These pieces survived empires, invasions, economic collapse and burial beneath forgotten worlds.
Some are older than Christianity itself. And now, thousands of years later, they can be held in your hands.
As part of the McCullagh Collection, Auction 159 will feature an impressive selection of ancient Greek and Roman coinage spanning more than 2,000 years – from the rise of Macedon and Alexander the Great through to the height of Imperial Rome.
And unlike many ancient offerings, these are not low-grade ‘filler’ pieces. The collection includes exceptional gold and silver coins with remarkable artistry, historical significance, and preservation.
Gold of the Ancient World
Few ancient coins stop people in their tracks quite like gold aurei and staters.
The McCullagh Collection includes several standout examples, including a magnificent gold octadrachm of Ptolemy III from ancient Egypt. Struck in Alexandria over 2,200 years ago, the coin still carries astonishing detail and presence today.
Alongside sits the gold aureus of Septimius Severus – one of Rome’s great military emperors. The reverse depicts defeated captives beneath a Roman trophy, ancient propaganda struck directly into gold.
Also featured is a striking gold aureus of Caracalla, issued in A.D. 214 at the height of the Roman Empire.
One of Rome’s most infamous emperors, Caracalla remains remembered for his military ambition, political brutality, and the Constitutio Antoniniana – the decree that extended Roman citizenship across much of the empire.
More than 1,800 years later, the sharp portraiture and rich golden surfaces still project the authority Rome intended the coin to carry.
These were not everyday coins. They were statements of power.
Before Alexander the Great
One of the most historically important coins in the collection belongs not to Alexander, but to his father: Philip II of Macedon.
Philip transformed Macedon into the dominant military power of the Greek world, laying the foundations for Alexander’s later conquests.
Without Philip, there is no Alexander the Great.
The portrait tetradrachm in the collection feels strikingly modern despite being more than 2,300 years old – bold, artistic, and unmistakably royal.
A later tetradrachm is struck in the name of Alexander III himself, a ruler whose image and influence spread across much of the known world.
Presented side-by-side, these coins tell the story of a dynasty that reshaped the ancient world.
Tiny Masterpieces
What surprises many first-time ancient collectors is the artistry.
Coins like the silver stater of Kherei or the dramatic facing-head didrachm of Pixodaros are miniature sculptures as much as currency. The engraving remains astonishingly refined despite surviving more than two millennia.
Even the imperfections tell stories.
Edge splits, irregular flans and off-centre strikes are reminders that these were produced entirely by hand, surviving centuries of trade, conflict and history.
No two are ever truly identical.
Coins from a Violent Age
Ancient coins were also propaganda.
The tetradrachm of Demetrios I Poliorketes celebrates naval victory with Nike standing atop a war galley. Roman issues announce military triumphs, dynastic succession, or imperial authority.
Every ruler wanted their image seen, and coins became the fastest way to spread that message across an empire.
Ancient Coins in Modern Collections
Unlike modern coins, ancient pieces often feel alive – traded across empires, buried, lost, rediscovered, and somehow surviving thousands of years of history. Their appeal lies not only in rarity and artistry, but in the surreal feeling of holding something older than entire nations.
As Auction No. 159 approaches, the McCullagh Collection continues to reveal why it is regarded as one of the most important numismatic holdings ever brought to market in Australia. Not simply for its rarity, but for the stories embedded within every piece.
Don’t miss a moment – CLICK HERE TO GET NOTIFIED when the catalogue and pre-bidding becomes available.
