Mytilene (BC 377-326) EL Hekte - B-

ca 377-326 BC. EL Hekte (2.57g). Female head to right, her hair bound up with criss-crossing ribbons / Panathenaic amphora with pointed lid; to left, palm branch; all within linear frame. Apparently unpublished and unique. aEF.

This piece is apparently completely unknown and unrecorded by Bodenstedt. The reverse bears a large amphora with a lid: its shape is that of a ‘Panathenaic’, so-called from its use to store the olive oil given to winners at the Panathenaic Games in Athens. So, we must be looking at a prize amphora, a conclusion that is confirmed by the palm of victory that stands nearby. This means that the person depicted on the obverse of this coin must be Nike, goddess of victory. The rather sober hairstyle is also found on figures of Nike from Terina, Olympia, Kyzikos, Lampsakos and elsewhere. The very specific nature of the types on this coin implies that it was struck to commemorate the victory of someone.