Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B55 var.

ca 454-427 BC. EL Hekte (2.52g, 10.5mm, 5h). Head of Athena facing right, wearing Chalkidian helmet / Two confronting female heads in profile, their faces overlapping with common or ‘single eye’, hair in archaic braids, all within incuse square. VF and well centered. Carr coll.

This coin is appears to be a variant of B55 sharing the same reverse – see Coin ID #11681. The obverse is different - here Athena wears a Chalkidian helmet instead of Corinthian. CNG commented: “This helmet is thought to be a derivative of the Corinthian helmet, and became popular in the 5th–4th centuries BC. It was lighter than the Corinthian helmet and afforded its wearer better visibility and hearing while worn.” This emission is only the second known example, the other being sold at the NAC Auc. 78 (5/2014) lot 1471 which appears to be from the same dies (see Coin ID #11286). The obverse of this coin is similar to an unknown type - Coin ID #11287, which was a coin sold at the Gemini Auc. IX (1/2012), lot 111.