The Arnold Spaer Collection of Ancient Jewish Coins

Dan Tel Aviv Hotel

Viewing Times

Lots can be viewed at the Dan Tel Aviv Archaeological Center shop (99 Hayarkon St).

• Sun 26 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Mon 27 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Tue 28 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Wed 29 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Thu 30 Oct 2004
  Closed
• Fri 1 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm
• Sat 2 Oct 2004
  Closed
• Sun 3 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Mon 4 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm
• Tue (day of sale) 5 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm

Release Times

• Tue (day of sale) 5 Oct 2004
  After the sale
• Wed 6 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm
• Thu 7 Oct 2004
  Closed
• Fri 8 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm

Contact

Exhibition hall: +972 (3) 524-7960
Fax to send bids: +972 (3) 529-1272
Phone the evening of sale: +972 (3) 520-2924

Herod Agrippa II, Bronze Coin Obverse: Bust of Vespasian to r., laureate. Greek inscription: AYTOKPA OY[ECΠACI KAI]CAPI… #151 ($450 est.) $480 realized Herod Agrippa II, Bronze Coin Obverse: Bust of Titus to r., laureate. Greek inscription: AYTOKP TITOC KAICAPI CEBAC… #152 ($450 est.) $330 realized Herod Agrippa II, Bronze Coin Obverse: Bust of Domitian to r., laureate. Greek inscription: ΔOMITIANOC KAICAP… #153 ($250 est.) $220 realized Herod Agrippa II, Bronze Coin Obverse: Bust of Domitian to r., laureate. Greek inscription: [AYTOKPA ΔOMITIA KAIC]AP… #154 $400 est. Herod Agrippa II, Bronze Coin Obverse: Bust of Domitian to r., laureate. Greek inscription: AYTOKPA ΔOMITIA KAICAP… #155 ($300 est.) $240 realized Herod Agrippa II, Bronze Coin Same as last but with round countermark on obverse depicting head to r. AJC 54a. TJC 181 #156 ($150 est.) $120 realized Herod Agrippa II, Bronze Coin Obverse: Bust of Domitian to r., laureate. Greek inscription: AYTO ΔOMIT "Empe(ror)… #157 ($200 est.) $200 realized Lot of 6 Bronze coins of Agrippa II Best coin depicted. TJC 138d, 140, 148, 156, 164, 175 #158 ($350 est.) $270 realized Lot of 6 Bronze coins of Agrippa II Best coin depicted. TJC 136, 144, 152, 160a, 164, 178 #159 $350 est. Lot of 6 Bronze coins of Agrippa II Best coin depicted. TJC 157, 160a, 162, 165a, 165b, 166 #160 $350 est. Lot of 6 Bronze coins of Agrippa II Best coin depicted. TJC 139b, 155, 156, 165a, 171, 176, 178, 182 #161 $300 est. Silver Shekel Year One Obverse: Large chalice with pearls on the sides; above it, date: 'alef "(year)… #162 ($3500 est.) $4000 realized Silver Shekel Year One Obverse: Small chalice with pearls on the sides; above it, date: 'alef "(year)… #163 $3200 est. Silver Shekel Year One Obverse: Small chalice with pearls on the sides; above it, date: 'alef "(year)… #164 ($3200 est.) $2560 realized Silver Half Shekel Year One Obverse: Large chalice with pearls on the sides; above it, date: 'alef "(year)… #165 ($2800 est.) $2400 realized Silver Half Shekel Year One Obverse: Small chalice with pearls on the sides; above it, date: 'alef "(year)… #166 ($2800 est.) $2000 realized Silver Shekel Year Two Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim, above it, date: sb "y(ear) two". Paleo-Hebrew… #167 ($1800 est.) $2000 realized Silver Shekel Year Two Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim, above it, date: sb "y(ear) two". Paleo-Hebrew… #168 ($1500 est.) $1600 realized Silver Shekel Year Two Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim, above it, date: sb "y(ear) two". Paleo-Hebrew… #169 ($4500 est.) $5500 realized Silver Half Shekel Year Two Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim; above it, date: sb "y(ear) two". Paleo-Hebrew… #170 ($1500 est.) $1400 realized Bronze Prutah Year Two Obverse: Amphora with wide rim, fluted body and two handles. Paleo-Hebrew inscription:… #171 ($250 est.) $320 realized Lot of 4 Bronze Year Two Prutot Best coin depicted. As previous. AJC 11, 11a. TJC 196, 196a #172 ($250 est.) $200 realized Lot of 7 Year Two Bronze Prutot As previous. AJC 11, 11a, 16, 17. TJC 196, 196a, 201, 201a #173 $180 