Sale: Nomos 6, Lot: 83. Estimate CHF5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 May 2012.  Sold For CHF4000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PAPHLAGONIA, Sinope. Circa 425-410 BC. Drachm (Silver, 6.05 g). Head of a sea eagle to left; below, dolphin to left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square composed of two raised and two sunken squares; within one of the sunken squares, Κ. SNG Ocford 265. SNG von Aulock 6837. Toned, in high relief and with a dramatic eagle head. Extremely fine.

From the collections of the Rockefeller University, New York, and Dr. A. Mirsky, Gemini VII, 9 January 2011, 441.

When the early eagle-head drachms of Sinope are both well centered and in excellent condition, as this one is, they can be remarkably attractive. They can only be compared to the slightly later issues of Olympia in their realistic portrayals, which are of great vigor and power.