Sale: Nomos 7, Lot: 142. Estimate CHF2000.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 14 May 2013.  Sold For CHF3400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CILICIA, Soloi. Circa 410-375 BC. Stater (Silver, 10.09 g 5). Head of Athena to right, wearing simple necklace and an Attic helmet with crest adorned by a griffin on the bowl and a palmette on the neckpiece. Rev. ΣΟ Bunch of grapes within a lozenge-shaped incuse square. SNG France 167-170. SNG Levante 45. A very rare variant. Beautifully toned and very well struck and centered. Good extremely fine.

From the Spina Collection, ex Leu 77, 11 May 2000, 361 and Hess-Leu, 12 April 1962, 329.

The head of Athena on this coin was unquestionably derived from Western Greek prototypes: especially those struck in Heraklea, Thurii and Velia. The coins themselves may well have reached Anatolia through trade, but it is also very likely that the die engravers who worked in the West sent lead strikes of their work to their colleagues in the East, as examples of their virtuosity.