est. Silver Shekel Year Three Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim, above it, date _sg_ "y(ear) three". Paleo-Hebrew… #174 ($1800 est.) $1500 realized Silver Half Shekel Year Three Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim; above it, date: sg "y(ear) three". Paleo-Hebrew… #175 ($1700 est.) $1300 realized Silver Half Shekel Year Three Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim; above it, date: sg "y(ear) three". Paleo-Hebrew… #176 ($600 est.) $650 realized Bronze Prutah Year Three Obverse: Amphora with wide rim, fluted body, two handles and lid. Paleo-Hebrew inscription:… #177 ($100 est.) $120 realized Silver Shekel Year Four Obverse: Chalice with pearls on the rim, above it, date: sd "y(ear) four". Paleo-Hebrew… #178 ($15000 est.) $16500 realized Large Bronze, "Year Four Half" Obverse: Palm tree with seven branches, with two baskets of dates. Paleo-Hebrew inscription:… #179 ($1500 est.) $4800 realized Large Bronze, "Year Four Half" Obverse: Palm tree with seven branches, with two baskets of dates. Paleo-Hebrew inscription:… #180 ($1500 est.) $3800 realized Medium Bronze, "Year Four Quarter" Obverse: Etrog (citrus fruit). Paleo-Hebrew inscription: lg'lt sywn "For the redemption… #181 ($800 est.) $1200 realized Medium Bronze, "Year Four Quarter" Similar to the last but different axis. AJC 29, TJC 213 #182 ($200 est.) $350 realized Small Bronze, "Year Four (Eighth)" Obverse: Chalice with pearls on rim. Paleo-Hebrew inscription: lg'lt sywn "For… #183 ($200 est.) $260 realized Small Bronze, "Year Four (Eighth)" Obverse: Chalice with pearls on rim. Paleo-Hebrew inscription: lg'lt sywn "For… #184 ($200 est.) $160 realized Small Bronze, "Year Four (Eighth)" Similar to the last but struck on a large flan. AJC 30a. TJC 214a #185 $100 est. Small Bronze, "Year Four (Eighth)" Obverse: Chalice with pearls on rim. Retrograde Paleo-Hebrew inscription: lg'lt sywn… #186 ($150 est.) $120 realized Small Bronze, "Year Four (Eighth)" Similar to the last, struck with the same pair of dies. AJC 30d. TJC 214d #187 ($150 est.) $120 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Year two (133-134 AD). Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem, with the… #188 ($4500 est.) $3800 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Year two (133-134 AD). Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem, with the… #189 ($4200 est.) $3800 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Year two (133-134 AD). Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem, with the… #190 ($3700 est.) $2900 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Year two (133-134 AD). Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem, with the… #191 ($3500 est.) $3400 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Year two (133-134 AD). Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem, with the… #192 ($3200 est.) $2600 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Undated, attributed to year 3 (134-135 AD). Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of… #193 ($1800 est.) $1700 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Undated, attributed to year 3 (134-135 AD). Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of… #194 ($1800 est.) $1700 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem, with the Ark of the Covenant. Wavy… #195 ($1900 est.) $3000 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem, with the Ark of the Covenant. Wavy… #196 ($1800 est.) $1700 realized Shimon Bar Kokhba, Silver Tetradrachm or Sela Crude style. Obverse: Tetrastyle facade of the Temple of Jerusalem. Paleo-Hebrew inscription:… #197 ($1800 est.) $3200 realized Eleazar the Priest, Silver Denarius or Zuz Obverse: Bunch of grapes. Paleo-Hebrew inscription: snt 'ht lg'lt ysr('l) "Year… #198 ($15000 est.) $18000 realized Eleazar the Priest, Silver Denarius or Zuz Obverse:. Paleo-Hebrew inscription: in wreath: sm' "Shim(on)". Reverse: One handle… #199 ($2800 est.) $2200 realized Eleazar the Priest, Silver Denarius or Zuz Obverse: Paleo-Hebrew inscription in wreath: sm' "Shim(on)". Reverse: One handle… #200 ($2200 est.) $1600 realized Page 4 of 7 pages « First  <  2 3 4 5 6 >  Last »

