Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 97. Estimate CHF3750.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF3600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 521-478 BC. Hekte (Electrum, 2.57 g 4). Forepart of a winged boar flying to right, with one wing above and the other below his body Rev. Lion’s head with open jaws to left, all incuse; behind, irregular incuse rectangle. BMFA 1678. Bodenstedt 10. Very rare. Attractively toned. Good extremely fine.

This is one of the rarest of all the early issues of Mytilene (those with the reverse type to right are much more common). The winged boar is a particularly intriguing animal: he appears on coins from other mints in Asia Minor as well.