431, Lot: 255. Estimate $100. Sold for $425. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CYPRUS, Uncertain. Early 5th century BC. AR Stater (19.5mm, 11.00 g, 10h). Ram walking left, upon which an ankh symbol is superimposed / Laurel branch, with bud at top, and a leaf and fruit on each side, in dotted square within incuse square. Zapiti & Michaelidou 2 (same dies); Asyut pl. 32, N-O (same dies); E.S.G. Robinson, “Greek Coins Acquired by the British Museum, 1938-1948” in NC 1948, 5 (same dies). Fine, test cut, struck from heavily worn obverse die (see below). Rare.

See H. Troxell and N. M. Waggoner, “The Robert F. Kelley Bequest,” MN 23 (1978), pp. 33–6, for an examination of this coinage. The obverse die was used to strike three different issues, all with different reverses. These were struck in succession, with the present type belonging to the third issue, when the ankh was engraved over the ram, and the obverse die was in a heavily worn state.