Heritage World Coin Auctions
Long Beach Signature Sale 3035 3-5 September 2014
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Ancients
BLACK SEA REGION. Olbia. Ca. 400-380 BC. Æ cast 35mm (18.79 gm, 12h). Facing gorgoneion / O-Λ-B-I, sea eagle flying left, wings raised, holding dolphin in talons. Anokhin 184. SNG BM Black Sea 396–8. Rare. Marvelous and unusually well cast gorgon, displaying irises of eyes and other details not usually seen. Beautiful chocolate brown patina. Extremely Fine. From the James Cain "Faces of Medusa" Collection. Olbia, a colony of Miletus located at the junction of the Hyspanis and Borysthenes rivers in the wilds of Scythia, grew prosperous on trade between the nomadic Scythians and the Greeks. It employed a unique form of coinage consisting of cast bronzes of various sizes similar in concept to Italian aes grave. The smallest Olbian bronzes were made in the shape of dolphins; larger denominations bore a facing gorgon's head backed by a sea eagle clutching a dolphin.
Estimate: 2000-2800 USD
BLACK SEA REGION. Olbia. Ca. 400-380 BC. Æ cast 35mm (18.79 gm, 12h). Facing gorgoneion / O-Λ-B-I, sea eagle flying left, wings raised, holding dolphin in talons. Anokhin 184. SNG BM Black Sea 396–8. Rare. Marvelous and unusually well cast gorgon, displaying irises of eyes and other details not usually seen. Beautiful chocolate brown patina. Extremely Fine. From the James Cain "Faces of Medusa" Collection. Olbia, a colony of Miletus located at the junction of the Hyspanis and Borysthenes rivers in the wilds of Scythia, grew prosperous on trade between the nomadic Scythians and the Greeks. It employed a unique form of coinage consisting of cast bronzes of various sizes similar in concept to Italian aes grave. The smallest Olbian bronzes were made in the shape of dolphins; larger denominations bore a facing gorgon's head backed by a sea eagle clutching a dolphin.
Estimate: 2000-2800 USD