Paphos (BC 325-309) Distater - Nikokles

Nikokles, ca 325-309 BC. AR Distater (26mm, 21.29g, 12h). Persic standard, struck ca late 320s BC or ca 310 BC. Head of Aphrodite left, wearing elaborate tiara composed of mural crown with four towers enclosing a polos ornamented with palmettes and annulets, disc earring with a triple pendant and a pearl necklace; Π-ΒΑ behind / ΝΙΚΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ / ΠΑΦΙΟΝ, Apollo, wearing laurel wreath and nude but for cloak over shoulders, seated left on omphalos, holding arrow and bow; laurel branch to left. Extremely rare. EF.

Only 4 genuine examples are known, including this piece. That only 2 obverse and 2 reverse dies are known makes it clear that it was meant to be a special issue (or perhaps an originally large issue cut short). It must have been struck after the Alexander-type tetradrachms (Price 3118-3123), which were minted in the late 320s, and it is possible that these distaters were produced shortly after. However, a date in the years shortly before Nikokles’ suicide might fit the evidence better.