• Classical Numismatic Group Sale 32 Wednesday· December 7, 1994 • 2 PM in conjunction with the NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL A Public & Mail Bid Sale of AV Greek' Roman Republican • Roman Imperial' Byzantine' World' British Also incll/ding a mail bid only section of books featl/ring tIle Numismatic Library of Dr. Frank J. Novak OUR CURRENT LIST' XIX, 4 • OUT October 24, 1994 Tlw Classical Numismatic Review Featuring over 500 coins at fixed prices Holiday edition of our Book List also available Write for a complimentary copy of both Catalogue with prices realized $15/£10. Contact either our U.s. or U.K office. Seaby Coins Eric J. McFadden, Senior Director 14 Old Bond Street London WIX 4JL, United Kingdom (0171) 495-1888, Fax (0171) 499-5916 Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Victor England, Senior Director Post Office Box 479 (j) Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17608-0479 (j). (717) 390-9194, Fax (717) 390-9978 • INSIDE THE CELATOR... Vol. 8, No. 11 FEATURES November 1994 6 Astrological omens commemorated The CeitlToJ( on Roman coins: The Ides of March Incorporating Roman Coins and Culture by Michael R . Molnar Publisner/Senior Editor Wayne G. Sayles 16 Sasanian bronze coins Editor minted in Alexandria Steven A. Sayles Page 6 by Ed Dobbins Office M anager The Ides of March by Michael R. Molnar Stephanie Schultz 34 The case of the curious coin of Production Ass t. Caligula: A provincial bronze Nick Popp restruck with legend-only dies M I Parnell Nelson by Thomas P. McKenna The Cefator (ISSN 1# 10480986) is an 45 The sword of peace independent journal by Norman A. Rubin published on the first day 01 each month at 141 Lodi Street, Lodi, WI 53555. It is circulated internationally DEPARTMENTS through subscriptions Page 16 and special distributions. Sasanian bronze coins Subscription rates, by Ed Dobbins 2 The Gelator's Point of View payable in U.S. fu nds, are $27 per year (second 4 Leiters to the Editor - Quotes from the Past class) within the United States; $30 to Canada; 12 Antiquities by David Liebert $48 per year to all other addresses (Air Printed 22 Coins of the Bible by David Hendin Matter). Advertising and copy deadline is 24 Through the Looking Glass by David L. Vagi the lirst 01 each month. Unsolicited articles 26 People in the News - Profiles in Numismatics and news releases are welcome, however 28 Just for Beginners by Wayne G. Sayles publication cannot be guaranteed. Second 30 Coming Events class postage paid Page 34 (USPS #006077) The curious coin of Caligula 32 Art and the Market at Lodi, WI 53555. by Thomas P. McKenna Copyri ght ©1994, 42 Book News Celator, Inc. Postmaster: send address Long Before Columbus by Joe Rose About the cover: 46 changes to P.O. Box 123, Reverse of a Brutus "Eid Mar" Ladi, WI 53555 50 Coin File - Trivia - Humor denarius commemorating the assassination of Julius Cae­ 608-592-4684 51 Professional Directory (same lor FAX, after hours sar. Photo courtesy of Clas­ activate with asterisk sical Numismatic Group, Inc. 60 Index of Advertisers· Classifieds on touch tone phone) Deadline for the December issue is Tuesday, November 1 portive member of the ANS and to avai l themselves of the many benefits and servi ces offered by the society. More information about membership may be obtained by writing to Arlene • • Jacobs at The American Num ismati c Society, Broadway at IS5th, New Commentary by Wayne G. Sayles York, NY 10032, or by ca ll ing (21 2) 234-3130. Although the ancient coin market sti ll remains a little soft, the Boston new day may be dawning for the bou rse noor opening being coordi­ International was in my opi nion oneof 1 collectors of ancient coins. na ted with the symposium adjourn­ the most enj oyable and productive We reported, some months ment. This proved to be an excellent conventions that I have evcr attended. 11 back, the notable success ofa arrangement, with the symposium and It was very much a social as well as numi smatic sy mposium at Berkeley bourse benefi ting mutually. The two­ commercial event and collectors came which brought together rcpresentati ves session auction (Friday and Saturday great di stances to participate. We of the collecti ng, academic and insti· evenin gs) held by Classical Numis­ spoke with several West Coast and tutional communities. This month in matic Group also added an important Midwest coll ec tors on the noor, and a Boston we witncsscd an event which elemen t and depth to the overall pro­ few European collectors as well. The may set a new standard for "Interna­ gram. fac