MDC MONACO AUCTION 15, PART ONE

PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE FULL ISSUE PREV FULL ISSUE

V27 2024 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 27, Number 39, September 29, 2024, Article 23

Here's the first part of the announcement for MDC Monaco's Auction 15. -Editor

We are very happy to announce our 15th Numismatic Auction. The auction will take place on the 23rd and 24th of October 2024. We will present, on this occasion, and among French and world coins, four exceptional collections. The Stephane Gouffault Collection, the Nicolas Maier Collection, the second part of The Collection of an American Gentleman (also known as "The French Collection"), and the X Collection, selection of barbarian coins.

After the incredible French coins collection auctioned in October 2023 by MDC Monaco (Auction No. 12: The French Collection), we offer this time an exceptional collection of German Double Thaler, and Thaler from Bavaria. All coins are of exceptional quality, with many high grades.

This collection is composed of one type each of monetary gold coins from the 19th Century, in the highest grades possibles. A lot of coins are Top Pop, including a series of silver 5 Francs from the 19th Century. There is also a superb selection of royal coins from Louis the 13th to Louis the 16th, in the highest grades possibles

The collection is composed of 247 medals, French for the vast majority. Nicolas Maier is the author of the book L'Art de la Médaille en France, 1870-1940 (The Art of the Medal in France), and most of the coins presented in our auction are plate coins from this book

Lot 15 - ANCIENT GREECE Sicily, Syracuse, Agathocles (317-289 BC). 50 litrai or gold decadrachm ND (317-310 BC), Syracuse. Obv. Laureate head of Apollo facing left, S behind the neck. Rev. S???-?-?S?O?. Biga (two-horse chariot) driven by an auriga, galloping to the right; below, a triskelion. Dewing 934 v. - Gulbenkian 327 v. - SNG ANS 552 v. (left oriented triskelion); Gold - 4,27g - 16 mm - 12h. From Cincinnati Museum of Art, acquired by Harlan J. Berk in 1989, then in a private collection in Cincinnati, Ohio, Gemini V sale, January 6th 2009, No. 42 NGC MS 5/5 4/5 Fine style brushed. With a right oriented triskelion. Minor traces of handling and hairlines for this very fresh example, with mint lustre barely burnished.

Agathocles takes power in Syracuse in 317, helped by a band of mercenaries. He orders the execution of some oligarchs of Syracuse and strengthens his power to control the whole Sicily. After having eliminated the Carthaginians, against whom he's the first to start a military expedition in North Africa, he proclaims himself King (basileus) of Sicily in 306. Considering himself the successor of Alexander, he secures some alliances with the other Hellenistic rulers : for example, he marries the daughter of Ptolemy and he marries his own daughter to Pyrrhus I of Epirus. During his reign, he's responsible for the trade in the western Mediterranean. After his assassination in 289, Sicily faces twenty years of political chaos until the arrival of Hieron. His reign is, for the arts, the period between the late classical style and the novelties of the Hellenistic style. Our example is a high level illustration of this art and a reminder that Apollo and his sister Artemis are protective deities of Syracuse.

Lot 150 - ROMAN EMPIRE Hadrian (117-138). Aureus 134-138, Rome. Obv. HADRIANVS - AVG COS III P P. Draped and cuirassed bust, facing right. Rev. The River-god Nile, lied down facing left and leaning on a sphinx, holding a cornucopia, between a crocodile and a hippopotamus. Calicó 1159 - RIC.- (cf. 312); Gold - 7,31g - 19,5 mm - 6h. With a label indicating it was purchased from Vinchon, approximatively in 1975-1980. NGC Ch XF* 5/5 5/5 Fine style. Barely off-centered strike on the reverse. Very nice style, with an expressive bust. Very little wear and with the fields barely burnished by a thin patina. Rare.

