and very interesting, hard to grade a coin with no design but it has little wear so I call it a Very Fine....$525 Photo

Roman Gold Coinage

RC164. Titus, as caesar, AD 69-79, AV Aureus (7.17g). Emperor head rt./PONTIF TR P COSV, Pax seated left holds branch, Rome mint, AD 76, RIC(Vesp) 193(S); C. 164. Centered, nice clear portrait and rev., clear legends, nice attractive example, SCARCE, Good Very Fine....SOLD Photo

RC1309. Valentinian, AD 364-375, AV Solidus. Valentinian bust rt./RESTITVTOR REIPVBLICAE, Emperor stands holding Victory and labarum, cross left, *ANT[gamma]* in exergue, Antiocheia mint. Nicely centered and struck, few very light old scratches in fields barely noticeable without looking hard, nice example, Very Fine....$975 Photo

RC1347. Honorius, AD 393-423, AV Solidus (4.45g). Honorius bust rt./VICTORIA AVGGG, Emperor stands holding Victory and labarum, foot on captive, COMOB in exergue, R-V in fields, Ravenna mint, RIC 1287. Nicely centered and struck, slight waviness to right field before face, nice example, SCARCE, Very Fine....$975 Photo

RC1348. Honorius, AD 393-423, AV Solidus. Honorius bust rt./VICTORIA AVGGG, Emperor stands holding Victory and labarum, foot on captive, COMOB in exergue, R-V in fields, Ravenna mint, RIC 1287. Nicely centered and struck, nice example, SCARCE, Very Fine....$1,295 Photo

RC1319. Theodosius II, AD 402-450, AV Solidus (4.5g). Helmeted emperor bust facing, spear over shoulder/Constantinopolis seated left holding globe with cross atop, star left, Constantinople mint, ca AD 408-450, RIC 202(S). Centered, decent portrait with somewhat weak face detail, nice reverse, Very Fine....$875 Photo

RC1312. Marcian, AD 450-457, AV Solidus (4.47g). Helmeted emperor bust facing, spear over shoulder/VICTORIA AVGGGH, Angel stands holding long cross, star rt., Constantinople mint, RIC X 510(S). Centered, nice portrait with strong face detail, nice rev., nice for these, Extremely Fine....$1,350 Photo

RC1475. Zeno, AD 474-491, AV Solidus, (4.4g). Emperor bust facing/VICTORIA AVGGGZ, victory stands left with long cross, CONOB in exergue, Sear(1988)4385. Centered, nice even strike, couple of very light small scratches obverse field and very slight flan wrinkle to right side, not distracting but mentioned for full disclosure (I try to do so on all lots), a very presentable example, Very Fine....SOLD Photo

Byzantine Gold Coinage

BCG305. Justinian I, AD 527-565, AV Solidus (4.49g). Justinian bust 3/4 to right, helmeted and holding spear over shoulder/Angel standing holding cross on globe and long cross, star in lower right field, Constantinople mint, ca AD 527-529; SB 137, MIBE 5. Near centered, strike weak on right periphery each side affecting some legends, nice bold portrait and reverse, SCARCE issue from early in his reign, Extremely Fine....$975 Photo

BCG306. Justinian I, AD 527-565, AV Solidus (4.40g). Justinian bust facing, helmeted and holding cross on globe/Angel standing holding cross on globe and long cross-Rho, Constantinople mint, SB 140. Near centered, nice portrait and reverse, Very Fine....$595 Photo

BCG307. Justin II, AD 565-578, AV Solidus (4.48g). Emperor bust facing holding Victory/Constantinopolis seated facing, Constantinople mint, ca AD 567-578; SB 345, MIBE 4. Centered, slight weakness as struck on right edge, nicely struck otherwise, Extremely Fine....$675 Photo

BCG308. Phocas, AD 602-610, AV Solidus (4.3g). Emperor bust facing/Victory stands holding long cross, officina I, Constantinople mint, SB 620. Near centered on slightly irregular flan, nice portrait and reverse, Very Fine+....$625 Photo

BCG309. Phocas, AD 602-610, AV Solidus (4.35g). Emperor bust facing/Victory stands holding long cross, officina I, Constantinople mint, ca AD607-609, SB 620, MIBE 9. Near centered on slightly irregular flan, some slight weakness in strike along periphery, nice portrait and reverse, Very Fine+....$625 Photo

BCG304. Heraclius, AD610-641, AV Solidus (4.4g). Heraclius and his 2 sons standing facing /VICTORIA AVGUE, cross potent on three steps, monogram to left, CONOB in exergue, Constantinople mint, SB767. Near centered, one letter weak rev., 2 obverse figures well struck with good face detail, left figure has weak facial detail, nice example, Very Fine....$525 Photo

