Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 112. Estimate CHF18500.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF52000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LYCIA. Teththiveibi. 440-430. Stater (Silver, 9.84 g 12). Head of a goddess, perhaps Aphrodite, to left, wearing pearl necklace and spiral earring, her hair tied with bands and bound up at the back Rev. Lycian inscription Tetraskeles surrounded by inscription; all within incuse square bordered by dots. Gulbenkian 790. Kraay/Hirmer 651. SNG von Aulock 4161. Traité II 330, pl. XCVIII, 17. Very rare. Beautifully toned and perfectly struck, the finest known example. Good extremely fine.

Ex Leu 81, 16 May 2001, 310, Bank Leu 7, 9 May 1973, 251 and from the collection of J. Desneux.

The coinage of Lycia is characterized by the large number of eclectic designs found on it. The area’s general symbol, the tri- or tetraskeles, appeared on many reverses, but there were an infinite number of obverse types used. A good number were copied from or based on types used in other Greek cities - this one finds parallels in earlier issues from Syracuse! It is one of the prettiest female heads to be found in all of Lycian coinage, and certainly one of the best preserved.