Lot 182 - ROMAN EMPIRE Carinus (282-285). Aureus 284, Lyon. Obv. VIRTVS CARINI NOB P CAES. Laureate and cuirassed bust facing left, holding a shield in his left hand and a spear on his right hand shoulder. Rev. VICTO - RIA AVG. Victory standing on a globe, facing left, holding a crown with her right hand and a palm in her left hand. Calicó 4374 (existence to be confirmed) - RIC.148 = C.140 (the attribution is doubtful and it is not possible to verify this coin) - Bastien - (cf. 528); Gold - 5,23g - 19,5 mm - 7h. NGC AU 5/5 3/5 marks. Very rare, this type has not been reproduced since Cohen! Well centered and struck on a pretty wide flan. Close to mint state with minor handling marks and a slightly golden patina.

Lot 185 – ROMAN EMPIRE Constantine I (307-337). Multiple of 2 solidi, Imperial stay and vicennalia (20th anniversary of reign) ND (c.326), Thessalonica. Obv. CONSTANTINVS - AVG. Head of the Emperor wearing a headband, facing right. Rev. SENA-TVS. The Emperor, standing facing left, with a diadem, a toga, holding a scepter in his left hand and a globe in his right hand ; below (mint) RIC.- (cf. 272 = Depeyrot p.153 (Rome, 4 ½ solidi) ; Gold - 8,72g - 26,3 mm - 6h. From a Tkalec sale, in 1998, from a banker's collection, then Numismatica Ars Classica 88, October 8th 2015, No. 499 and Numismatica Ars Classica 111, September 24th 2018, No. 225 Well struck on a wide flan. Few traces of manipulation with minimal hairlines on the fields. The mint lustre is barely burnished, with a very pleasant golden patina. Spectacular, with a magnificent bust. This is the only known example!

In 326, Constantine I The Great shares the consulate with Constantius II, his second son whom he had with Fausta, who was already Caesar since November 324 and the defeat of Licinius I. The Codex Theodosianus indicates that Constantine is present at Heraclea on February 3rd and March 5th, then at Constantinople on march 8th. From Constantinople, he probably stopped in Thessalonica before continuing to the west, arriving in Aquileia at the beginning of april to inaugurate a stay in Italy that will last almost eight months. There, Constantine attended some celebrations of his 20th anniversary of reign as well as the 10th birthdays of his two eldest sons, Crispus and Constantine II. This medallion could have been distributed at the beginning of april 326 in Thessalonica. 326 is also the year of Constantine's conversion. According to Zosimus, he was overcome with remorse after having killed his eldest son Crispus, son of Minervina, his first spouse or concubine, as well as his nephew, Licinius Junior. His second wife Fausta dies under tragic circumstances locked in overheated baths, in 326 or 329. According to Zosimus, Constantine abandons the ancient religion for Christianity "which includes the promise that the infidels that converts to it are immediately cleanse of all crime".

Lot 274 - GERMANY Bavaria, Maximilian I, Duke then Prince-elector (1597-1651). 5 ducats, New fortifications of Munich, with date in legend 1640, Munich. Obv. MAXIMIL: COM: PAL: RH: VT: BA: DVX: S: R: I: ARCHIDAP: ET. ELECT:.In an interior, the Duke, standing facing right, cuirassed and holding a stick in his right hand, his left hand laying on a cruciform globe placed on an altar. Rev. NISI. DOM: CVSTODIERIT. CIVIT. FRVST: VIGIL: QVI. CVSTODIT. (date) [Psalms 127:1]. Munich view, with its fortifications. In the sky, on clouds, the Virgin Mary with her child Jesus, between two cherubs. KM.268 - Fr.196; Gold - 17,36g - 38 mm - 12h. NGC MS62. With traces of the dies polishing clearly visible on the obverse and reverse. Very nice golden patina and a wide flan. Minor circulation wear without any major flaw.

Maximilian I is Count palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Upper and Lower Bavaria and Prince elector of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation; those titles are mentioned on the obverse of our example. After being invaded by the Swedes during the Thirty Years' War, the Duke fortifies his capital and residence when the peace comes. In 1648, the Treaty of Westphalia confirms the peace, the electoral dignity of the Prince and the Upper Palatinate remains in Bavaria.