ili ties were excellen t. tional" conventions. That wonderful Among the many contri butors who Accordi ng to Lucien Birkler, the forum which had been pioneered in deserve credit for assurin g the success convention is scheduled fo r an encore Washington and Berke ley was ex­ of this effort were Da vid Gordon Mit­ on Septcmber 7- 1O, 1995. We applaud panded to include thc professional nu­ te n of Boston's Society Hi storia the efforts of all those involved and mismaticcommunity by combining the Numorum ; Arthur Houghton of the look forward to next year's trip to American Num ismatic Society's"Out­ American Nu mi smatic Society; Peter Boston! reach" symposium with a major coin Weiss of Brown Un iversity;and Lucien • This has been a busy Inonth for all show. Birkler, the BlNC organizer. Without orus: we are mail in g our semi-annual card deck; preparing the annual BestoJ Th e Celator; and fittin g in two shows (Milwaukee and Min neapolis). We "It simply sings to me!" have also produced a new nyer ex­ plaining ou r services and offerings, which is located in the center-fold of There arc always inherent risks in the remarkable cooperation and vision this month's iss ue. an innovative undertakin g like thi s, of these group leaders the idea could I suppose this is the price one has to but risky ve ntures can be all the more not have become reality. Again , as I pay for a vacation in Greece! It was, impressive in their success. Well , sue· suggested following the Berkeley sym­ by the way. a great outi ng. We char· cess was universally ack nowledged in posi um . thi s coalition of academicians, tered a 32-fool Attalia sloop out of the halls of the Swissotel Boston, site hobbyists, and now professional nu ­ Corfu and sailed south as far as Ithaca of the first ann ual Boston In tern ation al mismatists could no t have been and Kephallonia. The weather was Numismatic Convention. The four­ achieved without the good graces and beauti ful, water pristi ne (excepl for day affa ir began Thursday evening with uni ve rsal prestige of the American Levkas harbor), and company par a keynote address by the venerable Numi smatic Society. The implemen­ excellance. We enjoyed huge Greek Leo Mildenberg, followed by a sub­ tation of a serious outreach program salads an d volumes of local wine in scription dinner. Dr. Mildenberg has rapidl y brought the ANS to the some of the most charmin g spots one shared with fellow numismatists a fo refront of our hobby, and has lent a could imagine. On the return leg we "Dream Collection" of coins based on new measure of respectabil ity to the slopped at Actium, whe re Eric his personal stylistic preferences. Ex­ hobby by fac ilitating a long overdue (Mc Fadden) and I stumbled blindly plain ing why a particular tetradrachm in teraction between coll ectors and arou nd the ruin s of Nicopolis. It 's of Cat ana was chosen above all others, scholarly institutions. Wc can notover­ hard to find fault with the world righ t hc admitted " It si mpl y sings to me!". state the importance of thi s initiative. at th is moment! This comment succinctly embodies thc We should keep in mind. however, As you can sce by the Coming essence of collecting and it effectively that the ANS is a non-profit organ iza­ Even ts, this is reall y the season for set thc tone fo r the events which fo l­ tion. It is dependent upon its members ancient coins. Since we always seem lowed. and benefactors for program support to be rattlingon about shows and sales, Symposium speakers from each of and for its very existence. We cer­ why not take a few momen ts to tell us the participating groups held court on tain ly encouragc every reader of The how they look from you r point of Friday and Saturday mornings, with Celator to become an active and sup· view? 2 The Celator Benefit from a 200 Year Old Numismatic Tradition A""" ,,, of Clodi ", AJbi",,, St.ltc·' of Delo< Allre"'" of Diotkti.m Sold on khJlf of" New York Coliecm, Sold on bel",l!" ,,[ !In",, M,lwr Colk" ,- Sol ei a< p.m Df,b" Mclendon l.olknion ",1'-)<)1 turS l}7,SI H III 1<)')2 forS.fU!IWI . ill l'N-, for SJH,5(H>. Christie's ~rJditi on of great ancient coins sales beg;1I1 with our first numismatic allction in London in 1770. In 1982 we began holding regular sales in New York City and, as the highlights above show, we've gone from strength to strength. The benefits of market knowledge and expcrrise developed over two centuries are now available to coll ectors of ancients in the U.S.A. Whether you are building a coll ection or thinking about a sale, we will be delighted to hear from you.