Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3056 3 Aug 2017
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Ancients
MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 450-350 BC. EL sixth-stater or hecte (10mm, 2.65 gm). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Male figure (Odysseus or Phrixus?) wearing pileus helmet and chlamys kneeling left with legs astride ram recumbent left, pulling ram's head back with left arm and preparing to cut its throat with dagger held in right hand / Quadripartite "mill sail" incuse punch. Cf. Von Fritze Nomsima VII, 156 and pl. V, 4 (stater). Cf. Greenwell 71 and pl. III, 22 (same). Extremely rare, and possibly one of two known (the other being NAC 84, lot 637). A gorgeous and poignant composition, engraved by a master artist.
This beautifully rendered scene shows a man wearing a pointed cap or pileus (or perhaps a helmet of similar design) sacrificing a ram to the gods. Probably a scene from mythology, the most likely candidate would be Odysseus (often shown in art wearing a pileus) sacrificing an animal provided by his erstwhile lover Circe before descending into Hades. Another possibility would be Phrixus sacrificing the golden ram sent by Zeus to rescue him from the waters of the Hellespont; the ram became the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 8000-10000 USD
MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 450-350 BC. EL sixth-stater or hecte (10mm, 2.65 gm). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Male figure (Odysseus or Phrixus?) wearing pileus helmet and chlamys kneeling left with legs astride ram recumbent left, pulling ram's head back with left arm and preparing to cut its throat with dagger held in right hand / Quadripartite "mill sail" incuse punch. Cf. Von Fritze Nomsima VII, 156 and pl. V, 4 (stater). Cf. Greenwell 71 and pl. III, 22 (same). Extremely rare, and possibly one of two known (the other being NAC 84, lot 637). A gorgeous and poignant composition, engraved by a master artist.
This beautifully rendered scene shows a man wearing a pointed cap or pileus (or perhaps a helmet of similar design) sacrificing a ram to the gods. Probably a scene from mythology, the most likely candidate would be Odysseus (often shown in art wearing a pileus) sacrificing an animal provided by his erstwhile lover Circe before descending into Hades. Another possibility would be Phrixus sacrificing the golden ram sent by Zeus to rescue him from the waters of the Hellespont; the ram became the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 8000-10000 USD