NEW YORK, NY.- Spink announced the sale of Islamic and Foreign Coins: The Susquehanna Collection and the Dr Allam Collection which Spink will be holding on the 15th January at the Waldorf Astoria during the International Numismatic Convention in New York. A sale packed with choice rarities from a particularly exotic corner of the globe.
This sale boasts some truly magnificent gems, for example: lot 74, a Lebanese Olympic Committee Gold Medal Originally for Presentation to Gabriel Gemayel, ca. 1972. It forms an elegant 18k gold link bracelet with the medals hanging apendant. Gemayel's name has been deliberately effaced with a line of circle punches on the Olympic Committee Gold Medal. The bracelet also bears a 27th Olympiad, Rome 1960 Commemorative Gold Medal showing an athlete holding up torch with a wolf suckling Romulus and Remus on the reverse. There is also Summer Olympics, Munich 1972 Commemorative Gold Archery Medal showing an ancient archer kneeling left with large Olympics logo; "Olympische-Spiele München 1972" and the City emblem below on the reverse.
Its intended owner, Gabriel Gemayel, founded Lebanon's National Olympic Committee in 1947 and was its head. He organized the first Pan-Arab Games, and was an active figure in Lebanon's sports world until his death in 1987. His brother, Pierre Gemayel, founded the Kata'eb Party (Phalangist) and was a long-time parliamentary power-broker in Lebanon. His nephew, Bachir was assassinated after serving less than a month as Lebanon's president in 1982, while his other nephew, Amine Gemayel, who succeeded his brother, served as Lebanon's President from 1982 to 1988. A rare and exciting group of that will spark interest for being both an Olympic and Lebanese item of historical significance. Lot 74, estimated: $2,500 to $3,000
One of the crowning jewels of this sale is lot 163, an Egyptian Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos, restored (55-51 BC). AR Tetradrachm. From the exotic city of Alexandria, in regnal year 28 (54/53 BC). Its obverse bears a diademed Ptolemy head facing right. A very rare coin fit to grace the most discerning collector. This coin paved the way for the iconic Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra.
In 59 BC, Ptolemy XII, called Auletes ("the flute player"), formed a formal alliance with Rome, after bribing Julius Caesar and Pompey with 6,000 talents. His name was inscribed onto the list of friends and allies of the people of Rome. And it was to Rome he fled the next year - forced away by an Alexandrian mob angered over Ptolemy's inaction after the Roman conquest of Cyprus. Auletes was only able to recover his throne in 55 BC by paying the hefty sum of 10,000 talents to the Roman general Aulus Gabinius to invade Egypt. After falling ill four years later, Auletes made his daughter Cleopatra (VII) co-regent.
These items and many many more will be available in this auction. Spink is delighted to have been involved in the New York INC and proud to present three auctions during the show itself.
