Four Tauric Chersonesos Issues from the Morcom Collection

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 78. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $2800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

TAURIC CHERSONESOS, Chersonesos. Mid 4th century BC. Æ 24mm (8.94 g, 1h). Artemis Parthenos seated right on cippus, inspecting an arrow she holds with both hands; to right forepart of stag standing right / CER, Bull butting left on horizontal club; all within shallow incuse circle. Anokhin, Khersonesa 8; SNG BM Black Sea 709; SNG Stancomb 456; SNG Copenhagen -. Good VF, dark green, almost black, patina. Exceptional for issue.

From the Christopher Morcom Collection.

SNG BM describes Artemis as removing the arrow from the stag, but it is clear from this well-preserved specimen that Artemis is actually inspecting the arrow. This is most apparent in the careful engraving of the goddess’ fingers, whose positions on the arrow are in keeping with the correct form for testing the straightness of the arrow.