PREV ARTICLE
NEXT ARTICLE
FULL ISSUE
PREV FULL ISSUE
DAVISSONS E-AUCTION 52 SELECTIONSAllan Davisson wrote this overview of the Peter Bartlett Collection of Greek and Roman Coins in his firm's Auction 52, which closes on November 19, 2025. Select items are discussed afterwards. -Garrett E-Auction 52, closing Wednesday, November 19th 2025, is online now! This sale features our first offering from The Peter Bartlett Collection. Peter's carefully assembled collection features an exceptional array of classic Greek and Roman coinage. We discussed Peter's background in our introductory note, as a Life Fellow of the ANS and a world-renowned expert in coins of the Visigoths. The pieces we have chosen for this first offering from his collection are from Magna Graecia through mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, and are representative of his collection as a whole – beautiful style, well centered pieces on large flans, including many rare types and denominations, purchased from significant auctions and important dealers since the 1960s. We have included some highlights below, along with a few exceptional pieces from another consignor, but do take a minute to browse the full 60 lots from the Bartlett Collection that are included in our Greek section. They represent a rare opportunity to acquire pieces of remarkable quality. 
SKYTHIA. Geto-Dacians. Koson. Circa 42-29 B.C. AV stater. 8.54 gm. 18.5 mm. Roman consul accompanied by two lictors holding fasces advancing left; monogram to left, KOSON in exergue / Eagle with wings spread standing left on scepter, clutching laurel wreath in right talon, pellet below. RPC I 1701A. HGC 3.2, 2049. Choice Extremely Fine; sharply struck; attractive lustrous rich gold tone. The Peter Bartlett Collection.
To read the complete item description, see:
CALABRIA. Tarentum. Circa 290-281 B.C. AR didrachm or nomos. 7.61 gm. 19.5 mm. Dies signed by Philistion. Nude warrior riding horse leaping right, holding two spears and shield, preparing to cast a third spear; monogram to left, FI below / Phalanthos, nude and holding distaff, riding dolphin left; to right, eagle with closed wings standing left; FI?IS to left, waves below. HN Italy 933. Fischer-Bossert Group 78b, 1072 (V405/R826). Vlasto 571 (same obverse die). Good Very Fine; attractive old toning with blue and orange iridescence; slight roughness; minor bits of soil adhering on reverse; a few small areas slightly flat from strong strike. Well centered on an even round flan; struck from fresh dies. Exceptionally fine style and centering for type and die. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex Coin Galleries (11 June 1965) lot 2.
To read the complete item description, see:
LUCANIA. Poseidonia. Circa 530-500 B.C. AR half nomos – drachm. 3.38 gm. 22 mm. Poseidon, beardless and nude but for chlamys draped over both arms, striding right, preparing to cast trident; FSSM to left, ????S (retrograde) to right / Incuse of obverse, except trident and legend are in relief. Gorini 8. HN Italy 1108. SNG ANS 629 var. (legend). Fine to near Very Fine; nice old toning but with some old scratches and damage, all fully toned; of pleasant archaic style. Very Rare. A special opportunity to acquire this elusive type that typically commands well into four figures and above. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex CNG 41 (19 March 1997) lot 108. Ex Coin Galleries (29 July 1975) lot 662.
To read the complete item description, see:
LUCANIA. Sybaris. Circa 550-510 B.C. AR third nomos – drachm. 2.54 gm. 18.5 mm. Bull standing left, head right; V M in exergue / Incuse of obverse. Gorini 4. HN Italy 1736. SNG ANS 849. HGC 1, 1232. Good Very Fine; attractive old toning with slight iridescence; deeply struck and well centered on nice flan for issue; slight edge irregularity from 11-1'. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex Aureo 111-4 (15 December 1999) lot 4002.
