Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 126 17 Nov 2021
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Ionia, Uncertain mint
Stater circa 600-500, EL 13.40 g. Tortoise. Rev. Two incuse squares with irregular surfaces. Traité 78 and pl. 3, 2. Rosen 247.
Exceedingly rare, only very few specimens known. A very interesting
and fascinating issue struck on a full flan. Good very fine
Ex New York sale XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 499. Privately purchased from Athena, Munich, in September 1988.
This exceedingly rare early electrum stater depicts a wonderful tortoise executed with much greater attention to detail than the turtles on the roughly contemporary early silver staters of Aegina. It should be emphasised that whereas the animal on Aeginetan coins is a sea turtle, distinguishable by its flippers and smooth shell, the segmented shell of the animal on this electrum piece makes it clear that it is intended as a land tortoise. The silver staters of Aegina did not replace the traditional sea turtle with a land tortoise until the second quarter of the fourth century BC-long after this electrum issue was produced. One interesting detail on the present tortoise is the somewhat spiny treatment of the forelegs, which is rather more reminiscent of the forelegs of a scarab beetle than of tortoise legs.
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Stater circa 600-500, EL 13.40 g. Tortoise. Rev. Two incuse squares with irregular surfaces. Traité 78 and pl. 3, 2. Rosen 247.
Exceedingly rare, only very few specimens known. A very interesting
and fascinating issue struck on a full flan. Good very fine
Ex New York sale XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 499. Privately purchased from Athena, Munich, in September 1988.
This exceedingly rare early electrum stater depicts a wonderful tortoise executed with much greater attention to detail than the turtles on the roughly contemporary early silver staters of Aegina. It should be emphasised that whereas the animal on Aeginetan coins is a sea turtle, distinguishable by its flippers and smooth shell, the segmented shell of the animal on this electrum piece makes it clear that it is intended as a land tortoise. The silver staters of Aegina did not replace the traditional sea turtle with a land tortoise until the second quarter of the fourth century BC-long after this electrum issue was produced. One interesting detail on the present tortoise is the somewhat spiny treatment of the forelegs, which is rather more reminiscent of the forelegs of a scarab beetle than of tortoise legs.
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