BCG310. Heraclius, AD610-641, AV Solidus. Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine busts facing /VICTORIA AVGUI, cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue, Jerusalem mint SB 851. Centered, 2 obverse figures well struck with good face detail, nice example and a VERY SCARCE mint, Very Fine....$995 Photo
This issue has been variously assigned to Alexandria or Cyprus by various authors. It has recently been assigned to Jerusalem by Bendall and Hendy based on stylistic considerations. These most likely would have been minted at the time of the recapture of Jerusalem from the Sasanid king Khusro and the subsequent reclaiming of the True Cross.

BCG314. Constans II, AD 641-668, AV Solidus (4.31g). Constans and Constantine IV busts facing, small cross between/VICTORIA AVGUA, cross potent on three steps, CONOB+ in exergue, Constantinople mint, SB 961. Centered, nice bold facial detail, a very nice example, Extremely Fine....$675 Photo

BCG315. Constans II, AD 641-668, AV Solidus. Constans and Constantine IV busts facing, small cross between/VICTORIA AVGUA, cross potent on three steps between Heraclius and Tiberius, CONOB in exergue, Constantinople mint, SB 964. Centered, nice bold facial detail, some striking weakness around periphery affecting mostly legends, a nice example, Extremely Fine....$625 Photo

BCG316. Constans II, AD 641-668, AV Light Solidus (=23 siliquae) (4.24g). Constans bust facing/Cross potent on three steps, BO[Pi]K in exergue, Constantinople mint, SB 979; MIB 44. Centered, decent facial detail, a nice example of a SCARCE type, Very Fine....$675 Photo

BCG320. Constantine IV, AD 668-685, AV Solidus (4.43g). Emperor bust facing/Cross between Heraclius and Tiberius, officina I, CONOB in exergue, Constantinople mint, SB 1153A; MIB 5c. Slightly offcentered, nice bold facial detail, slightly weak top reverse, a very nice example, SCARCE, Extremely Fine....$1,100 Photo

BCG321. Justinian II, 1st Reign, AD 685-695, AV Solidus (4.3g). Bust of Christ facing holding Book of the Gospels/Justinian standing holding cross on steps, onstantinople mint, SB 1248. Near centered with some legend tops off reverse, Mint State but weakly struck affecting facial detail on Christ's portrait and at bottom reverse, otherwise nice, Mint State....SOLD Photo
This is the first known coin to depict an image of Christ.

BCG311. Nicephoras III, AD 1078-1081, EL Histamenon Nomisma, scyphate. Christ enthroned facing/Emperor stands holding banner, Constantinople mint, SB1881. Centered, some weakness and worn but types all clear, Fine....$250 Photo

BCG354. Nicephoras III, AD 1078-1081, EL Histamenon Nomisma, scyphate (4.3g). Christ enthroned facing/Emperor stands holding banner, Constantinople mint, SB1881. Centered with little weakness and types all clear, facial detail obv. on Christ (unusual for these), a very nice example of these usually crude and flatly struck coins, Very Fine+....$450 Photo

BCG355. Nicephoras III, AD 1078-1081, EL Histamenon Nomisma, scyphate (4.4g). Christ enthroned facing/Emperor stands holding banner, Constantinople mint, SB1881. Centered with little weakness and types all clear, facial detail obv. on Christ (unusual for these), a very nice example of these usually crude and flatly struck coins, Very Fine+....SOLD Photo

BCG353. John II, 1118-1143, AV Hyperpyron (4.3g). Christ enthroned facing, +KE ROHOEI/Virgin and emperor hold long cross between them, Constantinople mint, SB1940. Centered, decent facial detail on all but emperor rev., well struck, attractive example, Very Fine....SOLD Photo

BCG357. John II, 1118-1143, EL Aspron Trachy (2.2g). Christ enthroned facing/Emperor and St. George standing, cross on steps between, SB1942. Centered, typical weakness around edges, small spot of encrustation rev., types mostly clear, an inexpensive example of late Byzantine gold, Fine-Fine+....SOLD Photo

BCG312. John II, 1118-1143, EL Aspron Trachy (2.4g). Christ enthroned facing/Emperor and St. George standing, cross on steps between, SB1942. Centered, typical weakness around edges, types mostly clear, an inexpensive example of late Byzantine gold, Fine-Fine+....$175 Photo

