Lot 1911

Description

Caria, Carian Islands, Rhodes, (c.304-265 B.C. Ashton chronology), silver didrachm, (6.590 grams), obv. head of Helios three-quarter face to right with hair loose, rev. rose, with bud on right, [E] and bunch of grapes to left below, above **RODION*, all on flat field, (S.5037, Ashton series 2 [RN 1988, cf.Pl.XVI, 26], SNG Cop.729, SNG Finland 449-460 [similar dies]). Dark tone, nearly very fine and rare.

Richard Ashton (RN 1988 pp.75-90) groups this second type of unrayed head of Helios without a magistrate's name to the date c.304-265 B.C. This a much larger group contains the grapes not attached to rose and is without the the incuse square characteristic of the earlier issue. (Revue Numismatique 1988 p.78-79).