Chicago International Coin Fair Auction Results

[DALLAS, TX] — This was our biggest-ever offering of Ancient coins and the results, thanks to you, our devoted clientele, were little short of spectacular! Heritage sold more than 1,800 Ancient coins in this, our most successful CICF auction to date, generating more than $5.25 million, as part of an immense offering of nearly 6,000 Ancient and World coins that realized over $15 million. The auction featured three anchor collections: The Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection of Greek and Roman gold coins, formed by a Californian of Greek decent from the mid-1980s to early 2000s; the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection of Greek, Judean and Roman Coins, assembled by a prominent Singaporean physician who is one of the most active current collectors of Ancients; and the Lexington Collection, a select and carefully curated holding of gorgeous Greek and Roman coins.

Remarkably, no fewer than five Ancient coins reached or topped $100,000:

A Marc Antony as Triumvir (43-31 BC), AV aureus — one of the highlights of the Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection — sold for $141,000. The portrait aureus of the triumvir Marc Antony comes with a distinguished pedigree dating back to the Mazzini Collection in 1957 and is the plate coin of Xavier Calico's standard reference The Roman Aurei.

A Pertinax (AD 193), AV aureus, from the Lexington Collection, featuring a rare visage of the short-lived Roman emperor, sold for $129,250.

Another coin from the Lexington Collection, an Augustus (27 BC-AD 14), AV aureus, sold for $111,625. The beautiful coin displays Capricorn on the reverse, the natal sign of Rome's first emperor.

While Roman gold took much of the spotlight, an impressive Roman bronze sestertius of Titus (AD 79-81), displaying an obverse image of the famous Colosseum that still stands in Rome, realized $105,750. This was a standout example from the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection, one of the CICF sales anchor collections.

Another Lexington Collection Roman aureus of the Imperatorial era, of the assassin C. Cassius Longinus, brought just a whisker under the century mark, achieving $99,875 including the 17.5% buyer's premium.

Bidding was furious in all categories, as a substantial crowd on the floor competed with a strong "book" of advance bids and a vast internet audience following the sale via HeritageLive.

Heritage will offer the Byzantine portion of the Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection, more than 800 coins, in our fall auction of World and Ancient Coins in New York City, Sept. 17-19.

This is a guest article. The thoughts and opinions in the piece are those of their author and are not necessarily the thoughts of the Certified Collectibles Group.