CRETE, Knossos. Circa 300-270 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 5.27 g, 10h). Good VF.

CNG Feature Auction 123
Lot: 102. Estimated: $ 10 000

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 13 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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CRETE, Knossos. Circa 300-270 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 5.27 g, 10h). Head of Hera left, wearing ornamented stephanos, triple-pendant earring, and necklace / Labyrinth; A-P flanking, KNΩΣI below. Svoronos, Numismatique 70; Le Rider, Crétoises –; SNG Copenhagen –; SNG Lockett 2539–40; BMC 26–7; Boutin 155; Dewing 1987–8; Evans 1597–9; de Luynes 2334 (same dies); Traeger –. Toned, areas of weak strike, slight roughness, tiny nick on obverse, a little die wear on reverse. Good VF.

The ancient city of Knossos, the remains of which were excavated by Sir Arthur Evans, beginning in 1900, was founded in the Minoan Period (circa 1700-1400 BC) as a large and complex palace-city. Although the exact origin of the word labyrinth, as well as its location, remains open to scholarly conjecture, the intricate maze of rooms and interior courtyards of this palace-city contributed to the later Greek use of the word to describe a maze and the source of the events connected with it to Crete.

According to the Greek myth, Minos was the first king of Crete. Although he gave the island its first constitution, ordered the construction of the palace at Knossos, and was the first to build a navy, he was a cruel tyrant and imperialist. One of his subject cities was Athens. He demanded from its citizens as payment every nine years seven youths and seven virgins. Minos would feed them then to the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull who was held in the Labyrinth, a large walled maze. To stop this brutal tribute, the Athenian hero, Theseus, had himself sent as part of the required tribute. With the assistance of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, Theseus was able to navigate the Labyrinth successfully and kill the Minotaur.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 123 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 23-24 May 2023. This lot is in Session One, which will begin 23 May 2023 at 9 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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