With the various MoUs regulating international trade in cultural objects and the UNESCO convention provenance or pedigree is playing an ever increasing role in the marketability of ancient coins, particularly high end specimens.
I was doing some research into provenance of some low end Roman coins of Aurelian when I hit upon an unexpected result for the coin at the top of the page.
The coin is an antoninianus of the 3rd emission from the Mediolanum (Milan) mint, RIC 138 corrected, RIC MER 1468 (temp), MIR 61b2(3) (this coin, plate 9, described as 4th emission by Gobl).
The coin is unremarkable in itself, except for the excellent state of preservation, has a very prominent die break on the reverse extending across half of the coin, leaving a raised line. It was apparently sold by Munzhandlung Basel in 1936 in their 18th March sale, lot 1990 where the described as FDC, no mention of the die break, and sure enough, it appears on plate 24.
Munzhandlung Basel was formed by an offshoot of the Cahn family in 1934, having left Frankfurt to avoid persecution. They purchased a huge and impressive collection of Greek and Roman coins from Prince Waldeck, “Prince W” identified on the auction catalogue frontispiece, seemingly put together in the 18th century by his ancestors. This collection formed the backbone of their first five ancient coin sales.
Searching Wikipedia there are a couple of Princes of Waldeck that could have been responsible for the sale of the family collection. The most likely, I would think, is Friedrich (1865-1946). He was the last reigning Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, abdicating on 13th November 1918 when the monarchy was abolished.
