Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers
Auction 96 14-15 February 2017
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Ionia, Teos. Silver Stater (11.67 g), ca. 470/65-449 BC. Griffin with curled wings seated right, raising forepaw; below forepaw, forepart of Pegasos right. Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square. Balcer 97 (A97/P-; rev. die not recorded); BMC 6. Mostly well struck and perfectly centered. Uniform light grey toning. Extremely Fine. Estimate Value $1,500 - 2,000
From the Hanbery Collection; Purchased privately from F. Kovacs in the 1970s-1980s.
The griffin is a very old mythological creature composed of the head and wings of an eagle and the body of the lion. It appeared in Egyptian and Iranian art by ca. 3000 BC and entered the Greek repertoire in the fifteenth century BC, most notably in the "Throne Room" fresco at Knossos. Griffins originally seem to have had the qualities of apotropaic spirits, but developed a reputation among the Greeks as guardians of riches in the far north. Herodotos reports that griffins protected the rich gold deposits in the Riphaian Mountains of Skythia located between the fabled lands of the Hyperboreans and the one-eyed Arimaspians. The latter attacked the griffins at regular intervals in order to steal the gold. Because the Arimaspians made their forays mounted on horseback, it was believed that a special animosity came to exist between griffins and horses. It has been suggested that the Greek concept of the griffin may have evolved from the ancient discovery of fossil dinosaur skulls (specifically those of Protoceratops) in Skythia, but this view cannot account for the long tradition of the creature in Egypt and the Near East. A late Greek tradition preserved by Philostratos (ca. AD 170-247) also identified the griffins as creatures who guarded the gold of India.
From the Hanbery Collection; Purchased privately from F. Kovacs in the 1970s-1980s.
The griffin is a very old mythological creature composed of the head and wings of an eagle and the body of the lion. It appeared in Egyptian and Iranian art by ca. 3000 BC and entered the Greek repertoire in the fifteenth century BC, most notably in the "Throne Room" fresco at Knossos. Griffins originally seem to have had the qualities of apotropaic spirits, but developed a reputation among the Greeks as guardians of riches in the far north. Herodotos reports that griffins protected the rich gold deposits in the Riphaian Mountains of Skythia located between the fabled lands of the Hyperboreans and the one-eyed Arimaspians. The latter attacked the griffins at regular intervals in order to steal the gold. Because the Arimaspians made their forays mounted on horseback, it was believed that a special animosity came to exist between griffins and horses. It has been suggested that the Greek concept of the griffin may have evolved from the ancient discovery of fossil dinosaur skulls (specifically those of Protoceratops) in Skythia, but this view cannot account for the long tradition of the creature in Egypt and the Near East. A late Greek tradition preserved by Philostratos (ca. AD 170-247) also identified the griffins as creatures who guarded the gold of India.