Parthia, Persis, and Elymais - Ancient coin references
These themes are grouped together because most catalogs with Parthian coins also have coins of Persis and Elymais (and often Sasanian coins). If a catalog does not have much in the way of coins of Parthia, but does have a good selection of coins of Persis or Elymais, see the corresponding sections below.
Books. Articles. Sale catalogs.
Parthian coins are not rare, and most catalogs from major firms have some Parthian coins. This list of catalogs singles out those catalogs worth acquiring and filing together because they offer good collections and would be very informative to a serious collector. The most important and desirable catalogs are at the top of the list. Some relevant books are listed below.
Parthia.com is an amazing site about Parthia and its coins. It has well-designed pages of everything from history to identifying and distinguishing rulers with similar coins, and even page on Roman coins that refer to Parthia (because of war). It is very well illustrated and has virtually everything there is to know about Parthian coins.
Parthian Coins and History, by Fred B. Shore. 1993. Hardcover, 188 pages, incuding 87 pages that relate history to the coins, followed by 483 illustrated coins from the Shore collection, plus a list of another 150 AE types in the collection. A major reference. There is a supplemental pamphlet of values by ruler and grade. Also, CNG 36 sold that collection and used the same lot numbers as Shore numbers in the book.
The Coinage of Parthia, second edition, by David Sellwood. 1980. Hardcover, 322 pages, plus 10 page plates of illusrations of the types. A complete list of types and varieties, with commentary (in calligraphic handwriting; it is not typeset). Legends are repeated in drawings and known dates, months, monograms, etc. are all listed. It is not as easy to use, and not as well-illustrated, as Shore, but significantly more thorough.
Catalogue of Elymaean Coinage, ca. 147 B.C. - A.D. 228., by van't Haaff, P.A. 2007. Hardbound. 167 pp., including in-text illustrations, charts, and tables. Available from CNG.
Elymais Coins, by Hassan Pakzadian. 2007. Mesopotamia, and Persia. Hardcover. A bilingual book, most of which is in Pharsi, but 29 pages are in English and the coins, of which there are almost 600 illustrated, are labeled by ruler in English. There are 16 page plates of color photos and 772 B&W somewhat enlarged photos, plus other figures.
The Cambridge History of Iran, volume 3, part 1. Hardcover, 1983. A wonderful and extensive discussion of the history of Parthian coins by David Sellwood, illustrated with 107 well-photographed examples, plus a section on Persis, Elymais, and Characene with another 51 coins illustrated. Also, it has an extensive discussion of Sasanian coins by Robert Gobl, with 54 illustrated, and an extensive discussion of other coins of the "trans-oxiana" central Asian region (Chorasmian, Sogdian, Hunnish. etc.) and 105 coins illustrated.
BMC Greek: Parthia. Available online (legally, it is old) at http://archive.org/details/cataloguecoinsp01wrotgoog
Hardcover. 289 pages plus 37 page plates (of poor illustrations not up to modern standards). Originally published in 1903. Attributions of Parthian coins are still controversial, so do not expect these attributions to be currently accepted.
BMC Greek: Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Persia. Available online (legally, it is old) at http://archive.org/details/cataloguegreekco00brit
Hardcover, 359 pages and 55 page plates. Originally published in 1922. Persis is discussed clx-clxxxi and cataloged 195-244 and illustrated on plates 28-37. Elymais is discussed clxxxii-cxciii and cataloged 245-288 and illustrated on plates 38-42. (Illustrations are poor and not up to moden standards.)
Parthia
New York Sale XXXVII (2016 Jan. 5-6) [Markov, Baldwin's M&M Numismatics Ltd., Goldberg] "The Sunrise Collection of Parthian, Persis, and Sasanian Coins" and the "Alexander White III Collection of Byzantine and Medieval Coins" . 229 Parthian, 113 Persis, 322 Sasanian, 91 Byz, 77+2 G, 4 Aksumite, 4 Merovingian, 3 Carolingian, 6 DA gold, 10 +17 Anglo-Saxon, 3 RR, 70 RI, 59 Byz, 35 ancient India, 45 Arabic
229 Parthian, 113 Persis, 322 Sasanian
Peus 388 (2006, Nov. 1) 1244 ancients and 241 Arabic, all in color. 222 G, 54 Persis, 458 Parthian, 16 Sas, 12 Central Asia, 276 RR, 118 RI, 29 Byz, 7 DA, 27 Arab-Sas. [This is a very beautiful catalog with an outstanding collection -- a reference work in itself.]
Persis (54), Parthian (458), Roman Republican (276)
CNG 36 (12/95) 2069 ancients among 2542, plus 3 color E among 4, plus 286 Papal. 528 Parthian (Shore collection), 487 G, 42 Aes grave, 72 RR, 168 RI, 5 DA, 22 Byz, 369 Armenian, 5 Turkoman, 9 Hephtalites, 3 Celtic England, 14 Anglo-Saxon, 32 Viking, 4 English. [The Parthian coin lot numbers are the same as the Shore book's coin numbers. Quite a few of the commoner types with minor varieties are not photographed, but all the significant variants are.]
