Asia Minor Coins - Photo Gallery

Last comments - Adrian Persian Kings (BC 420-375) Daric445 viewsXerxes I to Artaxerxes II, ca 420-375 BC. AV Daric (12.5mm, 8.31g). Lydo-Milesian standard, Sardeis mint. Persian king wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling running stance right, holding spear in right hand and bow in left / Incuse punch. Good VF, well centered and unusually well struck. Carr coll.1 comments10/07/18 at 13:10Adrian: In reference to another example of a Daric “Coin ID #14981" a call was made to more adequately ... Persian Kings (BC 485-420) Daric299 viewsca 485-420 BC. AV Daric (13mm, 8.29g). Lydo-Milesian standard, Sardeis mint. Persian king wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling running stance right, holding spear in right hand and bow in left / Incuse punch. gVF, well centered and struck. Carr coll.1 comments09/13/18 at 21:05Adrian: The diameter given in the above description, is that provided in the CNG listing. The vertical axis ... Kyzikos (BC 460-400) EL 1/6 Stater488 viewsca 460-400 BC. EL Hekte (2.60g, 10mm). Head of Attis (Atys) facing right, wearing Phyrgian cap [below tuna right?] / Quadripartite incuse square. nEF. Carr coll. Known type for a stater (at least 10 sold at auction, see Coin ID #9333 and #6817), hekte (1/6th Stater) (at least 12 sold at auction, see Coin ID #9330 and #9332), hemihekte (1/12th Stater) (at least 9 sold at auction, see Coin ID #9329) and Myshemihekte (1/24th Stater) (at least 6 sold at auction, see Coin ID #11022). In some instances, it appears that the die for the stater was used on hekte and, as such, the tuna is off the flan. This example is from an unknown die. In some cases, Attis is wearing a conspicuously jeweled Phyrgian cap (see Coin ID #9332) and in others, the jewels are less conspicuous or absent.1 comments06/08/18 at 16:54Adrian: In Greek mythology, Attis was a vegetation god, associated with a spring festival of death and resur... Kyzikos (BC 500-450) EL Stater 386 views550-450 BC. EL Stater (16.06g, 22mm). Head of Athena left, wearing crested Attic helmet, base of crest decorated with zig-zag and pellet pattern; tunny fish left below / Quadripartite incuse square. Good VF. Carr coll.1 comments03/11/18 at 13:20Adrian: Less than a dozen of these staters are known - most of which, including this one, have been struck f... Ionia Uncertain (BC 550-500) Horse - EL 1/24505 views600-550 BC. EL 1/24 Stater (0.59g, 5mm). Bridled head of Pegasos left / Rough incuse square. EF. Carr coll. On almost all other examples that have come to auction, or appear in standard references, the wing of the Pegasos is not on the flan, giving the appearance of simply the head of a horse.1 comments02/22/18 at 10:39Adrian: Forum Ancient Coins have a coin of this type from the same obverse die and in their description make... Kyzikos (BC 450-330) EL Hekte575 viewsca 450-330 BC. EL Hekte (2.66g, 10mm). Perseus kneeling right, head reverted, wearing a winged hood, cloak over shoulders fastened with circular brooch on breast, head of Medusa in left hand, sickle (harpa) in right; below, tunny fish right / Quadripartite incuse square. Unusually well centered, gVF. Carr coll. The ‘Perseus’ emissions are known for denominations of stater through 1/96th. Most examples do not capture the whole ‘scene’ - commonly either the head of Perseus or Medusa being off the flan. This coin is possibly the second best published example capturing the major features [For an example that is even sharper in its detail, see Gemini IX (1/2012) lot 105].1 comments01/13/18 at 19:56Adrian: Polydektes lured a young Perseus into agreeing to obtaining the head of Medusa, the only mortal Gorg... Kebren (BC 530-480) EL Hekte 1387 viewsLate 6th-early 5th century BC. EL Hekte (2.47g, 10mm). Head of ram right / Incuse punch. VF. Carr coll. Second known hekte of this type. The first example was sold by CNG and described as unique and unpublished: “Although there are a few electrum Phokaic standard hektai known with a ram’s head (particularly from Mytilene and Phokaia, and an uncertain mint [Weidauer 50]), all are distinctly different in style from this coin. At the same time, the style of the ram’s head here is a perfect match to the type found on the early silver issues at Kebren (cf. SNG Ashmolean 1076–7). See SNG Kayhan 1565 and CNG 90 (5/2012), lot 577 for myshemihektes of the same style and standard, but with head left.” CNG have since sold a hemihekte of the same style and standard [see CNG 105 (5/2017) lot 225]. The reverse of this example is very different from the CNG examples.1 comments10/28/17 at 13:55Adrian: Feedback to the owner of this coin speculates that, for the reverse, if you rotate the coin counter ... Mytilene (BC 521-478) EL 1/12 Stater - B-546 viewsca 530-522 BC. EL Hemihekte (1.25g, 9.4mm). Forepart of winged boar, right / Incuse head of man-headed