175, Lot: 90. Estimate $100. Sold for $175. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CARIA, Uncertain. 6th century BC. AR Diobol (10mm, 1.23 g, 12h). Head of bull left / Rough incuse punch; the upper half with a small hook-like object and a head of a lion facing left. SNG Copenhagen -; SNG von Aulock -; SNG Keckman -. Good VF, toned.

A very unusual piece, with the small figures engraved in the incuse punch. It somewhat resembles the Persian sigloi with lion’s head or helmet engraved into the punch. Two other pieces from the same dies have appeared in recent auctions; Tlakec (29 February 2000), lot 110 (as uncertain Ionia) and Classical Numismatic Group 64 (24 September 2003), lot 252 (as Mytilene). In neither case were the reverse figures noted.