Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3071 6-7 Jan 2019
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Ancients
MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 550-500 BC. EL stater (20mm, 16.05 gm). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 4/5. Galley prow to left, the ram in the form of the forepart of a winged wolf / Quadripartite 'mill-sail' incuse square. Greenwell 170. Von Fritze I 80. Extremely rare, known from only around five examples.
The use of a prow as a coin type during the late 6th and early 5th centuries is only paralleled by the coinage of Phaselis, though those coins were not as well designed as this one. It has been suggested that this represents Jason's ship the Argo (named after its builder Argus), which was supposedly the first ship to sail on the ocean, and which carried the Argonauts to Colchis in the quest for the Golden Fleece. If this does represent the Argo, the type would tie in well with the harpy series from lot 33131 in this sale, as Jason and the Argonauts encountered the harpies who were tormenting Phineus of Salmydessus, the sage on their quest.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 3000-5000 USD
MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 550-500 BC. EL stater (20mm, 16.05 gm). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 4/5. Galley prow to left, the ram in the form of the forepart of a winged wolf / Quadripartite 'mill-sail' incuse square. Greenwell 170. Von Fritze I 80. Extremely rare, known from only around five examples.
The use of a prow as a coin type during the late 6th and early 5th centuries is only paralleled by the coinage of Phaselis, though those coins were not as well designed as this one. It has been suggested that this represents Jason's ship the Argo (named after its builder Argus), which was supposedly the first ship to sail on the ocean, and which carried the Argonauts to Colchis in the quest for the Golden Fleece. If this does represent the Argo, the type would tie in well with the harpy series from lot 33131 in this sale, as Jason and the Argonauts encountered the harpies who were tormenting Phineus of Salmydessus, the sage on their quest.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 3000-5000 USD