NGC-certified Ancient Greek Coin from Salton Collection Realizes $360,000

An ancient rarity from Sicily realized $360,000, leading the way as nearly 400 ancient Greek coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) were offered in a recent auction. The extraordinary group of nearly 400 ancient coins in the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection was offered by Stack's Bowers in a sale on January 16, 2022.

Achieving $360,000 was the centerpiece of these impressive ancient coins: a Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-400 BC (Kimon) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch VF★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style. One side features a quadriga while the other shows the nymph Arethusa, a patron figure of Syracuse frequently portrayed with dolphins on its coinage. Her headband contains the signature of Kimon, a master engraver whose coinage is highly prized. This coin (lot 4142) far exceeded its pre-auction estimate of $100,000 to $200,000.

Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-400 BC (Kimon) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch VF★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style. Realized: $360,000 Click images to enlarge.

Also generating spirited bidding was a coin with similar design elements: a Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-370 BC (Euainetos) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ch XF★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style. Along with Kimon, Euainetos, the engraver of this example, produced some of the most beautiful ancient coinage. This coin (lot 4143) realized $198,000, more than double its pre-auction estimate of $50,000 to $75,000.

Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-370 BC (Euainetos) Silver Decadrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch XF★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style. Realized: $198,000 Click images to enlarge.

A sortable image gallery with high-quality photos of the ancient Greek coins in this sale is available at NGCcoin.com/salton. Additional selections from the Salton Collection will be offered in the coming months.

Other NGC Ancients-certified highlights in the January 2022 Salton Collection sale included:

• a Sicily, Siculo-Punic c. 264-260 BC Silver 5 Shekels graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 4/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4173) that realized $120,000
• an Arsinoe II (died 270/68 BC) Gold Octodrachm (issued after c. 193/2 BC) graded NGC Ancients MS, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (lot 4382) that realized $78,000
• a Kingdom of Macedon Alexander III (336-323 BC) Gold Distater (lifetime to early posthumous) graded NGC Ancients XF, 5/5 Strike and 2/5 Surface (lot 4188) that realized $63,000
• a Kingdom of Macedon Alexander III (336-323 BC) Gold Distater (lifetime to early posthumous) graded NGC Ancients XF, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (lot 4187) that realized $60,000
• an Elis, Olympia c. 432-420 BC Silver Stater graded NGC Ancients VF★, 4/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4310) that realized $55,200
• a Sicily, Gela c. 420-415 BC Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 4/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4114) that realized $52,800
• a Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-395 BC Gold 100 Litrai graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4152) that realized $50,400
• a Bruttium, Caulonia late 6th Century BC Silver Stater graded NGC Ancients Ch AU★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4071) that realized $49,200
• a Sicily, Syracuse c. 405-395 Gold 100-Litrai graded NGC Ancients AU, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 4153) that realized $45,600
• a Sicily, Catana c. 415-403/2 Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients XF, 4/5 Strike and 1/5 Surface (lot 4108) that realized $43,200

All estimates are provided by the auction house. Prices realized include buyer's premium and are expressed in US Dollars.

Related Link
Image Gallery: Salton Collection of Ancient Greek Coins