To read the complete item description, see:
SICILY. Naxos. Circa 531-510 B.C. AR litra. .57 gm. 10.5 mm. Possibly a contemporary imitation. Head of Dionysos of archaic style to right, with pointed beard and ivy wreath; heavy dotted border / Bunch of grapes; heavy dotted border; ?? - ????. Bérend, Réflexions p. 11 and pl. 2, 4. Cahn -. HGC 2, -. Cf. SNG ANS 531. Good Very Fine; attractive old toning; perfectly centered and well struck on an even round flan. Extremely Rare. An elegant little coin of great historical interest. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex Numismatic Fine Arts XXXIII (3 May 1994) lot 49 ("Unpublished, but see Cahn 50-53"). Though stylistically unarguably Naxian, there are several factors that distinguish this piece from the usual archaic issues of Naxos – Dionysos faces right, and the reverse legend breaks NA-XION instead of NAX-ION. It may well be an experimental issue from Naxos, or a contemporary imitation struck by a nearby city; in either case, it is exceptional and rare. A similar piece in better condition was sold for $3,547 on 21 May 2023 by Nomos.
To read the complete item description, see:
SICILY. Selinos. Circa 515-480/70 B.C. AR didrachm. 8.13 gm. 18 mm. Selinon leaf, trilobate / Palm-like selinon leaf within incuse square. Arnold-Biucchi 9. SNG Lockett 858. Cf. HGC 2, 1216. Very Fine; rich old tone; well centered and sharply struck, a pleasing coin. Extremely rare. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex CNG eAuction (18 June 2001) #62970.
To read the complete item description, see:
SICILY. Syracuse. Timoleon and the Third Democracy. 344-317 B.C. AR stater. 8.48 gm. 20 mm. Struck under Timoleon, 344-339/8. Pegasos flying left / Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet. Pegasi 2. HGC 2, 1400. Good Very Fine; well centered and sharply struck, with stunning iridescent toning. Choice coin, fine style. The Peter Bartlett Collection. The Corinthian style staters struck at Syracuse are of the finest artistic style of this lovely type. They are part of the phenomenal artistic output of the Syracuse mint particularly in the late 5th to early 4th centuries BC, the finest era for Greek artists engraving dies for classical Greek coins. This is known as the "Era of the Signing Masters" -- artists competed with each other to produce masterpieces, leading to a peak in innovation and artistry that saw coins "finely engraved and of great beauty" (David Sear, "Greek Coins & Their Values," 1975).
To read the complete item description, see:
ISLANDS OFF THRACE. Thasos. Circa 500-480 B.C. AR stater. 7.55 gm. 22 mm. Nude, ithyphallic satyr with long beard and long hair, advancing to right in archaic "kneeling-running" position, carrying off protesting nymph / Quadripartite incuse square. HGC 6, 331. Le Rider, Thasiennes 2. Good Very Fine; well centered and boldly struck in high relief on good metal, with dramatic old toning. Powerful late Archaic style. Lovely example, unusually fine for this coinage, and most attractive in hand.
To read the complete item description, see:
LOKRIS. Lokri Opuntii. Circa 350-340 B.C. AR stater. 11.67 gm. 24.5 mm. Head of Persephone right, wearing wreath of grain ears, elaborate earring with rosette and five pendants, and pearl necklace / Ajax, nude but for crested Corinthian helmet, holding sword in right hand, shield decorated with griffin on left arm, advancing right on rocks; O?ONTION to left; diagonal spear behind his legs. Humphris & Delbridge Group 21, 154c (O25/R61 – this coin). BCD Lokris 457.2 (same obverse die). HGC 4, 991. Very Fine; lovely cabinet tone with iridescence; well centered on a full flan. Fine style. Beautiful coin. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex Superior Galleries (22 August 1994) lot 1736. Ex Leo Hamburger 98 (3 April 1933) lot 564. The firm Leo Hamburger was a significant numismatic firm in Germany in the early 20th century, with connections to significant numismatists of the day such as Felix Schlesinger, Hans Nussbaum, and Adolph E. Cahn. This was the final sale (98) of the firm Leo Hamburger, founded by Leo the Elder and continued by his cousin Leo the Younger, who passed in 1929.
