Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 488. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 10 January 2005.  Sold For $300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LYCIA, Oinoanda. After 188 BC. AR Didrachm (8.03 gm, 12h). Uncertain year. Laureate head of Zeus right; lotus-tipped sceptre over shoulder, B (partially erased in die) behind / OINOAN/DEwN below in two lines, eagle standing right on winged thunderbolt, wings closed, sceptre (or sword) behind round shield in right field. Cf. BMC Lycia pg. 73, 1. VF, weakly struck. ($500)

This coin is an anomaly in the otherwise orderly series. This reverse die had been used in Year 2 (see lot 485), and was then replaced by the next reverse die which saw the transition to Year 3 (see lots 486 and 487). The present coin is clearly struck in Year 3 after the previous lots, for the obverse die has now acquired the characteristic flaw before Zeus’ nose which is visible for the remainder of the die’s life. Apparently this reverse die had been retained at the mint after being taken out of service in Year 2 and was again pressed into service in Year 3. Close observation suggests that a new mark (a G?) has been added to the die beneath the eagle’s tail, although due to the weak strike the detail is not clear.

See lot 484 for more information on the coinage of Oinoanda.