Greek Silver & Bronze

Lot 3374    Session 11 (9.30am Friday)    Greek Silver & Bronze

Estimate $400
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $250

LYCIA, Dynast of Lycia, an uncertain ruler but attributed to Khinakha, (c.500-460 B.C.), silver stater, (9.882 grams), Xanthos mint?, obv. Pegasos to right on round shield, Lycian 'kh' below, rev. triskeles monogram within dotted incuse circle with dot and Lycian monogram, (S.-, cf.SNG Von Aulock 4090 [same obverse die], cf.ACNAC Rosen 719 [attributes it to Khinakha based on an obverse letter 'Kh' or 'Khin'], Babelon Traite Pl.XCV No.5, cf.SNG Berry 1172 [same obverse die], Giessener Munzhandlung Sale 90, lot 405 [same dies]). Very fine/good very fine and rare.

Xanthus has been suggested as the likely mint for this and related issues (See G.K. Jenkins, 'Recent acquisitions of Greek Coins by the British Museum', NC 1959, p.33). However the question is unresolved since this stater and all the related pieces in the SNG Berry, ACNAC Rosen and SNG Von Aulock all fall clearly into the heavy weight classification. Thus Morkholm has in 'The Classification of Lycian coins before Alexander the Great' (JNG 1964, pp 65ff), assembled evidence indicating that Xanthus was the home of the light standard and the heavy standard circulated in Central Lycia. That standard cannot be identified with any in use outside Lycia. The letter on the obverse represents a 'kh', the initial letter of the dynast's name. The triskeles on the reverse is a solar symbol and a distinctive Lycian emblem connected with the national deity, Apollo.