Sale: CNG 69, Lot: 460. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 8 June 2005.  Sold For $650. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLANDS off CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 305-275 BC. AR Didrachm (6.43 gm, 12h). Radiate head of Helios right / Rose with two buds flanking; A to left, caduceus to right. Ashton 166; Ashton, Colossus 12 (A6/P7; this coin); cf. SNG Copenhagen 734. Good VF, toned, minor porosity, light scratch on obverse. Rare. ($1000)

Ashton suggests that this issue of profile-head didrachms from 305-275 BC was produced to finance the construction of the Colossus, and that because the head is strikingly different from the usual portrait of Helios, it may actually portray the head of the Colossus.

Ashton describes the obverse of this coin as heavily tooled. Upon close inspection, though, this coin clearly has not been tooled. The hair does exhibit unusual detail for this issue, and it is possible that the die (A6, of which this is the sole example) was re-engraved at some stage of its life.