Dardanos (BC 300-100) AE 14

3rd-2nd century BC. AE14 (1.82g, 12h). Head of Hera(?) facing / ΔΑΡ, warrior (Hektor?) standing left, foot on prow, supporting shield and holding spear. Seemingly unpublished, perhaps unique. Brown patina, some roughness, aVF.

There is only one mint in the ancient Greek world whose name begins ΔΑΡ - Dardanos in the Troad. The coinage of Dardanos is scarce, and nearly all known types depict either cocks or horsemen, or a combination of both, until the very final issues struck during the late third and second centuries BC. This type appears to be completely new for the mint. The identification of the hero on the reverse is not certain, but other (albeit later) issues from the region do depict the hero Hektor in similar poses (see, e.g, Bellinger, Troy T162-4 and T212 [Ilium]).