WESTERN ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Circa 145-140 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30.5mm, 15.34 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Near VF.

CNG Feature Auction 123
Lot: 130. Estimated: $ 2 000

Greek, 12h, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 1 200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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WESTERN ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Circa 145-140 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30.5mm, 15.34 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Wreathed head of Demeter right / Two Kabeiroi, nude but for cloak tied at their necks, standing facing, each wearing laurel wreath and holding staff; ΘEΩN KABEIPΩN at sides, ΣYPIΩN below, monogram to lower right; all within wreath. Nicolet-Pierre & Amandry pl. 2, 13–8 var. (unlisted dies; Syros); HGC 6, (Syros). Toned, some find patina, porous, cleaning scratches and marks. Near VF. Very rare.

This issue had long been attributed to the island of Syros based on the reverse legend. Recent scholarship, however, has convincingly shown that this attribution is erroneous, as the reverse legend does not contain an ethnic, but names the type: the Divine Syrian Kabeiroi. As the issue has long been linked to a rare portrait emission of Eumenes I with the same reverse type, it is clear that it must belong to a mint in the sphere of the kings of Pergamon. Although it is tempting to attribute it to the royal mint at Pergamon, this Attic-standard issue could have been struck at one of several mints under Attalid control. See A. Meadows, “The Closed Currency System of the Attalid Kingdom” in P. Thonemann, Attalid Asia Minor (Oxford, 2013), pp. 184–91 for the most current analysis of this intriguing coinage.

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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