Watch List notes:

Greek coins

Lapethus, Uncertain king, circa 480. Siglos circa 480 BC, AR 10.81 g. Head of Athena l., wearing Corinthian helmet. Rev. Head of Heracles r., wearing lion skin headdress; all within incuse square. Traité II 1365 and pl. CXXXVI, 16 var. (head of Athena r. and uncertain mint). BMC –, for reverse type cf. pl. XIII, 2 (uncertain mint). Tziambazis –. SNG Copenhagen Suppl. 627 var. (head of Athena r.). Boston Suppl. 253 (these dies)
Very rare. Old cabinet tone and very fine
Privately purchased from Spink & Son in 1969.
The site of Lapethus is thought to have been inhabited as early as 3000 BC, but according to Greek tradition the city of the historical period was supposedly founded by Lakonian colonists from the Peloponnesos led by their king, Praxandros. A conflicting tradition recorded by the geographer Strabo made it a Phoenician settlement. It is possible that it was an original Phoenician colony that was resettled by Greeks. Lapethos was certainly included in the alliance of Greek cities that opposed Persian domination during the Ionian Revolt (499-493 BC) and the typology of the present stater is almost purely Greek.
The coin depicts the head of the goddess Athena on the obverse and the hero Herakles in a charming Archaic style on the reverse. Both feature the hallmark almond shaped-eyes and slight smile of the Archaic style while Athena's plaited hair mimics the hairstyle familiar from Archaic Kore statues. The lotus ornament on the bowl of Athena's helmet gives away the eastern origin of the coin while the depiction of Herakles may perhaps allude to the supposed Lakonian origin of Lapethus as the Lakonians were Dorian Greeks who claimed descent from the sons of Herakles.