Sale: CNG 72, Lot: 729. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 14 June 2006.  Sold For $500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Ephesos. Circa 180-67 BC. AR Tetradrachm (12.59 g, 1h). Cistophoric standard. Struck circa 140-137 BC. Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath / Two serpents entwined around bow case; K to upper left; to right, bust of Artemis right, quiver over shoulder. Kleiner & Noe Series 33 (obv. die 44); SNG Copenhagen -; BMC 145; SNG von Aulock 7833. VF, toned, obverse struck a little softly. Overstruck on a tetradrachm of the First Meris from the Roman Protectorate of Macedon (thunderbolt and M are visible).

See CNG 57, 440 for another Ephesos cistophoric tetradrachm overstruck on a First Meris tetradrachm. The Macedonian tetradrachms were struck on the Attic standard, so approximately 3-4 grams had to be cut from this undertype before it was restruck on the cistophoric standard.