Lot 1825

Description

Thrace, Dicaea (Dikaia), (540/535-490/492 B.C.), silver stater, (8.80 grams), obv. Herakles head bearded to right, in lion skin, rev. quadripartite incuse square with broad bars cut diagonally with two sections further sub-divided, (S.1345 [£2000], BMC 1 [p.115], May Series A, No.4 [Pl.1, Num. Chron. 1965], Asyut 144 [same dies], Weber 2354 [p.116, Pl.91], Schonert-Geiss 12 [Obv. V6, rev. R6]. Fine/very fine and extremely rare.

Ex. Fritz Rudolf Kunker Auction, 31 September 1991 (lot 43, illustrated). The attribution of this issue is uncertain but May assigns it to Dicaea a coastal town and port situated near Abdera. May notes only 10 examples of staters of this type. The Asyut hoard had a specimen from the same reverse punch and probably from the same obverse die. The Weber specimen was in Naville Sale No.6. Schonert-Geiss, Edith. 'Griechisches Munzwek - Die Munzpragung von Bisanthe . Dikaia . Selymbria' Berlin, 1977 reports a total of 12 coins from 10 obverse and 11 reverse dies for this type.