Lot 464 - BELGIUM Leopold I (1831-1865). Module of 100 francs in gold, marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Brabant, Specimen (SP) 1853, Brussels. Obv. LEOPOLD PREMIER ROI DES BELGES. Bare head facing left, below signature L. WIENER. Rev. L.L.PH. M. V. DUC DE BRABANT M. H. A. DUCHESSE DE BRABANT / 21-22 AOUT 1853. Attached busts facing right, below signature LEOP. WIENER. Fr.6 - Dupr.538; Gold – 31,66g - 37 mm - 6h. Top Pop: this is the only example graded in Ultra Cameo! NGC lists 5 examples in SP (3 in SP63, 2 in Cameo : SP62 and SP65). Our example is the only one in Ultra Cameo. NGC SP65 ULTRA CAMEO. Specimen with Ultra Cameo : satin reliefs and mirror fields. Only some minor handling marks and a few fingerprints.

Lot 693 - FRANCE / CAPETIANS Naples, Louis XII (1501-1504). Gold Ducat ND (1501- 1504), Naples. Obv. LVDO° FRAN° REGNIQ NEAP° R. Bust of the King facing right, wearing a crown laying on a hood. Rev. + PERDAM: BABILLONIS: NOMEN°. Crowned French shield. Dy.716 - MIR.111 - Bernareggi 196 - Fr.826; Gold - 3,51g - 23 mm - 3h. Top Pop : this is the only graded example! PCGS MS62. Very rare and important coin with a realistic effigy of the King, showing the future influence of the Italian Renaissance on French coinage. A very high quality strike on the obverse, barely showing a double strike, on a large flan and well-centered. Some mint lustre is still present under a thin patina.

Louis XII, heir to the Valois, has claims on the Duchy of Milan, by his grandmother Valentine Visconti, but also on Naples. He wins Milan after the Second Italian War (1499-1500) and some preparations are made to conquer Naples : support from the Pope Alexander XI Borgia and the Treaty of Granada, signed with Ferdinand II of Aragon. In 1501, Naples is attacked by French and Spanish and has to capitulate. When Jules II arrives in 1503, alliances change. The Aragonese win against the French troops at several occasions in 1504 and Naples is lost to Ferdinand VII of Aragon, confirmed by the Treaty of Blois (1504).

Lot 761 - FRANCE / CAPETIANS Louis XIII (1610-1643). Ten gold Louis pattern, laureate head and draped bust 1640, A, Paris. Obv. LVDOVICVS. XIII. D. G. FRANC. ET. NAV. REX. Laureate and draped bust of the King, facing right, bellow (date). Rev. CHRISTVS. REGNAT. VINCIT. ET. IMPERAT. Cross composed by 8 Ls, each arm crowned, with A in a circle at the center, confined by four lilies diverging from the center. Dy.1293 - G.63 - Drs (1987) PP2 - Kind BnF 1467 (TL) and 1468 (TC) - Fr.405 ; Gold - 67,18g - 48 mm - 6h. NGC AU DETAILS CLEANED. Tiny old cleaning with some scratches on the obverse. Regular and homogeneous wear. The fields are burnished by little manipulation marks, with a golden patina. Very rare.

The making of Gold multiples to the modules of 8 or 10 Louis by Jean Warin is known by two documents from the National Archives, published and analyzed by Fernand Arbez and Christian Charlet, Une médaille d'or de 100 livres, à l'effigie de Louis XIII, volée et restituée à Jean Warin en 1641, BSFN, march 2014, p.66-70. The gold multiples of 54 grams or 67.5 grams are described as 8 and 10 gold Louis coins since 1878 and the work of Hoffmann. This denomination has been taken over by Ciani in 1926, Duplessy in 1989 and 1999, Droulers in various editions, etc. However, F. Leblanc in 1690 describes those coins as pleasure coins. More recently, for J. Lafaurie and P. Prieur, in the third unpublished volume of their work, Les Monnaies des Rois de France, those examples are patterns of non-chosen types. The documents from the archives published by Arbez and Charlet confirm the date of those patterns engraved by Jean Warin in 1640. Nevertheless, those monetiform patterns didn't have any legal value. We choose the denomination 8 (or 10) Gold Louis pattern.

MDC Monaco, 27 Avenue de la Costa, 98000 Monaco (+377) 93 25 00 42 – info@mdc.mc – www.mdc.mc