Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3051 8-9 January 2017
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Ancients
IONIA. Ephesus. Phanes. Ca. 625-600 BC. EL sixth stater or hecte (10mm, 2.37 gm). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Forepart of running stag right, head reverted / Incuse square with abstract geometric patterns. Cf. Weidauer 35 (stag forepart running left). Cf. Traite II 1, 65, pl. 2, 18 (same). Very rare! One of the earliest recorded type coins, undoubtedly related to the famous staters bearing a stage and the legend "I am the badge of Phanes."
Phanes was evidently an Carian or Ephesian minister or aristocrat of the later 7th century BC. The name is known from a rare group of electrum staters and a lesser denominations that bear a stag and the Greek legend "I am the badge of Phanes" or "of Phanes." These are among the earliest coins to bear legends. It has also been speculated that the name refers to a divinity, perhaps Apollo-Phaneos (light-bringer) or Artemis (due to the stag). The Phanes coinage falls into seven denominations, from a full stater down to a 1/96 stater, all featuring the stag in various poses; only the full stater and third-stater or trite are inscribed, but the distinctive rendering of the stag links all denominations of the series to the same issuer. The fact that Phanes is otherwise unattested as a king or satrap indicates the first coins may have been struck by private individuals, rather than governments or royal courts.
Estimate: 5000-7000 USD
IONIA. Ephesus. Phanes. Ca. 625-600 BC. EL sixth stater or hecte (10mm, 2.37 gm). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Forepart of running stag right, head reverted / Incuse square with abstract geometric patterns. Cf. Weidauer 35 (stag forepart running left). Cf. Traite II 1, 65, pl. 2, 18 (same). Very rare! One of the earliest recorded type coins, undoubtedly related to the famous staters bearing a stage and the legend "I am the badge of Phanes."
Phanes was evidently an Carian or Ephesian minister or aristocrat of the later 7th century BC. The name is known from a rare group of electrum staters and a lesser denominations that bear a stag and the Greek legend "I am the badge of Phanes" or "of Phanes." These are among the earliest coins to bear legends. It has also been speculated that the name refers to a divinity, perhaps Apollo-Phaneos (light-bringer) or Artemis (due to the stag). The Phanes coinage falls into seven denominations, from a full stater down to a 1/96 stater, all featuring the stag in various poses; only the full stater and third-stater or trite are inscribed, but the distinctive rendering of the stag links all denominations of the series to the same issuer. The fact that Phanes is otherwise unattested as a king or satrap indicates the first coins may have been struck by private individuals, rather than governments or royal courts.
Estimate: 5000-7000 USD