CNG 84, Lot: 569. Estimate $200. Sold for $800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS, Theodoseia. Circa 360-340 BC. Æ (14mm, 2.39 g, 12h). Head of Apollo or Herakles left / Bull butting right. Frolova, frühe, Type IV (uncertain dies); MacDonald 95; SNG BM Black Sea -; SNG Stancomb -. Near VF, dark brown patina, some tooling and smoothing. Extremely rare, only two examples known to Frolova (both in the Hermitage).

From the Alex Shubs Collection.

Both of the Hermitage coins are fairly worn on the obverse, so the identity of the deity is uncertain; Frolova identifies him as Herakles, while MacDonald posits that it is Apollo (and laureate). Unfortunately this example cannot clarify the matter.