Lot 1741

Description

Carian Islands, Rhodes, silver hemidrachms, c.160-140 B.C., obv. radiate head of Helios three-quarter face to right with hair loose, rev. rose, with bud on right, to left symbols (grapes, star, cornucopiae, caduceus, club, Isis crown), below to left and right P O, Magistrate's name above, all within incuse square, (cf.S.5065, Jenkins (Kraay-Morkholm Essays) Group B issues No.39 [BMC 299]; 41 [cf.SNG Cop.845] {2}; 42 [BMC 303]; 43 [SNG Cop.841] {2}; 44 [BMC 294] {2}; 45 [SNG Lockett 2969] {2}). Fine - very fine some needing further cleaning an some with surface corrosion, all in packets weighed and described, rare. (10)

Ex. Superior's auction, New York, December 9-10, 1994 (lot 760). This group of Rhodian plinthophoroi (term used to describe coins at Delos in a second century B.C. inventory), come as part of a significant hoard of these rare and interesting coins and form an interesting study group. Jenkins in a study of this coinage in Kraay-Morkholm Essays published in 1989 (pps 101-119 and illustrated on plates XXIX-XXXIV) traverses new ground in dividing the series into groups and notes the relationship of symbols to magistrate names. This group is believed to have been struck in the mid-second century B.C. The Marmaris hoard (ICGH 1355) found on mainland Rhodes provides the basis of Jenkins study on this series of coins.