photo by Savoca, also used in Fischer-Bossert
Ancient Greek (Archaic). Bithynia, Herakleia-Pontika (re-attributed from Ionia, Erythrai). Electrum Hekete or 1/6 Stater (2.59g, 10mm, 6h?). 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.
Provenance: Ex-Artemide Aste Auction LII (San Marino, 26 October 2019), #102; Savoca Numsmatik 18th Silver Auction (Munich, 8 Oct 2017), Lot #153.
Published: Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert (2020) “Die Elektronhekten mit dem Herakleskopf,” Numismatische Zeitschrift 126: 15-164. Note: Only known example of its reverse die (R 9) and possibly the only example of its obverse die (V 5”), but possibly a re-engraved die.
Also featured in Youtube video by Classical Numismatics, “Ancient Coins: Gold Coins” (20 Oct 2020): LINK.