Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 55 18 Apr 2019
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Lesbos, Mytilene EL Hekte. Circa 478-455 BC. Bearded head of Silenos facing slightly right / Incuse head of roaring lion left. Bodenstedt Em. 36; HGC 6, 962; Gulbenkian 704; SNG von Aulock 7725; Leu 86, 399. 2.54g, 11mm, 12h.
Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, Bodenstedt records only five specimens, and only four examples are present on CoinArchives. The inferior Leu specimen sold for CHF 5,200 in 2003, and an excellent example of the type sold at Roma Numismatics XI in 2016 for GBP 9,500. Similar Bodenstedt 34 types struck from the same obverse die have sold for USD 10,000 in 2009 (Triton XII, 283; very poor die state), and USD 16,000 in 2013 (CNG 94, 489).
From the inventory of a UK dealer.
Silenos, the rustic god of winemaking and drunkenness, is conspicuous for being commonly featured on the coinage of Mytilene in a variety of forms and types. That this is the case should immediately suggest to us that wine making was an important aspect of Mytilene's economic activities, and when consulting the ancient sources we find that this was indeed the case. The island of Lesbos has a long history of wine making dating back to at least the 7th century BC when it was mentioned in the works of Homer. Warmly spoken of in the 4th century BC, Lesbian wines achieve fulsome praise from Archestratos, the Daedalos of tasty dishes, who rated it above Thasian and Phoenician, without even a mention (in the surviving fragments) of Chian, the other first-class wine of the period. Euboulos implies that tax breaks for Lesbian wines at Athens increased its popularity and availability, and refers to it as old, dripping with nectar. During this time the island competed with the wines of Chios for the lucrative Greek markets, and the popularity of Lesbian wine is well attested as continuing into Roman times where it was highly valued along with other Aegean wines of Chios, Thasos and Kos. I can name and praise the wines produced in other cities and their names I do not forget. But none of them is compared to the wine of Lesbos. (Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, A, 52d).
Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, Bodenstedt records only five specimens, and only four examples are present on CoinArchives. The inferior Leu specimen sold for CHF 5,200 in 2003, and an excellent example of the type sold at Roma Numismatics XI in 2016 for GBP 9,500. Similar Bodenstedt 34 types struck from the same obverse die have sold for USD 10,000 in 2009 (Triton XII, 283; very poor die state), and USD 16,000 in 2013 (CNG 94, 489).
From the inventory of a UK dealer.
Silenos, the rustic god of winemaking and drunkenness, is conspicuous for being commonly featured on the coinage of Mytilene in a variety of forms and types. That this is the case should immediately suggest to us that wine making was an important aspect of Mytilene's economic activities, and when consulting the ancient sources we find that this was indeed the case. The island of Lesbos has a long history of wine making dating back to at least the 7th century BC when it was mentioned in the works of Homer. Warmly spoken of in the 4th century BC, Lesbian wines achieve fulsome praise from Archestratos, the Daedalos of tasty dishes, who rated it above Thasian and Phoenician, without even a mention (in the surviving fragments) of Chian, the other first-class wine of the period. Euboulos implies that tax breaks for Lesbian wines at Athens increased its popularity and availability, and refers to it as old, dripping with nectar. During this time the island competed with the wines of Chios for the lucrative Greek markets, and the popularity of Lesbian wine is well attested as continuing into Roman times where it was highly valued along with other Aegean wines of Chios, Thasos and Kos. I can name and praise the wines produced in other cities and their names I do not forget. But none of them is compared to the wine of Lesbos. (Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, A, 52d).