450, Lot: 221. Estimate $200. Sold for $200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CYPRUS, Uncertain. Early 5th century BC. AR Siglos - Stater (18mm, 10.86 g, 1h). Ram walking left, upon which an ankh symbol is superimposed / Laurel branch with bud at top, and a leaf and fruit on each side; anchor to left, ankh symbol to right; all in dotted square within incuse square. Zapiti & Michaelidou 2 var. (no symbols in field on rev.); Asyut pl. 32, N-O var. (same); SNG Copenhagen Supp. 625; E.S.G. Robinson, “Greek Coins Acquired by the British Museum, 1938-1948” in NC 1948, 5 var. (same) [all struck from the same obv. die]. Struck from a heavily worn obverse die (standard for issue, see below). VF. 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. The present variety, which adds subsidiary symbols to the fields on the reverse, is apparently unpublished. A further variety is also known, with a Ξ added above the ankh symbol on the reverse (cf. CNG E-432, lot 101).