LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 412-378 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.59 g, 7h). VF.

Electronic Auction 570
Lot: 74. Estimated: $ 300

Greek, Electrum

Sold For $ 1 300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 412-378 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10mm, 2.59 g, 7h). Head of Ares right, wearing crested helmet decorated with forepart of griffin / Head of female right, hair tied in together at the top; all within linear border within incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 65, dies h/ζ; HGC 6, 991. A little off center. VF.

The reverse of Bodenstedt’s Type 65 is supposed to depict the Amazon wearing an ornate helmet, but his reverse die ζ clearly shows the Amazon with a bare head, as here. Rather than assign the die to a new type, Bodenstedt argues this die was engraved erroneously (see also F. Bodenstedt, “Observations on Some Early Electrum Types of Phocaea and Mytilene” in MN 22 [1977], p. 6). It is presumably due to the consistent obverse type that Boehringer listed this as part of his Type 65. However, the obverse die h is not linked to any helmeted reverses, and the use of similar obverses across other series are given to separate Types elsewhere in his corpus. As such, this die pairing should probably be considered as a distinct type separate from Type 65.

Closing Date and Time: 11 September 2024 at 10:24:20 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.