Triton XIX, Lot: 2062. Estimate $30000. Sold for $45000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CYPRUS, Salamis. Pnytagoras. Circa 351/0-332/1 BC. AV Stater (16.5mm, 8.28 g, 12h). Persian standard. Draped bust of Aphrodite left, hair rolled above forehead and falling in long wavy strands to front and back of shoulder, wearing turreted crown, triple-pendant earring, and beaded necklace; ΠN to right / Draped bust of male left, with long sideburn and hair in tight ringlets falling down back of neck, wearing crown decorated with semicircular plates, and torque; BA to right. Markou, L'or 426 (D6/R11 – this coin); Zapiti & Michaelidou 22; Tziambazis 132; Gulbenkian 813; Jameson 1631 (same obv. die); Pozzi 2899 (same obv. die). EF, underlying luster, a couple light marks on reverse. Very rare, one of only 19 staters of Pnytagoras known to Markou.

From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex Leu 77 (11 May 2000), lot 363; Victor Adda Collection.

Pnytagoras came to power following the deposition of his half-uncle Evagoras II, who was expelled by his subjects after refusing to support a revolt against the Persians. Following the revolt, the Persians mounted an invasion to retake Cyprus and supported Evagoras in his bid to regain his throne in Salamis. Soon, however, unknown accusations were made against Evagoras which prompted the Persians to change their support to Pnytagoras, who subsequently submitted to the Persian king. After the battle of Ipsos, Pnytagoras allied himself with the Macedonians, and his fleet participated in the important siege of Tyre in 332 BC. Following the siege, Alexander rewarded Pnytagoras with the city of Tamassos, which had been a possession of Kition. Pnytagoras died later that same year and was succeeded by his son, Nikokreon. Pnytagoras’ gold staters feature the bust of Cypriote Aphrodite, as celebrated by her numerous cult centers on the island. Her turreted crown on the obverse of this coin shows her assimilation to Tyche as protecting civic goddess for the whole of Cyprus.