Lot 1800

Description

Caria, Cnidos, (c.520-495 B.C.), silver drachm, (6.172 grams), obv. forepart of lion to right, with usual die deteriation, rev. head of Aphrodite to right of fine archaic style, hair in lines and bound with plain diadem, all within incuse square, (S.3543 [£450], Cahn, Knidos No.33 [same dies Pl.2], Kraay-Hirmer 628 [Pl.185 same dies Berlin example], SNG Cop. 203 [same dies]). Light tone, good very fine and rare.

Ex Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Long Beach sale, February 2001 (lot 5023). Only 7 examples are known from these dies and these almost all in public collections. The reverse die is found on only 13 examples from three obverse dies. Left facing busts occur on only three dies for the whole Archaic coinage in this the earliest period of the coinage.