Sale: CNG 81, Lot: 2718. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2009.  Sold For $300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ARKADIA, Psophis. Circa 490-460 BC. AR Obol (0.77 g, 10h). Forepart of the Keryneian Hind right / Fish right; archaic Ψ above, O below; all transversely within incuse square with plain sides. BCD Peloponnesos 1661 var. (incuse type, same obv. die) and 1679 corr. (date, same rev. die). VF, lightly toned, light porosity. Extremely rare.

Ex BCD Collection (not in LHS sale).

Struck from the same obverse die as the previous lot, but with even more die wear visible.

This coin and LHS 1668, both with plain sided incuses, are die linked to coins with different reverses with rayed incuses. This suggests that both incuse types, rayed and plain, may have been struck concurrently from the beginning, rather than in succession (especially as LHS 1668 has an acorn). Nevertheless, the more “advanced” style of the antlered Hinds on some of the plain incuse types suggests this type continued to be struck for some time after the rayed incuse type was discontinued (unless antlers are not indicative of relative chronology; see note above). It must also be noted that this coin shares its reverse die with LHS 1679, which LHS placed late due to the style of the archaic Ψ. Although the letter is similar to that found on LHS 1680, certainly a later coin based on its circular incuse, the style is not so dissimilar to that on other coins with square incuses (LHS 1665, for example). Therefore, the LHS 1679 coin should be placed among the earlier issues.