Coins

At the risk of sounding pedantic, the coin illustrated on the Back Page (ATG No 2651) regarding Tim Millett’s book on engraved coins is a coin of William III (not George III), so some hundred years earlier than stated.

BADA dealer Timothy Millett, a specialist in historical medals and related works of art, says today’s election debates have nothing on an 18th century hustings.

The industry-standard reference book for British coins has been sold by Spink to fellow London numismatic dealership and auction house Sovereign Rarities.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including The London Coin Fair moving to a new venue in Hammersmith for 2024.

Daniel Fearon has raised an interesting issue, concerning the British Museum’s name change to their Department of Coins and Medals, on which Brian Clivaz and Michael Graham-Stewart have since commented, not entirely uncritically (Letters, ATG Nos 2632 and 2633).

I recently received an online numismatic journal that informed me that The Department of Coins and Medals at the British Museum has undergone a reorganisation.

Soon after the Italian coin engraver Benedetto Pistrucci moved to England in 1815, he received a prestigious task from William Wellesley-Pole, the Master of the Mint. He was commissioned with the creation of a series of new gold coins for George III.

Noonans was the dominant player in the London coins and medals auction market in 2023 with a market share of almost 32%, ATG’s exclusive annual special report reveals.

The 1705 silver crown is one of the key rarities in the Queen Anne (1702-14) series.

A Swiss gold coin that only appears at auction once every few years is the 1740 Basel triple ducat. To one face is a grand winged basilisk and to the other a view of the city from the east above eight coats of arms.

A remarkable Canadian single-owner collection of coins of the East India Company was offered by Noonans on February 8-9, 2023.

One of the great masterpieces of ancient Greek numismatic art, this silver tetradrachm was struck in c.460BC in commemoration of the refounding of the city of Naxos. Its citizens had been exiled to Leontinoi by the tyrant Hieron of Syracuse.

Mithradates IV was ruler of the Hellenistic kingdom of Pontus in northern Anatolia from 169-150BC. He ushered in a period of relative friendship with the Roman republic that would continue until his grandson Mithradates VI (the Great) became its most formidable and determined opponent. Mithradates IV’s coinage draws attention to his Persian and Greek origins.