CNG 87, Lot: 653. Estimate $300. Sold for $900. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PHOENICIA, Arados. Uncertain king. Circa 348/7-339/8 BC. AR Stater (16mm, 10.50 g, 10h). Dated CY 5 (344/3 BC). Head of marine deity right, wearing laurel wreath / Galley right above waves; ‹‹ ‹‹‹ n åM (date and mint signature) above. Cf. Betlyon 29; Rouvier -; cf. HGC 10, 36; SNG Copenhagen -; Triton XIV, 364; CNG E-203, 213; CNG E-124, 100. Good VF. Very rare.

Until recently, all of the known dated issues of Arados have been struck under the city’s last king, Gerostratos. On those coins, however, the third Aramaic letter (from the right) is always a G, presumably for the first letter of the king’s name. On this coin, the third letter is an Aramaic N. This letter is known to occur with the Aramaic AM (mint signature) on issues of Betlyon’s Fifth Aradian Series, but never accompanied by a civic year date.