Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 99 7 Jul 2022
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Cyclades, Koresia on Keos Æ 18mm. Circa late 3rd century BC. Laureate head of Apollo to right / [KO]PH, bee. Kea, p.81, 68-83; HGC 6, 586. 5.10g, 18mm, 11h.
Near Very Fine. Exceedingly Rare; no other examples on CoinArchives.
From a private European collection.
The bee on reverse refers to the myth of Aristaios, the earliest teacher of the art of bee-keeping to mankind. Aristaios, son of Apollo and the Nymph Kyrene, was born in the palaces of Libya. Hermes gave him to Gaia and the Horae to raise. They dripped ambrosia and nectar on to the baby's lips and thus, he became immortal. When he grew up, the Muses taught him the cultivation of the vine, the olive tree and bee-keeping, in this last he excelled.
Kea is considered to be the first place Aristaios visited. He was the inventor of a series of useful arts for the Kea islanders and bee-keeping was the most important among these arts.
Near Very Fine. Exceedingly Rare; no other examples on CoinArchives.
From a private European collection.
The bee on reverse refers to the myth of Aristaios, the earliest teacher of the art of bee-keeping to mankind. Aristaios, son of Apollo and the Nymph Kyrene, was born in the palaces of Libya. Hermes gave him to Gaia and the Horae to raise. They dripped ambrosia and nectar on to the baby's lips and thus, he became immortal. When he grew up, the Muses taught him the cultivation of the vine, the olive tree and bee-keeping, in this last he excelled.
Kea is considered to be the first place Aristaios visited. He was the inventor of a series of useful arts for the Kea islanders and bee-keeping was the most important among these arts.