Numismatica Genevensis SA
Auction 9 14 December 2015
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Asia Minor. Caria, Kaunos. Stater, c. 410 - 390 BC. (Silver, 11.71g., 25.5mm). Iris, in the running-kneeling position, three-quarters to left, wearing a long, transparent chiton; holding a kerykeion in her right hand and a wreath in her left; her head turned back to right with her hair bound up in a sakkos / Pyramidal baetyl between an inverted ∆ and an Ι; all within a shallow incuse square with partially curved edges. BMC Cilicia p. 97, 11 and pl. 16, 7 (same dies). K. Konuk, Essays Price, 112b (this coin, illustrated).
An astonishing coin of great beauty with a marvelous representation of Iris, the winged messenger of the gods. Perfectly centered and beautifully toned. Good extremely fine.
Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica 48, 21 October 2008, 98. Bank Leu 48, 10 May 1989, 239 (cover coin).
Kaunos (IACP 898) was an important Carian harbor city, which became increasingly Hellenized from the 6th century on (it was originally a Carian city named χbid), but it was only a truly fully Greek city in the Hellenistic period. The Iris-coinage of the 5th century seems to have been issued on a considerable scale and, as this coin shows, included at least one superlative die cutter among its mint personnel.
An astonishing coin of great beauty with a marvelous representation of Iris, the winged messenger of the gods. Perfectly centered and beautifully toned. Good extremely fine.
Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica 48, 21 October 2008, 98. Bank Leu 48, 10 May 1989, 239 (cover coin).
Kaunos (IACP 898) was an important Carian harbor city, which became increasingly Hellenized from the 6th century on (it was originally a Carian city named χbid), but it was only a truly fully Greek city in the Hellenistic period. The Iris-coinage of the 5th century seems to have been issued on a considerable scale and, as this coin shows, included at least one superlative die cutter among its mint personnel.