Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 468 20 May 2020
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LEVANTINE REGION, Uncertain. Early-mid 4th century BC. AR Stater (21.5mm, 10.01 g, 12h). Helmeted head of Athena right, bowl decorated with Skylla scanning / Diademed head right; Aramaic aleph and samekh behind neck. Brindley 387 corr. (Skylla, not hippocamp; same obv. die); Gorny & Mosch 207, lot 383 (same obv. die). Find patina, some cleaning marks, die wear on obverse, double struck on reverse. VF. Extremely rare, apparently the third known.
The previous two coins were attributed to an uncertain mint in Cilicia, based on Brindley's association of the obverse type with that found on staters of Soli. However, this association is less likely, as he misidentified the Skylla as a hippocamp, the former not being found on any of the Soli issues. In fact, Skylla does not appear on any Cilician coin issue during the Greek period (though it is known from 3rd century AD Roman provincial coins from Tarsos. While the issue may yet be from Cilicia, it is almost certainly from the Levantine region, based on the appearance of the Aramaic letters.
The previous two coins were attributed to an uncertain mint in Cilicia, based on Brindley's association of the obverse type with that found on staters of Soli. However, this association is less likely, as he misidentified the Skylla as a hippocamp, the former not being found on any of the Soli issues. In fact, Skylla does not appear on any Cilician coin issue during the Greek period (though it is known from 3rd century AD Roman provincial coins from Tarsos. While the issue may yet be from Cilicia, it is almost certainly from the Levantine region, based on the appearance of the Aramaic letters.