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

ca 377-326 BC. EL Hekte (2.46g, 11mm). Female head (Leda ?) right, hair coiled / Head of Nike right, hair bound with a taenia, N-I/K-[A], all within linear square. VF, very rare with only three known. Unknown in standard references. Carr coll.

A very rare coin of considerable interest. The obverse has a die match with Bodenstedt 82 which he described as being the head of Leda. That obverse die only known by that single specimen noted by Bodenstadt which has a reverse of a swan. The reverse of this coin is Nike. At the time of sale, only three specimens known of this type. The inscription is not complete on any of the three specimens known but as a combination it is clear that the letters are N-I/K-A. Silvia Hurter in her article, on the first of the specimens known, notes that the inscription makes it clear that the reverse is that of Nike and it can be inferred that this coin was struck to commemorate a victory, but which is uncertain (see Die Nike von Mytilene: Eine anonyme Siegespragung, SM 202, June 2001, pp. 21-22).