SIKYONIA, Sikyon. Circa 335-330 BC. AR Stater (22.5mm, 12.22 g, 9h). Good VF.

CNG Feature Auction 132
Lot: 310. Estimated: $ 2 000

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 4 250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

SIKYONIA, Sikyon. Circa 335-330 BC. AR Stater (22.5mm, 12.22 g, 9h). Chimaera standing left; wreath above, ΣE below / Dove flying left; N to left; all within wreath. BCD Peloponnesos 218; HGC 5, 201. Attractive iridescent tone over lustrous surfaces, marks and light scratches under tone. Good VF.

From the Thomas Palmer Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 124 (19 September 2023), lot 151; Hess-Divo 310 (22 October 2008), lot 104.

The Chimaera was introduced as a design type on the coinage of Sikyon in the mid fifth century BC. While the real reason will remain a mystery, the curious choice of this mythological beast (Sikyon – apart from some isolated and extremely rare issues from Macedon and Asia Minor – was one of only three cities to use the type as a design on their coinage) may derive from Sikyon’s association with Corinth, a city which also struck an issue featuring the Chimaera in connection with Bellerophon, the grandson of Sisyphos and the son of the Glaukos, king of Corinth. According to the myth related by Homer (Il. VI.155-203), Bellerophon was sent by Iobates, king of Lycia, to slay the Chimaera – a fire-breathing beast composed of the body of a lioness with a tail that terminated in a snake's head and the head of a fire-breathing goat that arose from its back. To accomplish this, Bellerophon captured the winged horse, Pegasos. Flying high overhead to avoid the creature’s fire, Bellerophon slew the Chimaera by thrusting a spear, tipped with a block of lead, down its throat. The lead melted, suffocating the Chimaera, and Bellerophon returned victorious to Iobates.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 132 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 18-19 May 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 132 – Session One – Lot 1-318 will be held Monday morning, 18 May 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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