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Triskeles Sale 23  6 Apr 2018
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Lot 98

Estimate: 100 USD
Price realized: 135 USD
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Thrace, Apollonia Pontika. 5th-4th centuries B.C. AR drachm (13 mm, 3.22 g, 1 h). Upright anchor; crayfish to left, A to right / Facing gorgoneion. Topalov 7; SNG BM 153-6. Extremely fine / good very fine.

Apollonia Pontika was founded by Milesian colonists in the seventh century B.C. It was famous for its colossal statue of Apollo by the artist Kalamis, which was carried off by the Roman consul, L. Licinius Lucullus during the third Mithradatic War (73-63 B.C.). Despite its association with Apollo, in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C., the main types for the city's coinage were a gorgoneion - presumably as an apotropaic device to protect the issuing city from evil - and an anchor, emblematic of Apollonia's importance as a port city.

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