Numismatica Genevensis SA
Auction 9 14 December 2015
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Asia Minor. Cilicia, Kelenderis. Stater, c. 380 - 350 BC. (Silver, 9.96g., 20.4mm). Youthful nude male rider holding the reins with his left hand and a goad in his right, seated sideways on a horse prancing to right, preparing to jump off and run beside the horse / ΚΕΛ Goat kneeling left, its head turned back to right. Kraay-Hirmer 672 (same dies). SNG Lockett 3035.
A wonderful coin, beautifully struck and of the finest classical style. Good extremely fine.
Provenance: Acquired privately from Tradart in 2009. Leu 54, 28 April 1992, 159.
Kelenderis was a city in Cilicia that was founded by Samians at some point just prior to 700 BC. While there are some archaeological remains, the best known relics of the city are its coinage. Most of the coins of Kelenderis celebrate its horse-riding elite: here they show us the point in the kalpe - a race for mares - when, in the last lap, the horseman would run alongside his horse, leap on to its back and then leap off again, all the while holding on to its reins. This kind of event was particularly popular in areas where horses were raised and where horse owning was an aristocratic pursuit: such scenes are often shown on the coinage of Tarentum, which was famous for its aristocratic cavalry.
A wonderful coin, beautifully struck and of the finest classical style. Good extremely fine.
Provenance: Acquired privately from Tradart in 2009. Leu 54, 28 April 1992, 159.
Kelenderis was a city in Cilicia that was founded by Samians at some point just prior to 700 BC. While there are some archaeological remains, the best known relics of the city are its coinage. Most of the coins of Kelenderis celebrate its horse-riding elite: here they show us the point in the kalpe - a race for mares - when, in the last lap, the horseman would run alongside his horse, leap on to its back and then leap off again, all the while holding on to its reins. This kind of event was particularly popular in areas where horses were raised and where horse owning was an aristocratic pursuit: such scenes are often shown on the coinage of Tarentum, which was famous for its aristocratic cavalry.