Parthian (528, but not all photographed), Aes grave (42), Armenian (369), Viking (32), Pegasus silver (80)
CNG 83 is Triton XIII (2010, Jan. 5-6) in two volumes plus a thin third volume sent only upon request, consisting of photos of the coins in just four multiple-coin lots offered in volume 2.
Volume 1: 814 ancients, all in color and almost all with enlargements in color. 278 G, 7 RR, 134 RI, 21 Byz gold, 1 pair of dies, "The Todd Ballen Collection of Parthian and Related Coinage" 329, 4 Elymais, 16 Persis, 1 Georgia, 2 Indo-Parthian.
Parthian (329)
Volume 2: 707 ancients and 151 lots from the "Leonard O. Greenfield Collection of Medieval European Coinage" among 1125 lots, all in color and many with enlargements in color. 364 G, 12 Oriental G, 5 Sas, 4 Huns, 29 RR, 122 RI, 158 Byz, 151 Medieval, and 267 later (mostly European).
Volume 3 (unnumbered, the "A. K. Collection" listed in volume 2 as lots 1384-1387) with just four large lots fully illustrated: Cappadocia 96 pieces, Syria 55, Antioch 132, and Palmyra 10, all in B&W.
Cappadocia 96 pieces, Syria 55, Antioch 132, and Palmyra 10
New York Sale 34 (2015, Jan. 6) 717 ancients, including "The David Sellwood Collection of Parthian Coins, Part II" (part I was Baldwin's 90, 2014 Sept. 24, part III was Baldwin's 96). 286 G, 198 Parthian from 164 - 38 BC, 31 RR, 188 RI, 14 Byz.
198 Parthian from 164 - 38 BC
Baldwin's 90 and 96
Baldwin's 100 (2016, Sept. 27) 1086 ancients. "David Sellwood Collection of Parthian Coins, Part IV" 1086 ancients. 114 ancient British, 51 continental Celtic, 155 Greek, 110 lots of Parthian from the Sellwood collection, many of them multiple-coin lots, 132 RR, 395 RI, 71 Byz, 5 RR, 44 RI including 24 late Roman silver, 9 Byz.
ancient British (114), Parthian (110)
Peus 363 (4/00) "2500 years of Persian Coinage, Sammlungen Konsul Meyer and Prof. Gobl." Photographed in B&W. 21 early Persian, 50 Persis, 18 Elymais, 126 Parthian, 144 Sasanian, 12 Iranian Huns, 247 Arab-Sasanaian (Wow!), 649 early Arabic (Wow! "One of the most important and extensive collections of the Islamic coinage of Persia in Europe"), on 54 ppl among 58.
Persis (50), Elymais (18), Parthian (126), Sasanian (144), Iranian Huns (12), Arab-Sasanaian (247, wow!), early Arabic (649), wow!
Peus 376 (2003, 29-30 Oct.) 1248 ancients plus 171 Byz seals and 208 Arabic among 1627 lots, photographed in B&W. 90 Celtic. 470 G (including about 120 Greek fractions), 238 Parthian "Sammlung Derfler," a major collection, 6 Sasanian, 21 North Africa, 0 RR, 274 RI, 148 Byz, 171 Byz seals, with very extensive comments
Parthian (238), Byzantine seals (171), Greek fractions (120)
Munz Zentrum (Munz Zentrum, Koln = Cologne, Germany) 27 (1976, Nov. 3) "Bedutende Sammlung Orientalen" 894 ancients (most photographed, but many not) plus 351 Arabic. 119 G, 68 RR, 296 RI (including 55 excellent Postumus), 15 Byz, 1 Arabia, 4 Elymais, 134 Parthian, 25 Elymais, 203 Sas (75 not photographed), 13 Bactrian, 11 Arab-Byz, 10 Tarbistan, 13 Crusader, 49 Turkoman AE
Parthian (134), Sasanian (128), Arabic (351)
Malter 51 (1993, June 2) MV. MQP. 385 ancients on 14 ppl in B&W plus 6 ppl of antiquities. 124 G, 18 RR, 36 RI, 14 Byz, 193 Parthian ("The Dr. M. Abgarian Persian coin collection"), 10 large Elymais
Parthian (193)
Berk
1995, March 3 "CICF" sale (not in his regular run of buy-or-bid catalogs, but it would be #85 1/2. 268 ancients on 9 ppl plus 4 color ppl.
103 excellent Parthian coins, plus 3 of Persis. 22 also in color.
CNG 12 (1990, March 17) mbs. MQP. 1340 ancients mmong 1523. 307 Roman Egypt (Wetterstrom part I), 178 G, 77 Parthian, 89 RP, 106 RR, 275 RI, 152 Byz (many AE), 30 Turkoman, 17 English
Roman Egypt (307), Turkoman (30), Parthian (77, "Charles Wolfe Collection")
Malter XXIII (1982, Sept. 23-25) MV. MQP. 404 ancients, 59 G, 9 Jewish, 3 Nabataea, 7 Arabia Felix, 4 Characene, 85 Parthian, 9 Elymais, 26 Sasanian, 9 Arab-Sas, 3 Turkoman, plus 3 ppl of Indo-Scythian, Indo-Parthian, Kushans, and India.