To read the complete item description, see:
ATTICA. Athens. Circa 454-404 B.C. AR tetradrachm. 17.19 gm. 24 mm. Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind; ?T? before. HGC 4, 1597. Kroll 8. SNG Copenhagen 31. Extremely Fine; crisp and attractive, with lustrous lightly iridescent tone; well centered and deeply struck. Fine style. Superb coin.
To read the complete item description, see:
ATTICA. Athens. Circa 406/5 B.C. Fourrée drachm. 2.79 gm. 13 mm. Emergency issue, struck during the Peloponnesian War against Sparta. Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig to left, ?T? to right; all within incuse square. HGC 4, 1690. Kroll p. 7-8. Kroll, Piraeus 3-54 (dies a/a). Good Very Fine; silver plating over bronze core, plating broken in areas; well centered, sharply struck, and with substantial surviving silver in good condition; areas of corrosion where the base metal core has been exposed. Very Rare, and historic. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex Superior Galleries (5-7 June 2000) lot 3571. One of the famous plated issues struck in the emergency issue of 406/5 B.C., at the low point of Athens's struggle against Sparta in the Peloponnesian War. These rarely come on the market, and a few records show sale prices well into four figures. Most probably come from the hoard discovered in 1902 at the Athenian port city of Piraeus.
To read the complete item description, see:
ISLANDS OFF ATTICA. Aegina. Circa 550-530/25 B.C. AR stater. 12.24 gm. 19 mm. Sea turtle, [head in profile,] with thick collar and row of dots down its back / Deep incuse square of proto-"Union Jack" pattern with eight incuse segments, some filled. Holloway, Archaic, Group A, unlisted dies. Meadows, Aegina, Group Ib. HGC 6, 425. Selinus Hoard Group I. Good Very Fine; light toning over bright surfaces; slight roughness/porosity. Particularly crisply struck, high relief turtle shell. Nice high grade example with great eye appeal of this rare early issue. The Peter Bartlett Collection.
To read the complete item description, see:
ISLANDS OFF ATTICA. Aegina. Circa 525-480 B.C. AR triobol or hemidrachm - quarter stater. 3.05 gm. 11 mm. Sea turtle, head turned left in profile, with thick collar and row of dots down its back / Deep incuse square of proto-"Union Jack" pattern. Meadows, Aegina, Group IIa. HGC 6, 446. Good Very Fine; lovely old toning; well centered and struck, with complete, exceptionally clear turtle. Rare. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Purchased from John Jencek (tag) ("Rough incuse square, with undeveloped pattern.").
To read the complete item description, see:
CORINTHIA. Corinth. Circa 525/10-490 B.C. AR stater. 7.6 gm. 19 mm. Pegasos flying left; koppa below / Quadripartite incuse square with swastika pattern. HGC 4, 1815. Ravel Period I, 91 (P64/T65). Pegasi 39/3 (same obverse die as illustration). BCD Corinth 3. Good Fine; attractive old toning with iridescence; light scratches/cleaning marks, all toned. Rare archaic issue. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex Baldwin 28 (9 October 2001) lot 1027.
To read the complete item description, see:
PTOLEMAIC KINGS OF EGYPT. Kleopatra VII Thea Neotera. 51-30 B.C. Æ diobol - 80 drachmai. 16.99 gm. 26 mm. Alexandreia mint. Bust of Cleopatra VII, diademed and draped, right / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopia to left, ? (mark of value) to right. CPE B825. Svoronos 1871. SNG Copenhagen 419-421. Near Very Fine; rich brown patina; light roughness. Fine portrait for issue. Ex Kirk Davis 81 lot 44 (tag).
To read the complete item description, see:
To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: Subscribe All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
|