• Vo/2, No. 12 Numismatic Art of Antiquity DECEMBER 1988 $1.25 Reflection of beauty Greek art pervaded coins by Jan Blamberg Humanist viewpoint and looked to Greek coins have been the object of Classical Greece and Rome for collecting since Ancient times. The inspiration. wealthy Romans of the Republic were The Greek glorification of man and seduced by the beauty of things Greek: his deeds and the Greek effort to give the poetry, buildings. statues, pot­ visual reality to the ideal beauty of tery, fine jewelry and coins. In the the human form have provided an days of the Roman Republic and, to a essential attraction of Ancient Greek lesser extent, the Empire, there was a coinage for centuries. An equally 7kCelotor lingering feeling of discomfort that strong stimulus for collecting Greek an appreciation of the aes thetic coins, however, comes from their qualities of Greek art conflicted with 'historical appeal. One can hold in the manial virtues which the Romans one's hand coinage that circulated in wishes UOU and offi cially prized. Nevertheless, the Periclean Athens. One can own an Greek emphasis on man as the focal ancient portrait of Alexander the point of the Universe and the supreme Great or the famous generals who uoursa mosljOflOUS confidence that man was the measure inherited his empire: Ptolemy, of all things became frrm.1y rooted in Seleukos, Lysimakos and Demeuios Roman civilization. It in turn has Poliorketes. The coins breathe life 9IoliJou &.son inspired and helped shape the into the great empires, historical Humanism of the Renaissance and the personalities and important com­ Neo-Classicism of the 18th Century, mercial center of classical literature, as well as providing the philosophical and bring us closer to the best wishes Jor underpinning of the fledgling Amer­ spectacularly successful as well as ican Republic and the scientific and disastrous human dramas of the industrial revolutions of the 19th ancient world. the coming lIear! Century. The Renaissance, as well as 18th and 19th Century Europe and Please turn to page XXI America, shared this fundamentally Artistic choice Archaic style lived on by Kevin R. Cheek Those of us who truly covet, collect. and admire ancient Greek numismatics and art can readily distinguish the artistic style and compos ition of the H Archaic Period" c.560-480 B.C. from that of the "Classical Period" c.480-336 B.C., but Larissa AR-Drachm recently a numismatic quandary has 460 - 400 B.C. surfaced which is a combination of both artistic periods that may alter country and pride of skillful horse­ Miscellanea .. .. .. .. our mode of thinking and may reshape manship, but a clear explanation of our knowledge of "Class ical Period" the bull wrestler is difficult in that Greek thought and artistic expression. it may simply be a man wrestling a • Smithsonian features Roman coins This numismatic piece (See Fig. I), bull or more likely there is a A travelling exhibition titled "Rome at War as Seen Through C,:,ins" is attributed to Larissa in central mythological theme involved and the currently on display at the Hall of Money and MedaJs In the The~saly c.460-400, illustrates a man bull wrestler may represent a divinity Smithsonian's museum of American History in Washington, D.C. The wrestling a bull on the obverse with a and/or Hercules.2 The latter scenario exhibition will run through June 30. Admission is free. galloping horse on the reverse.l The becomes more concise in that this galloping horse is best explained by issue may intentionally have been • Classical bronzes at Cleveland ancient Thessaly's excellent horse Please turn to page XXIII! The Cleveland Museum of An is currently showing 74 Greek, Etruscan and Roman bronze statuettes as pan of the exhibition "The Human Figure in Classical Bronze". The pieces date from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. and will be on display through January 8. rlNSIDE r-o .... 8.'0 ..". THE CELATOR: • First coin lists issued by dealers 0_ ~"'&'-~ .. Kevin Cheek of Aigai Numismatics and Julius Sebastian ~r The ~ .... S' Centurion Ancient Coins have each announced the release of 'their first '" ,,~ mail list of ancient coins for sale. For sample copies write to Aigai, Point of View II Ill'" 2800 S. University Ave .