Sale: CNG 81, Lot: 2331. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2009.  Sold For $425. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LAKONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta). Kleomenes III. 235-222 BC. Æ Hexachalkon (8.83 g, 9h). Stuck circa 226-223 BC. Eagle standing left on thunderbolt / Winged thunderbolt; Λ-A flanking. Grunauer group IV, 2 var. (V-/R2 [unlisted obv. die? -- see note]); BCD Peloponnesos 843-4. VF, green, brown, and red patina. Very rare.

Ex BCD Collection (not in LHS sale); Christie’s (17 July 1986), lot 53 (part of).

Unlike most of the obverses for this group, the eagle on this coin appears to have its head raised. It appears to probably be a match to the obverse of Grunauer pl. 3, 6, but the head on that coin is a little obscured. Interestingly, Grunauer lists that coin as having obverse die V2, but a comparison with the other plated examples from this die show that this cannot be correct. In fact, a comparison of the leading edge of the eagle’s far wing in these photos also suggests that some of the other coins are probably not from obverse die V2 as well.