Third Known Dolphin-Man Stater

Triton XX, Lot: 226. Estimate $20000. Sold for $37500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-450 BC. EL Stater (18mm, 16.13 g). Winged creature, with the head and torso of a horned dolphin, the abdomen, arms, and legs of a nude human, swimming/flying left, holding in its right hand the tail of a tunny right / Quadripartite incuse square. Cf. Von Fritze I 79 (unlisted denomination); Greenwell –; Boston MFA –; SNG BN –; BMC –; Gillet –; Gulbenkian –; Jameson –; Kraay & Hirmer 699 = Prinkipo 57; Weber –; Roma XI, lot 407. VF. Well centered on a broad flan. Extremely rare, the third known, with one in a public collection (Berlin [ex Prinkipo]).

The figure appears to be swimming: the legs are kicking, the right hand is raised behind the head and about to be plunged back into the water, and the tunny is trailing the the right due to the rapid movement.