BCG313. Manuel I, AD 1143-1180, EL Aspron Trachy. Christ enthroned facing/Emperor and Virgin standing, cross on steps between, SB1958. Centered, typical weakness around edges, types mostly clear, thin closed flan crack and couple of scratches obverse, an inexpensive example of late Byzantine gold, Very Fine (in struck areas)....SOLD Photo

BCG360. Isaac II, Angelus, AD 1185-1195, AV Hyperpyron (4.3g). Virgin enthroned facing/Isaac and Archangel Michael holding sword, Constantinople mint, SB 2001. Nicely centered and evenly struck, nice facial detail, very little weakness, a very nice example, SCARCE, Very Fine+....SOLD Photo

BCG365. Alexius III, AD1195-1203, AV Hyperpyron (4.3g). Christ enthroned facing, +KE ROHOEI/Patriarchal cross between St. Constantine and Alexius, SB 2008. Centered, a little waviness at one spot on edge, nicely struck with decent facial detail and clear legends, SCARCE, Very Fine....SOLD Photo

BCG369. Andronicus II and Michael IX, AD1295-1320, AV Hyperpyron (3.3g). Virgin orans within city walls/Christ stands between 2 emperors kneeling, Constantinople mint, SB2396. Near centered on irregular flan, flatness as usual for these (I have never seen a nicely struck one), looks somewhat clipped, overall decent for these, Very Fine/about Very Fine....$350 Photo

BCG375. Empire of Nicea, Theodore II, AD 1254-1258, AV Hyperpyron. Christ seated facing, [Pi] rt/Virgin crowns emperor, SB 2136. Centered, flat spots as usual but overall fairly well struck for these, RARE, Very Fine....$695 Photo

Dark Ages Gold

Aksum (Ethiopia)

DA101. Aksum, Aphilas, ca AD 300, AV Unit (0.2g) . King bust with headcloth rt., disc and crescent before/Legend (=Aphilas King), BMC(M-H) 11. Centered on a tiny 6mm flan, nice prtrait and clear legend, a nice example of a RARE coin, Very Fine+....SOLD Photo

AC96. Abbassid Caliphs, al-Wathiq, AD842-847, AV Dinar (4.08g). Inscriptions both sides, Misr mint, AH232, Album 227(S). Centered, very slightly uneven on edge in one spot (in toned area), toned in peripheral area both sides, clear script, Very Fine+....SOLD Photo

AC92. Abbassid Caliphs, al-Muttaqi, AH329-333/AD940-946, AV Dinar (4.52g). Inscriptions both sides, Madinat-al-Salam mint, AH331, Album 260(S). Centered, well struck with only minor weakness and clear legends, attractive, Extremely Fine....$675 Photo

AC100A. Fatimids, al-Mu'izz, AH 341-365; AD 953-975, AV Quarter Dinar (1.0g). Circular legends between 2 concentric circles, pellet in center, Album 698. Centered on slightly irregular flan, some legend weak, SCARCE, Fine+....SOLD Photo
AC100B. Fatimids, al-Mu'izz, AH 341-365; AD 953-975, AV Quarter Dinar (1.0g). Circular legends between 2 concentric circles, pellet in center, Album 698. Slightly offcentered on slightly irregular flan, some legends off or weak, pellets at center weak, SCARCE, Fine+....SOLD Photo

AC102A. Fatimids, al-Hakim, AH 386-411; AD 996-1021, AV Quarter Dinar (0.9g). Legends each side, outer ring of legends missing, probably from clipping, Album 710. Centered, clear central legends, SCARCE, Very Fine....SOLD Photo
AC102B. Fatimids, al-Hakim, AH 386-411; AD 996-1021, AV Quarter Dinar (1.1g). Legends each side, outer ring of legends partial, probably from clipping, Album 710. Centered, slight waviness, legends mostly clear, SCARCE, Fine+....SOLD Photo

AC103. Fatimids, al-Mustansir, AH 427-487; AD 1036-1094, AV Dinar (4.2g). Circular legends each side, Misr mint, AH454, Album 719. Centered, nice sharp example, hard to improve on this one, Near Mint State....SOLD Photo

AC219. Ayyubids, Main line in Cairo, al-'Adil Abu Bakr I, AH 592-615/AD 1196-1218, AV Dinar (4.51g). Script each side, al-Iskandariya (Alexandria) mint, Album 801. Somewhat offcentered one side, legends clear, Very Fine....$575 Photo

AC218. Ayyubids, al-Kamil Muhammad, AD 1218-1238, AV Dinar (5.49g). Legends both sides, Cairo mint, Album 811. Near centered, a few weak spots in outer legend, otherwise fairly well struck, nice example, Very Fine+....$575 Photo

