CNG 93, Lot: 363. Estimate $500. Sold for $500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLANDS off TROAS, Tenedos. Early-mid 5th century BC. AR Didrachm (18mm, 7.62 g, 11h). Janiform head of a male, left, and female, right / Labrys in dotted square border within incuse square. SNG von Aulock –; SNG Copenhagen 505; HGC 6, 378. VF, toned, typical areas of weak strike, some porosity. Very rare.

Ex Herbert Cahn Collection; Auctiones 8 (27 June 1978), lot 236.

This coin is from the earliest issue of coinage at Tenedos. Although some place this issue in the late 6th century, there are no coins of this type in any hoard recorded before the mid-4th century. In fact, only two 4th century hoards record coins of Tenedos: Troas, 1969 (IGCH 1188), deposited c. 450 BC, and Massyaf, 1961 (IGCH 1483 = CH 8, 587 = CH 9, 362), deposited c. 425-420 BC. The former contained two coins of Tenedos, but further information was not recorded. The second hoard, however, contained a single didrachm, which was from the same issue as the present coin (cf. C.M. Kraay & P.R.S. Moorey, “Two fifth century hoards from the Near East,” RN 1968, pl. XXVI, 57). That coin exhibits little wear, supporting a likely date of issue in the early to mid 5th century BC.