Hirsch catalogs
Large catalogs, green card cover, typically with about one-third ancient coins and the rest world coins and medals. Moderate-value, or sometimes even low-value coins photographed on many page plates at the end.
   Their willingness to photograph many coins of low to moderate value means these catalogs can be a good reference for low-value coins not often illustrated in catalogs of other firms. For example, Greek silver fractions are very well represented in most issues 191ff.  Among all firms, they have by far the most Greek silver fractions, with many issues having over 50 pieces.

Issues strong in Greek fractions:  171, 173, 191, 192, 195, 196, 198, 201, 202, 204, 206, 208, 209, 212, 220, 221, 223, 226, 227, 229, 231, 233, 234.
    Others issue not listed in between these usually have some Greek fractions, but not so many.

Most issues do not have an evident special emphasis, but a few do:
150 (hoard coins from Messana)
152 (hoard coins from Metapontum)
165 (Bosporus)
214 (Lydian dynasts)

177 (1993) -188  MV. MQP. Many coins of Rhodes. I think they must have been disbursing a large hoard.  Auction 177 was the first of their catalogs with a concentration on Rhodes. It had a page plate and a half of didrachms and drachms.  Auction 178 had 56 pieces.  And so on for 12 auctions through issue 187 with 27 (including a tetradrachm) and Auction 188 (in 1995), which had only 26 nice pieces from Rhodes among 38 page plates of ancient coins. Most of the issues have more (40-60) page plates of ancient coins. I have seen the succeeding issues, but I judge the hoard disbursal to be over with issue 188.

160 (1988 Nov. 23-25) 30 ppl of ancients among 74 ppl. 45 nice Turkoman bronze
167 (1990, Sept. 26-29) 54 ppl of ancients among 131 ppl. 42 nice Turkoman bronze.

193 (1997, Feb. 19) VHV. VHQP. 135 Roman gold, all life size and enlarged, in color. Not the usual Hirsch format, but much better.
    Roman gold (135)

217  35 ppl among 96.  some glare
230  Hardcover, all in color, few ancients

244  2006, Feb. is in B&W
245 has 2 color ppl among 4, 32 ppl ancients among 82.

247 is all in color, and the color photos are better than their B&W photos had been.

328 (2017, May 10) 811 ancients. M-LV, but some gold.

Back to the main page.