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Terms and Conditions

Venue

Dan Tel Aviv Hotel, Tuesday, 5 October 2004 at 9:00pm

Catalog ($15)

Viewing

Items available for review at the Dan Tel Aviv Archaeological Center shop (99 Hayarkon St) on:

• Sun 26 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Mon 27 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Tue 28 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Wed 29 Sep 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Thu 30 Oct 2004
  Closed
• Fri 1 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm
• Sat 2 Oct 2004
  Closed
• Sun 3 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 9:00pm
• Mon 4 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm
• Tue (day of sale) 5 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm

Release

Items released on:

• Tue (day of sale) 5 Oct 2004
  After the sale
• Wed 6 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm
• Thu 7 Oct 2004
  Closed
• Fri 8 Oct 2004
  10:00am - 4:00pm

Contact

Exhibition hall: +972 (3) 524-7960
Fax to send bids: +972 (3) 529-1272
Phone the evening of sale: +972 (3) 520-2924

Bankers

Archaeological Center Ltd.
Acct#: 566666
Bank Hapoalim, Jaffa, Israel
Jerusalem Blvd., Branch #611
Swift Code: POALILIT

Introduction by Arnold Spaer

My collection of Jewish coins has been formed over a period of about 65 years. I have been a collector all my life, for which I cannot offer a logical explanation. Indeed, my first coin came from a hoard of Constantinian folles which I bought when I was about 8 years old and still lived in what was then the Free State of Danzig and which apparently had been found there.

In spite of constant advice by eminent friends like the late George Zacos in Istanbul and Dr. Leo Mildenberg in Zurich, I never learned to insist on a coin being in perfect condition before buying it. I was much more interested in rarity and historical association.

My first Seleucid coin I bought and indexed in Jerusalem, then British-mandated Palestine, in the spring of 1940 on the assumption that it was a tetradrachm of Alexander the Great.

At that time I was an articled clerk in a law office. To get to work I had to pass by a book shop in downtown Jerusalem four times a day. Outside this shop sat an elderly bearded gentlernan on a wooden orange crate. His official occupation was the sale of small Hebrew pocket diaries for about one penny each. He used to wear two waistcoats beneath a black frock-coat, as was the custom of Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. In each of the eight pockets of the waistcoats he kept ancient coins of all types and the implements to clean them (a screw and some sand). During each of my first three daily passings, we negotiated about the possible acquisition of coins. At the time it was quite customary to bargain for a fortnight about whether a Roman denarius should cost an English shilling, or perhaps 13 pence. His coins came mainly from Arab peasants living around Jerusalem, and quite frequently he would buy hoards of coins of all periods.

Originally, I collected coins up to a cut-off date of AD 1492, the end of the Middle Ages. In the course of the years, I began to prefer three series: Seleucid, Phoenician and Crusader. However, I still cannot resist the temptation to buy coins when they appear on the market and look interesting. This way my Jewish coins, here catalogued, were acquired, though I never concentrated on them, as there seemed too much competition.

Perhaps at least some part of my other 6500 coins will be found deserving of publication (2919 Seleucid coins were already published in Sylloge Numinorum Graecorum; Israel I: Arthur Houghton and Arnold Spaer, 1998. The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins. Jerusalem).

Coin buying then had a strong social flavor, because one used to spend several hours in a shop having coffee, discussing politics and life in general, the business part being only incidental to the conversation.

Many of my suppliers of that period have unfortunately passed on, but many others have remained good friends, notwithstanding periods of political tension. I used to go through these shops at least once a week, and quite often, if something important came onto the market, the dealers involved would telephone me or come to my office. In this respect my profession as a lawyer gave me definite advantages because in our troubled period antiquity dealers, though licensed, very often required professional assistance.

There are some good pieces in the collection which were offered and bought through personal connections. Of course I also remember other coins that I did not buy because no agreement was reached on the price, or because I was too slow. Sometimes I feel that the collection I missed might have been better than the one I have collected.

Fortunately, with acquisitions came a more profound interest in the historical angle, the attribution and identification of coins and the study of coinage in general. Being a pedant, I used to write up an index card for each coin acquired, however unimportant, giving n full description and details of acquJBition and, insofar as known, provenance.

Collecting involves a certain element of treasure-hunting and treasure-hunting in turn involves memories of funny incidents, successes and disappointments. I could continue to tell these for many pages but I think I have done enough to try to mellow the dryness of the catalogue to follow.

Arnold Spaer

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