Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 950. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $26000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Uncertain. Circa 650-600 BC. EL Hemistater (8.35 g). Phokaic standard. Figural type. Head of roaring lion right / Irregular incuse. Cf. Weidauer 183-184 (staters of slightly different style); cf. Cahn, Knidos pl. 20, 1 = Traité I 177 (same). Good VF. Unique. ($10,000)

While this coin appears to belong to Wiedauer's Series XLIII (Lion Head), the style of both the lion and the incuse are somewhat different. In particular, the incuses on the Wiedauer coins are shallower and have rough irregular patterns in relief. The incuse on the present coin is much deeper and has a smooth surface that flows to varying depths. Although these differences suggest this coin belongs to another series or issue, it is also possible, because there are no published hemistaters of this type, that this coin represents the norm for this particular denomination.