Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 496 21 Jul 2021
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UNCERTAIN EAST. 3rd century BC. AR Tetradrachm (19mm, 16.98 g, 7h). Imitating Athens pi-style. Helmeted head of Athena right, with pi-style palmette / Owl standing right, head facing; olive spray and crescent to left; Θ in ethnic engraved with small appendage. Van Alfen, Two, 20 (same obv. die, different rev. die but same appendage added to Θ in ethnic). Lightly toned, test cut, struck with worn obverse die. Fine. Very rare.
Ex Kirk Davis FPL 71 (Spring 2018), no. 52.
The coin in the 1989 Syria Hoard analyzed by Van Alfen was assumed to be of official Athenian origin. However, the present coin, struck from the same obverse die, clearly shows that the small appendage added to the Θ in the ethnic was an intentional mark, rather than a die break. As this would be unlikely to occur on an official issue, these coins must be among the many eastern imitations.
Ex Kirk Davis FPL 71 (Spring 2018), no. 52.
The coin in the 1989 Syria Hoard analyzed by Van Alfen was assumed to be of official Athenian origin. However, the present coin, struck from the same obverse die, clearly shows that the small appendage added to the Θ in the ethnic was an intentional mark, rather than a die break. As this would be unlikely to occur on an official issue, these coins must be among the many eastern imitations.