Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3033 8 August 2014
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MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 550-450 BC. EL stater (20mm, weight not listed). Crouching sphinx left; below, tunny fish left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 72. Very rare and well-centered. NGC XF 5/5 - 3/5. From The Lexington Collection of Jonathan K. Kern.There are four types of Cyzicus staters with sphinxes; one where the sphinx is standing left and raising its right forepaw, one where it is seated left, one where it is crouching left, and one where just its forepart is shown. Of these, the latter two are represented by examples in this auction. An analysis of recent auction records reveals that a total of 15 different examples of Cyzicus sphinx staters have appeared on the open market in the past decade or so, including the present two. Of those, 5 were of the "standing" type, 3 of the "seated," 6 of the "crouching," and only 1 of the "forepart" type. The present two specimens represent a rare opportunity on two parts. With regard to the "forepart" specimen, it is the only example that has been on the open market in at least a decade, and therefore this may very well be a once-in-a-generation offering of that type. As for the "crouching" type example, it is certainly among the finest of the six specimens, with most of the other examples being disqualified due to overly intrusive edge splitting or off-centered striking; the only other piece that could come close is the one sold by Tkalec over a decade ago (October 2003, lot 98). Really, both of these coins deserve special attention by the bidder.
Estimate: 12000-16000 USD
MYSIA. Cyzicus. Ca. 550-450 BC. EL stater (20mm, weight not listed). Crouching sphinx left; below, tunny fish left / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze I 72. Very rare and well-centered. NGC XF 5/5 - 3/5. From The Lexington Collection of Jonathan K. Kern.There are four types of Cyzicus staters with sphinxes; one where the sphinx is standing left and raising its right forepaw, one where it is seated left, one where it is crouching left, and one where just its forepart is shown. Of these, the latter two are represented by examples in this auction. An analysis of recent auction records reveals that a total of 15 different examples of Cyzicus sphinx staters have appeared on the open market in the past decade or so, including the present two. Of those, 5 were of the "standing" type, 3 of the "seated," 6 of the "crouching," and only 1 of the "forepart" type. The present two specimens represent a rare opportunity on two parts. With regard to the "forepart" specimen, it is the only example that has been on the open market in at least a decade, and therefore this may very well be a once-in-a-generation offering of that type. As for the "crouching" type example, it is certainly among the finest of the six specimens, with most of the other examples being disqualified due to overly intrusive edge splitting or off-centered striking; the only other piece that could come close is the one sold by Tkalec over a decade ago (October 2003, lot 98). Really, both of these coins deserve special attention by the bidder.
Estimate: 12000-16000 USD