New Denomination for Series

342, Lot: 237. Estimate $500. Sold for $2300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS, Pantikapaion. Circa 470-460 BC. AR Tetrobol (14mm, 3.00 g). Facing lion head / Quadripartite incuse square. Frolova, frühe, Type II (unlisted denomination); MacDonald 3 (same); cf. Anokhin 956 (drachm); HGC 7, 26 (drachm). EF, lightly toned. Extremely rare.

The form of the incuse on this piece, while different from the common triobols, is an exact match with that on the extremely rare drachms of Frolova’s Type II coinage. The tetrobol denomination was not extensively used at Pantikapaion, but is known for the previous issue, Frolova Type I, so its appearance among the coins of Type II is not surprising.