Lot 3661

Description

Peloponnesos, Sicyonia, Sicyon, silver stater of Aeginetic standard, (431-400 B.C.), (12.07 g.), obv. Chimaera to right on ground line, reversed or inverted **SE* below, rev. dove flying to right, with open wings, N before beak of the dove, tied on left, olive branch tied on left, all within olive wreath, (cf.S.2764, BCD Sale LHS 96, lot 203.4 [This Coin], CNG Sale 43 [lot 472] [This Coin], cf.Traite 776 [p.527, cf.Pl.CCXX, 17], cf.SNG Cop. 48 [Pl.1, N different orientation], cf.BMC 57-58, cf.S.2764, HGC, 5, 191). Extremely rare, probably known only from this coin, good very fine.

Ex LHS Auction Sale 96 May 8, 2006 (lot 203 part [203.4], previously from Classical Numismatic Group, Auction Sale 43, September 24, 1997 (lot 472). Lot includes extensive ticket description and photos, CNG and BCD tickets all within a flip.
Almost all pieces known for all varieties carry the letters normal **SE* below, this is a much scarcer variety with letters reversed. Sicyon, located on the Corinthian Gulf, was a prosperous commercial town and most prolific mint after 400 B.C. in Peloponnesus. The Chimaera presence on the coinage may have ties to the Achaean cult of Bellerophon, slayer of the monster and to the Corinthian coin types derived from this myth, for Corinth was the legendary ancient enemy of Sicyon. The dove on the reverse was probably the animal of Aphrodite, whose worship was important at Sicyon.