CYCLADES, Thera. Circa 525/20-500 BC. AR Stater (20.5mm, 12.19 g). Near VF.

CNG Feature Auction 132
Lot: 317. Estimated: $ 3 000

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 2 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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CYCLADES, Thera. Circa 525/20-500 BC. AR Stater (20.5mm, 12.19 g). Dolphin swimming left above dolphin swimming right / Incuse square in “Union Jack” pattern. Cf. Sheedy 1-24 (unlisted die); HGC 6, 855. Traces of find patina, granular surfaces. Near VF. Very rare.

From the Thomas Palmer Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 76 (12 September 2007), lot 664.

Rising in a dramatic crescent of volcanic cliffs from the deep blue Aegean, the island of Thera (also called Santorini) is the surviving rim of one of antiquity’s most spectacular geological temper tantrums: the 16th century BC volcanic explosion that utterly destroyed a prosperous Minoan settlement on the island and marked a decisive shift in late Bronze Age Mediterranean culture. Recovery was long and slow, but by the early first century BC, the remnants of the island had been resettled by Dorian colonists from Sparta, who soon built a confident maritime community perched high above its harbor. In the 7th century BC its inhabitants even sent out their own colonists who founded Cyrene in North Africa. Shortly after the island denizens of Aegina began striking coins, Thera struck its own issues on the same weight standard. The earliest silver staters, drachms, obols and hemiobols were struck circa 525-500 BC. All denominations depict on the obverse two dolphins swimming in opposite directions, while the reverse carries a simple incuse punch of a “union jack” pattern similar to the earliest “turtle” issues of Aegina. All very rare, these earliest pieces carry no other identifying mark, leading some numismatists to initially attribute them to other islands in the Cycladic and Sporadic chains. More recent hoard evidence cements the attribution to Thera.

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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