Masterpiece of Archaic Engraving

Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 251. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $11000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CORINTHIA, Corinth. Circa 515-500 BC. AR Stater (8.60 g, 9h). Pegasos flying left; koppa below / Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet and necklace, hair tied behind neck, in linear square within incuse square. Ravel - (P68/T75 [unlisted combination]); Pegasi 44 (same dies); Selinus Hoard 159-60 (same dies); BCD Corinth -; SNG Copenhagen Supp. 267; Weber 3655 (same obv. die). EF, toned, minor die break on reverse. Rare issue. A masterpiece of archaic engraving and one of the finest numismatic depictions of Athena.

This coin is from the first class of staters in Ravel’s group 2 coinage, distinguished by the presence of the linear border around the head of Athena on the reverse. The Selinus hoard confirmed Ravel’s placement of this class, which was the first to feature Athena on the reverse, replacing the earlier quadripartite incuse square type. The depictions of Athena on these early issues are striking in their quality, emphasizing the importance that the Greek cities placed on the artwork that was displayed on their coinage.