Sale: Nomos 8, Lot: 168. Estimate CHF450.  Closing Date: Monday, 21 October 2013.  Sold For CHF360. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LESBOS, Methymna. Circa 450/40-406/379 BC. Obol (Silver, 7mm, 0.44 g 2). Helmeted head of Athena to right. Rev. Sea turtle surrounded by a rayed border within an incuse square. Cf. Gorny & Mosch 170, 1419 (same dies). Very rare. Well centered but with somewhat rough surfaces. Very fine.

From a northern European collection.

This coin is ascribed to Methymna thanks to the attribution of other pieces with similar types to that island. They have also been ascribed to Lykia, but since their find spots seem to be more in northwestern Asia Minor than anywhere else Methymna is surely more likely.