AC157. Sanjar (Mu'izz al-Din Abu'l-Harith), AD 1097-1157, Pale AV Dinar. Legends each side, date (after AH 520) and mint (Balkh or Herat) unreadable, Album 1687. A bit offcentered each side, typical uneven strike with weak sections, Fine-About Very Fine, 3 examples pictured separately below, each....$150
B. 2.5gPhoto
C. 2.4gPhoto
The Seljuqs were a Turkic people whose history begins around AD 1000, by which time they were the dominant presence in Transoxiana and Turkestan. They overran the western part of the Ghaznavid Emirate in AD 1040 and shortly thereafter took over all of Persia and Mesopotamia from the Buwayhids. Sanjar was the Seljuq prince of Khorasan whose fame almost eclipses that of the 'Great Seljuqs' because of the length of his reign, his power and the victories in its first half, his disasters in the second half, and the fact that he was the last real Seljuq sultan in Iran. The death of Sanjar signaled the decline of the Great Seljuq Empire, which broke up into several smaller states.

AC120. Ilkhanids of Persia, Gaykhatu, AH690-694/AD1291-1295, AV Dinar (4.26g). Legend each side, Tabriz mint, AH691, Album 2158.1. Near centered, some spots of peripheral weakness in legends, mint in right rev. field, date in rev. margin, Extremely Fine....$650 Photo

AC121. Ilkhanids of Persia, Ghazan Mahmud, AH694-703/AD1295-1304, AV Dinar (4.30g). Legend each side, Tabriz mint, undated pre-reform type, titles Padishah and Shahanshah, Album 2167(R). Offcentered to right one side, some spots of peripheral weakness in legends, RARE, Extremely Fine....$ Photo

AC216B. Ghaznavids, Ibrahim, AH 451-492; AD 1059-1099, AV Dinar (5.4g). Legends each side, Ghazna mint, AH(4)80, Album 1637; Mitchener WOI 790. Some flattening toward edge and flan a bit ragged, legends mostly clear, debased gold color, much nicer than most, Very Fine....$ Photo

AC217. Ghaznavids, Ibrahim, AH 451-492; AD 1059-1099, AV Dinar (2.73g). Legends each side, Album 1637; Mitchener WOI 790. Some flattening toward edge and flan a bit wavy to one side, legends mostly clear, debased gold color, about Very Fine....$150 Photo

Medieval Gold Coinage

MC111. Crusader States, Tripolis, Anonymous, ca 13th Century AD, AV Bezant, 62-63% gold standard (3.2g). Script each side, M. 487; Schl. V, 18. Centered, slight peripheral weakness but otherwise bold and well struck, SCARCE, Very Fine+....$850 Photo

Kushan Coinage - from the region of present-day Afghanistan

EC564. Kushan Kingdom, Kipanada, ca AD330-360, AV Stater (7.7g). King standing left/Ardoksho enthroned facing, MACW3581. Near centered, strong strike with nice detail, nice example of this issue from the early part of his reign, Very Fine+...$450 Photo

EC559. Kushan Kingdom, Kipanada, ca AD330-360, EL (debased) Stater (7.3g). King standing left/Enthroned goddess, MACW3589. Centered, flan slightly small losing a few things around edges, light colored almost coppery looking gold, nice example of this issue from the last days of the Kushan kingdom before the conquest by Kidara, Very Fine...$225 Photo

EC560. Kushan Kingdom, Kipanada, ca AD330-360, EL (debased) Stater (5.5g). King standing left/Enthroned goddess, MACW3589ff. Centered, flan slightly small losing a few things around edges, darkly toned gold, nice attractive example of this issue from the last days of the Kushan kingdom before the conquest by Kidara, about Very Fine-Very Fine....$150 Photo

Indian Coinages

EC562. Kidarites, Anonymous, Kidara type, ca early 5th Century AD, AV Stater (7.8g). King standing left/Enthroned goddess, MACW3695ff. Centered, crude design and weakly struck spots as usual for this series, overall not as bad as most I see, about Very Fine....$195 Photo

EC510. India, Yadavas of Devagiri, 12th-13th Century AD, Ramachandra, AD 1270-1311, AV Stater (3.8g). Conch and Sri punchmarks around central Lotus punchmark/Blank as made, Mitch. 643-645. Near centered with punchmarks about as clear as these ever get, Very Fine+....$225 Photo

The Order Form should be fixed now. Give it a try. If you encounter any problems please email your order or inquiry to me at gclark32@hughes.net