Lot 3187

Description

Caria, Halicarnassos, (377 - 360 B.C.), silver hemiobols (Persic standard), (0.440, 0.498, 0.355 and 0.365 grams each for 9A [3] & 9B [1]), obv. head of ram to right, rev. young male head to right in incuse square, S to left A to right, another A to left S to right, (S. -, BMC [Cyprus Salamis 42-44], Troxell [Essays to Mildenberg] p.253 Pl.40, Nos. 9A and 9B, SNG Finland 866-902). First with extensive die break on reverse, otherwise nearly fine - good fine and rare. (4)

The Keckman collection, now in the Helsinki Museum, contains a hoard of these two types of coins (all illustrated) and except for this hoard only a few other examples have ever been published. They describe the issue as from an uncertain mint in Caria but Westermark (SNG Finland) suggests that they come from the mint of Halicarnassos. This is part of a small hoard sold several years ago in Germany.