KYRENAICA, Kyrene. temp. Magas. Circa 294-275 BC. AR Didrachm (21mm, 7.57 g, 12h). VF.

CNG Feature Auction 123
Lot: 262. Estimated: $ 750

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

Sold For $ 475. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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KYRENAICA, Kyrene. temp. Magas. Circa 294-275 BC. AR Didrachm (21mm, 7.57 g, 12h). Head of Zeus Karneios left / Silphion plant; to upper left, serpent coiled left; monogram to upper right. BMC 243–5; SNG Copenhagen 1239. Minor roughness. VF.

The Silphion plant is engraved in a variety of ways on the various dies of this series. Unusually, as on this reverse, the branches leave the trunk one atop the other. There appear to be only two reverse dies of this style. Both are paired with various obverses with both head right and head left.

It would seem the master engravers cut the obverse dies while leaving the reverse dies to their junior apprentices who probably worked from a master design for the reverse die - which their talent rarely matched. Potential master reverse dies could be as seen on BMC 237 (see previous lot) or perhaps BMC 259.


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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