bull / river god, left. Obverse struck from rusty die, otherwise gVF. Carr coll. The cataloguer at CNG described this coin as “Unpublished. Unique, and this issue is unknown in any other denomination.” A fascinating and important coin, as it confirms that a fraction, in addition to Hekte, was issued by Mytilene. Bodenstedt suggested a series of fractional emissions could be attributed to Mytilene - these have a calf head facing right on the obverse and incuse square on the reverse. This attribution is disputed by many scholars (see Coin ID #12959). In this context, this new fraction is of significant interest.1 comments03/24/17 at 17:10Adrian: The river god, depicted on the reverse of this coin, appears very similar to a Phokaia Hekte emissio... Kyzikos (BC 500-450) EL 1/6 Stater642 viewsca 500-450 BC. EL Hekte (2.66g, 10mm). Prow of galley left terminating in forepart of winged hound or wolf; below, tunny left / Quadripartite incuse square. VF. Very rare. Carr coll.1 comments10/13/16 at 00:35Adrian: William Greenwell, in his 1887 tome entitled: The electrum coinage of Cyzicus, notes only a stater o... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B45a571 viewsca 454-427 BC. EL Hekte (2.54g, 10.5mm, 4h). Head of nymph three-quarter facing and turned slightly right, wearing taenia bound at back of head / Two boars' heads confronting each other, “A” between. nEF. Carr coll. It has been suggested that the obverse portrait is that of Sappho (see Coin ID #153) or Europa. Three examples noted by Bodenstedt, this appears to be only the eighth additional example offered at electronic auction. Of the total, four examples have the letter “A” between the heads.1 comments04/10/16 at 14:19Adrian: This emission and this coin are fascinating at a number of levels. On this coin, the obverse in top ... Mytilene (BC 530-522) EL 1/48 Stater - BE2541 viewsca 522 BC. EL 1/48 Stater (0.30g, 5mm). Calf head facing right / Incuse square punch. VF. Carr coll. One example noted by Bodenstedt, this appears to be only the fifth additional example offered at electronic auction. Obverse die match with Bod Tafel 50 E2 a/-.1 comments08/18/15 at 03:00Adrian: After Bodenstedt (1981) was published, some scholars have suggested this series of emissions appears... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B45431 viewsca 454-427 BC. EL Hekte (2.44g). Head of nymph three-quarter facing and turned slightly right, wearing taenia that is bound up at the back of her head / Two boars' heads confronting each other. It has been suggested that the obverse portrait is that of Europa. VF. Carr coll. Three examples noted by Bodenstedt, this appears to be only the fifth additional example offered at electronic auction.1 comments07/04/15 at 14:54Adrian: There appear to be two distinct varieties of this emission. One variety, the reverse has the letter ... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B52 581 viewsca 454-427 BC. EL Hekte (2.52g, 10mm). Young male head facing right, wearing knotted taenia with lotus-like ornament above the forehead / Wreathed male head (in archaic style) facing right, wearing long beard, within incuse square. gVF, one of the best examples known, with reverse in much better condition than usual for this emission. Carr coll. Bodenstedt notes 29 examples of this emission. A further 30 examples have appeared at auction, this being the 30th.1 comments05/22/15 at 11:42Adrian: The identity of the individuals featured on this coin has been open to speculation. Some suggest the... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B49 387 viewsca 454-427 BC. EL Hekte (2.52g, 9mm, 12h). Head of Persephone right / Downward head of lion to right within incuse square. VF. Carr coll.1 comments05/02/15 at 15:42Adrian: Bodenstedt records 11 examples of this emission. Including this coin, there appear to be only 9 exam... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B35 655 viewsca 454-427 BC. EL Hekte (2.47g, 9mm, 6h). Helmeted head of Athena right / Confronting calf’s heads and ΛΕ above, all within incuse square. Near VF. Carr coll. Ex Naville 9, lot 72 (9/2014). Bodenstedt notes two varieties of the reverse - one with the letters ΛΕ above the confronting calf’s heads and one without. Of the 24 examples noted by Bodenstedt, only 4 are with ΛΕ. The letters ΛΕ denote the coin is from the island of Lesbos. There are 5 different electrum coin emissions of Mytilene that include the letters ΛΕ - B14, B20, B23, B28 and B35. 1 comments05/02/15 at 15:35Adrian: At the time of upload, only a further 12 coins of B35 have appeared at electronic sale or auction, a... Mytilene (BC 412-378) EL Hekte - B78512 viewsca 412 - 378 BC. EL Hekte (2.54g, 6h, 10mm). Head of Ariadne left, hair in sakkos decorated with three grape bunches / Lion crouching right, breaking spear in jaws, in linear square within incuse square. Good VF. Ex Ponterio. Carr coll. Ten examples are recorded in Bodenstedt and a further six examples have appeared in auction. 