NUMISMATIC NUGGETS: JULY 18, 2021

A Fantastic Sicilian Gold Issue with a Mid-18th Century Pedigree

In addition to an exemplary live session of ancient coins, our upcoming Official Auction of the ANA World's Fair of Money will feature the magnificent "Collection of a Gentleman," an advanced cabinet of Greco-Roman denominational rarities. Assembled over the course of five decades, this astounding array features various denominations that are not often seen, with a handful offering some rather incredible pedigrees. One such rarity emanates from the Sicilian city of Gela and displays a man-headed bull on the obverse and a nymph on the reverse. G. Kenneth Jenkins, in his die study for the coinage of the city, lists only a small handful of the type known to him, with the offered piece being one of those cited.

This important citation leads to a further history of the piece, as it was once part of the famous collection assembled by Sir Hermann Weber (1823-1918)—a German-born medical doctor who eventually spent much of his career in London, pioneering the open-air treatment of tuberculosis. Prior to being a part of Weber's collection, however, the specimen played a role in an ever more fabled holding of numismatic treasures. Weber obtained this fractional gold piece from a Christie's auction in 1884, when the remaining portion of the vast collection of Sir Andrew Fountaine (1676-1753) was finally offered. Fountaine, a prominent nobleman in early-mid 18th century England, was an enthusiastic coin collector among his other historical pursuits. Part of his collection was sold in order to raise funds for his country estate, Narford, while the balance stayed with the family until being sold in the aforementioned Christie's sale. As such, the terminus ante quem for our delightful Sicilian gold issue is obviously Fountaine's death in 1753, meaning that it entered his collection before that date and establishes a provenance back some 268 years at the very least! Rather accordingly, this specimen perfectly blends the art and history of the ancient Mediterranean with the noble pursuit of numismatics throughout Stuart-Hanoverian England.

To read the complete article, see:
A Fantastic Sicilian Gold Issue with a Mid-18th Century Pedigree (https://www.stacksbowers.com/News/Pages/Blogs.aspx?ArticleID=sicilian-gold-august-ana-auction-stacks-bowers-galleries)

Athens 1896 Olympic Games bronze gold plated 50mm 58.6g original box FDC

To read the complete lot description, see:
WEEKLY OLYMPIA MEDALS - detail (https://www.muenzenonline-auktion.ch/catalogDetail/detail/weekly-olympia-medaillen--1625143203/Athen-1896-264439)

15 Rupien 1916, T, Tabora. Geprägt mit Gold aus der Sekenke-Goldmine in Ostafrika.

To read the complete lot description, see:
15 Rupien 1916 T, Tabora. J. 728b. (https://www.kuenker.de/en/elive-auction/stueck/298563)

Produced in bronze at the Paris mint on the 100th anniversary of Lafayette's death. Obverse has Lafayette in profile with 1757-1834 and reverse has"America ET Gallia Memores MCMXXXIV" The artist is E. Gatteaux

To read the complete lot description, see:
LAFAYETTE REMEMBERED MEDAL - 1934 (https://bid.alexcooper.com/lots/view/1-4TDJS1/lafayette-remembered-medal-1934)

During WWII, Japan printed paper currency to be used in each of the countries that it invaded. Here we have six pieces of "invasion money" printed in pesos and centavos for the Philippines, dollars for Malaysia, and rupees for Burma. The lot also includes old Japanese currency bearing the image of Confucius (12 pieces) and Itagaki Taisuke (3 pieces), a Japanese soldier and politician around the turn of the 20th century.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Japanese Currency and Invasion Money [136108] (https://www.icollector.com/Japanese-Currency-and-Invasion-Money-136108_i42191995)

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