• #22, Denver, CO 80210 and to The Centurion, Book News 1111 P.O. Box 06704, Portland, OR 97206. People VI Dust VIlli H' • Calciati honored by IAPN Market XII a~i Mr. Romolo Calciati was awarded the International Association of Coin File XVI • n Professional Numismatists Book Prize 1988 in Zurich, October ,29, for Trivia XVI ~: his monumental Corpw Numnwrum Sicu/orum. The three volume work calendar XVIIII -" consists of about 1,000 pages and plateS. Classifieds XXV ~1 Prof. Directory XXVI ~g :::"~ • . II The Celator ·December 1988 Letters to the Editor Dear Editor: wants it. then they will buy it. Anecdotes about who saw this coin or • • • Enjoy your paper and its excellent that object must be discounted. articles. At the recent N.S.D. show The ultimate in these stories Commentary by Wayne G. Sayles here is St. Louis, J mentioned your happened to me about five years ago, paper to several dealers. Was ·when I travelled to Jerusalem and entered a new shop that had recently he month of December is "surprised" so many were familiar Sunday night at 6:00 P.M. the opened. There I looked at a few always exciting for collect­ with it - and their "good" comments. Moreira Collection Sale, Part 2 will Since the word "CelatorH has uninteresting coins. including a rather T ors of ancient coins. partly continue with coins and medals of battered Tyre Shekel. I put it back because of the activity surrounding the several usages. would appreciate an Russia and ancient coins. The ancients into the bo~, when the shop owner New York International Coin Show, editorial comment by you as to your will probably not come on the block said to me: "David Hendin was here and panly because of the holiday use of the word, etc. unJil after 10:00 P.M. (possibly Bruce K. Newman just before a few days. He wanted to spirit which so appropriately takes later) and the 1,000+ 16ts in this St. wuis buy t4at coin. and I think I will send our minds back to the time when category will undoubtedly keep die­ it to him." _ many of our "collectibles" originated. hard bidders up most of the night. (The word Celalor comes from the ['simply smiled and said: "What a It is a time when many of us think in Amidst the excitement of these Latin CaelaJor which is the term used to good idea." terms of biblical coins and coins of auctions, the incredible bourse that describe an artist who works in bas-relief Heresay information will never the early caesars. We seem to focus the International always features. and It is the term used by the ancients help determine whether a coin is more clearly on names and titles that the hustle-bustle of midtown themselves to describe the artists who genuine or false. Only years of carved the dies for striking coins). ring out the history of the time of Manhattan, one should certainly try experience and the actual handling. Christ. Similarly, we tend to to squeeze in a visit to the American cataloging, and working with many idemify with particular symbols and Numismatic Society Museum at 155th ••••• thousands of coins will offer a person images that have become part of OUf and Broadway. Of course one also the technical expertise needed to be Since you keep on and on about culture. In keeping with the holiday should take time to drop in on locals correct most of the time. reader response and bUlging post bags, spirit. David Liebert has entertained like Harmer Rooke, Coin Galleries, No expert is immune from error -­ I thought I'd respond and add to your us this month with an article about Marvin Kagan, Mehrdad Sadigh, and my experience indicates that those ever growing circular file. errors can be to say that a real coin is You said there was a great deal of fake as often as saying that a fake coin "This year's NY International promises to be reponse to your "Turkish Affair" editorial. Are yoil saving them up to is real. Here are three good pieces of every bit as exciting as in past years. " print in a large group? Or what? I for advice for beginners and experts alike: 1. Learn from your mistakes. one would certainly like seeing the 2. Beware of any deal that looks range of opinion you get. Have you too good. also considered reprinting Dr. the Menorah, a candleabra with a Christie's, and Joel Coen who offer a 3. Trust the people you feel fascinating history and one of those Saslow's Coin World editorial? I wide range of ancient coins and comfortable with, but know that in wouldn't be surprised to learn that ancient images that mirror the season. antiqu ities for sale. If you still have the end you are your own expert. This is the seventeenth consecutive many of your readers do not get Coin time on your hands run over to the And I add a postscript for myself. issue in which David has graciously World, for the fairly obvious reason Metropolitan Museum of Art for the' If you are ever told by a dealer as pan shared his knowledge of antiquities that it is primarily for modem coin short tour.