- Return to “Provenance Coins (Part II): Eastern Greek” (to this coin)
photo by Savoca, also used in Fischer-Bossert
Ancient Greek (Archaic). Bithynia, Herakleia-Pontika Electrum Hekete or 1/6 Stater (2.59g, 10mm). Struck circa 530 BCE.
Obv: Archaic head of Herakles facing left, wearing lionskin headdress with Laschenohr (“handle- or tab-shaped ear”); neck truncation adorned by a row of dots.
Rev: Quadratum incusum with four recessed squares.
Ref: Fischer-Bossert Group 2, No. 10 (V 5’’/R 9; this coin illustrated). See also (all citing Ertyhrai): SNG von Aulock 1942; SNG Kayhan 737-8; Boston MFA 1806-7; BMC Ionia Pl. III, No. 15; Babelon, Traité pl. 5, 18; Pozzi 2373-5.
Prov: Ex-Artemide Aste Auction LII (San Marino, 26 October 2019), #102; Savoca Numsmatik 18th Silver Auction (Munich, 8 Oct 2017), Lot #153.
Publication History: Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert (2020) “Die Elektronhekten mit dem Herakleskopf,” Numismatische Zeitschrift 126: 15-164.
Note: Only known example of rev. (R 9) & obv. (V 5”) dies, though Fischer-Bossert suspected the obv. die had been re-engraved (V5” ~ V5).
Also featured in Youtube video by Classical Numismatics, “Ancient Coins: Gold Coins” (20 Oct 2020).
(This type formerly attributed to Ionia, Erythrai.)