Gemini III, January 9th, 2007



                  Lot # 386 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$6500 / Price 
                  Realized: US$4500 
                  Antinous, Favorite of Hadrian. Bronze medallion, 37-38 mm 



             



            Antinous, Favorite of Hadrian. (). Bronze medallion, 37-38 mm (43.17 
            gm). Bithynia, Bithynium. H ÐÁÔPIC - ÁÍÔÉÍÏÏÍ - ÈÅÏÍ, bare-headed, 
            draped bust left / [BEIÈ]VNI[EÙN AÄPIANÙN], Hermes standing left, 
            holding pedum in left arm and placing right hand on neck of bull 
            standing left beside him. Blum, “Numismatique d’Antinoos,” JIAN XVI 
            (1914), p. 44, 9. Von Mosch, “Antinoos-Medaillons,” SNR 80 (2001), 
            p. 125, 7 (these dies). Recueil General 15. Extremely rare. Good 
            mythological reverse type. Good surfaces with black patination. Bold 
            fine/about fine. 

            According to von Mosch, the reverse type depicts Hermes in the act 
            of stealing cattle from the herd of the gods, a myth recounted in 
            one of the Homeric Hymns. The scene’s connection to Antinous is that 
            his native city of Bithynium was said to have been founded by 
            Arcadians from Mantineia, and Arcadia was the birthplace of Hermes 
            and the site of his cattle theft. 




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  ... Lot 386 sold for high bid of $4500 [ $5175, or approx 4000.275 EUR, 2639.25 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 


Re-used by permission of Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com) and
                         Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)