1 comments04/02/15 at 15:17Adrian: The reverse has been variously described as: a lion breaking a spear in its jaws; a lion holding/bit... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B46 665 viewsca 478-455 BC. EL Hekte (2.55g). Female head right, wearing sakkos / Two herms (?) facing, one male, one female, within linear border; all within shallow incuse square. The male herm with an exaggerated erect phallus. Good VF. Carr coll. Six examples known to Bodenstedt. This appears to be only the second example offered at electronic auction or sale. The dies for this coin are unrecorded in Bodenstedt, but the same as the other example offered at electronic auction (Roma Numismatics 7 (3/2014), lot 611).1 comments03/18/15 at 12:06Adrian: Bodenstedt suggests this emission was in 442 BC. The depiction of an exaggerated (oversized) erect p... Mytilene (BC 450) EL Hekte - B-553 viewsca 450 BC. EL Hekte (2.52g). Helmeted head of Athena / Two rams' heads opposed forehead to forehead, between them a palmette, all within incuse square. About EF. This coin is unknown to Bodenstedt and appears to be unique. The cataloguer of the Gemini sale suggests that the obverse appears to be from a die of trite size but is the same style as the Bodenstedt 55 variant on this website. The reverse appears to be a die match for Bodenstedt 57a. The trite size obverse die may provide evidence to the speculation that there were electrum coins of denominations between Hektes and Staters.1 comments02/28/15 at 13:08Adrian: The head of Athena is far too large for the Hekte size coinage which may lend support to speculation... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Hekte - B55 var701 viewsca 454-427 BC. EL Hekte (2.56g). Helmeted head of Athena right / Two confronting female faces overlapping; all within incuse square. Good VF. This is an unrecorded variety of Bodenstedt 55 with the head of Athena similar to an unknown type - Coin ID #11287, which was a coin sold at the Gemini Auc. IX (1/2012), lot 111.1 comments02/28/15 at 12:28Adrian: The head of Athena is too large for the Hekte size coinage which may lend support to speculation tha... Mytilene (BC 377-326) EL Hekte - B100c931 viewsca 377-326 BC. EL Hekte (2.54g, 12h, 11mm). Laureate head of Apollo right / Head of Artemis right in linear square. EF. Carr coll. There is no coiled snake/serpent behind the head of Apollo (see B100b) or Artemis (see B100a). Bodenstedt notes that there has been no example emerge that has a serpent/snake on both obverse and reverse. Of this type, fifteen known to Bodenstedt, twenty four others known including this example.1 comments02/28/15 at 12:18Adrian: The head of Apollo is unusually large for the Hekte size coinage which may lend support to speculati... Mytilene (BC 454-427) EL Stater - B60.21007 viewsca 428-427 BC. EL Stater (15.45g). Laureate head of Apollo right, hair short; MVTI above / Quadripartite incise square. aEF. This is the only example known and is noted in Bodenstedt as being in the British Museum (BMC 28 Pl. 32,1). It has been speculated that this may have been issued at the time of the Lesbian revolt from Athens, 428/7 BC.1 comments02/21/15 at 00:59Adrian: The stater is said to have been an emission during the revolt of 428/7. The stater has an unusually ... Mytilene (BC 377-326) EL Hekte - B-903 viewsca 377-326 BC. EL Hekte (2.5g, 10mm). Female head right, hair bound with ribbons / Panathenaic amphora, palm branch to left; all within linear square. gVF/EF. Carr coll. The reverse depicts an amphora, described as “Panathenaic,” as amphoras of this shape, containing olive oil, were given to winners at the Panathenaic Games in Athens. The palm alongside the amphora is also suggestive of a victory. It has been suggested that in the circumstances of “victory,” the obverse might be a depiction of Nike – the goddess of victory. This coin type is unknown to Bodenstedt, but three examples have appeared in auction. The first and third examples are from the same dies. This current example is the second known and is from different dies. 1 comments07/19/14 at 06:18Adrian: Please note, that in this collection of electrum coins of Mytilene, when describing the number of ex... Mytilene (BC 377-326) EL Hekte - B90742 viewsca 377-326 BC. EL Hekte (2.57g, 12h, 9mm). Wreathed head of young Dionysos right / Facing large bald head of satyr with small ‘ears’ and close cropped beard and moustache, all within linear square. Good VF. Carr coll. There are seven general reverse varieties/types for Bodenstedt 90. This is the first known from an auction of what we can call "type 7."1 comments06/14/14 at 12:39Adrian: Different reverse types: Type 1: facing bald head of satyr (common type – 62 known*; #B30. Boden...   23 coins on 1 page(s)