Sale: CNG 81, Lot: 1448. Estimate $400.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2009.  Sold For $595. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Lead sling bullets. Greek, Hellenistic Period, 3rd-1st centuries BC. a) Seleukid anchor / Blank. Length: 4.0 cm. b) Shield / [Θ]EPΦAΓOPA. Length: 3.4 cm. c) The letters Є, Ξ, Δ, A and Λ (the last perhaps intended as another Δ or A) placed around the bullet, apparently indiscriminately, with no regard to orientation. Length: 3.6 cm. Typical surface dings. An interesting group. Three (3) bullets in lot.

The last bullet is highly unusual; most examples have two distinct sides, usually with a casting mark separating them. Here the entire surface of the bullet carries lettering. The manufacturer was perhaps attempting to write ΔЄΞAI (“take this”), which is commonly found on bullets of the time.