Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3061 7-8 Jan 2018
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Ancients
MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 500-450 BC. EL sixth stater or hecte (11mm, 2.69 gm). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Bearded male head (Poseidon, Perseus or Heracles?) left, wearing helmet in the form Ketos / Quadripartite "mill sail" incuse square. Hurter & Liewald, SNR 81 (2002), p. 28, no. 17. SNG Aulock 7291. An exceptionally clean, well-struck example of this intriguing type.
The obverse head has been variously described as Poseidon, Perseus, Heracles or a nameless hero. Clearly struck specimens such as this one show the helmet to be or a nautical form, seemingly made from the head of a sea creature. Perseus famously turned the Kraken to stone, and one of Heracles's adventures involved the killing of a Ketos, or sea serpent. Poseidon is also sometimes shown in other artistic media wearing a similar finned helmet, and must be regarded as most likely to be represented on the coinage of a maritime city such as Cyzicus.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 3000-4000 USD
MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 500-450 BC. EL sixth stater or hecte (11mm, 2.69 gm). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Bearded male head (Poseidon, Perseus or Heracles?) left, wearing helmet in the form Ketos / Quadripartite "mill sail" incuse square. Hurter & Liewald, SNR 81 (2002), p. 28, no. 17. SNG Aulock 7291. An exceptionally clean, well-struck example of this intriguing type.
The obverse head has been variously described as Poseidon, Perseus, Heracles or a nameless hero. Clearly struck specimens such as this one show the helmet to be or a nautical form, seemingly made from the head of a sea creature. Perseus famously turned the Kraken to stone, and one of Heracles's adventures involved the killing of a Ketos, or sea serpent. Poseidon is also sometimes shown in other artistic media wearing a similar finned helmet, and must be regarded as most likely to be represented on the coinage of a maritime city such as Cyzicus.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 3000-4000 USD