Parthian (85)
CNG 59 was Triton V (1/02) in two volumes, Part I is the "David Freedman collection of Greek bronze coins" 600 G AE. Many enlargements throughout + 5 color E.
Greek AE (600) highest quality Greek AE coins.
Part II: 1341 ancients among 1498, many enlargements throughout + 16 color E among 20. 551 G, 65 Parthian (mostly superb tetradrachms from a hoard, 26 of Mithradates II), 10 Baktria, 103 RP (including important myths including the labors of Herakles), 22 RR cast AE, 27 RR, 402 RI (including 23 rare Gordian III from the George His collection), 2 DA, 76 Byz, 4 Celtic England, 2 English DA, 16 pennies
Roman Provincial (103, including important myths including the labors of Herakles), Parthian tetrdrachms (65 hoard coins, 26 of Mithradates II), Gordian III (23), 2 dies
CNG 58 (9/01) mbs. 1766 ancients among 2159. 835 G, 58 Parthian, 89 RP, 93 RR, 347 RI, 6 DA, 82 Byz, 4 Celtic England, 2 English DA,
249 late Anglo-Saxon ("Conte collection")
late Anglo-Saxon ("Conte collection")(249), Alexander the Great (130), Parthian (58)
Lanz 102 (5/01) MV. HQP. 1125 ancients on 48 ppl + 7 ppl of color enlargements. 349 G (including 28 rarer Parthian), 727 R, 36 Byz, 11 DA.
Parthian (28, rarer types)
Four part article, very well illustrated, in Malter's "Collector's Journal of Ancient Art,"
1982, Spring (volume 4.1) "The Maurice Quam collection of Parthian coins, Part I" by Richard Olson. Pages 2-7, illustrating and discussing 58 coins. (Pre-Mithradatic period - Phraates III, (211 BC-57 BC) Another 19 Parthian coins are offered for sale.
1982, Fall (volume 4.2) Part II. Pages 10-15 illustrate and discuss 68 pieces, Mithradates III to Vologases II (58 BC- 90 AD).
1983, Fall (volume 4.3) Part III. ges 19-24 illustrate and discuss 101 pieces, Vologases III - Artabanus IV (111- 227 AD).
1984, Winter (volume 4.4) Part IV. Part IV is only a bibliography and a chart of the evolution of letter forms, with no coins illustrated.
Journal of Numismatic Fine Arts (an early NFA fixed price list), volume 1.2, Feb- March, 1971, has a 6 page article "The 'Unknown King'" by Joel Malter on a hoard relevant to the unknown king of c. 80 BC with facing bust, with 47 coins form the hoard illustrated (11 facing bust) and 27 Parthian coins for sale (the numbers on the bottom two rows were in error; corrected numbering is in the next issue).
Persis
Berk 120 (5/01) buy-or-bid 70 pieces. A good selection.
Peus 386 (2006, April 26) MV, HQP. 928 ancients plus 239 Arabic. All in color plus some enlargements. 315 G, 9 pre-Islamic Arabia, 59 Persis, 14 Elymais, 63 Parthia, 19 Sas, 185 RR, 221 RI, 43 Byz.
Persis (59)
Peus 343 (1995, April 26-28) Two volumes. 718 ancients among 2924 on 31 ppl plus 8 ppl Arabic among 157 ppl. 215 G, 18 Persis, 8 Elymais, 52 Parthian, 32 Sas, 17 RR, 367 RI including 196 late Roman Trier, 9 Arab-Sas, 12 Arab-Byz, plus 313 Arabic.
late Roman AE of Trier (196)
Gorny 42 (10/88) 953 ancients among 982 + a few enlargements throught. 474 G, 17 Persis, 383 R, 80 Byz.
Note: Malter catalogs are often strong in Parthia, Sasanian, and coins of Persis.
Malter 24 (4/94) 24 pieces
Malter XXVII (6/84) 25 pieces
Malter 55 (11/93) 24 pieces
Malter 57 (1994, April 9) 528 ancients among 450 on 19 ppl among 20. 429 G, 47 Parthian, 24 Persis, 19 RI
Parthian (47), Persis (24)
Malter XXXII (11/85) 7 pieces
Malter 33(6/86) 6 pieces
Malter XLIV (5/90) 6 pieces
Gorney 44, 7 pieces
Peus 334 (11/92) 7 pieces
Articles: (woefully incomplete)
Tyler-Smith, Susan. "A parcel of Persis drachms, half drachms and obols" The Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. 164 (2004), p. 253-271 : plates 29-33.
Contains bibliographical footnotes.
231 pieces, most very well-photographed on 5 page plates. Subdivisions of Alram's types have been made when appropriate.
Gonnella, Robert. "New evidence for dating the reign of Vonones I," Numismatic Chronicle 161 (2001) 67-73, pl.30-31
Sellwood, David. "New Parthian coin types," Numismatic Chronicle 149 (1989) 162-168, pl.42
Numismatic Chronicle 161 (2001)
To look into:
Sotheby (May 2000)
Rian Thum's Collection
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