Triton XVI, Lot: 413. Estimate $1000. Sold for $950. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PAPHLAGONIA, Sinope. Circa 490-425 BC. AR Drachm (15mm, 6.37 g). Head of sea-eagle left; below, dolphin left / Quadripartite incuse square with two opposing quarters filled and bearing symbols, the others stippled and with pellet. RG –; cf. SNG BM Black Sea 1367-70; SNG Stancomb –; cf. SNG von Aulock 6834–41; SNG Copenhagen –. Good VF. Unpublished variety with symbols.

This piece is particularly interesting, as the obverse is typical of the second series at Sinope, with a refined eagle’s head and dolphin, while the reverse with stippled quarters is typical of the first series. In the second series, the quarters on the reverse are usually plain and/or bear a Greek letter(s). This unusual reverse, whose symbols don’t appear even in the first series, combined with its rather rudimentary obverse style, particularly the dolphin, suggests that this might be an imitative issue.