nomos . . . . . . auction I, zurich 6 may 2009
67
67.
–. 335-330 BC. Stater (Silver, 12.24 g 8). ΣΕ Chimaera moving to the left on ground line, right paw raised; above to right, wreath Rev. Dove flying to left with wings open above and below; below dove’s neck, Ι; all within olive wreath tied on the right and with branch ends meeting on the left. BCD Peloponnesos 219. BMC 56. Traité 775, pl. CCXX, 12. Lightly toned and most attractive. Extremely fine. 5000
2:1
This lovely coin comes from an issue of staters produced at Sikyon after Alexander’s appeal for mercenaries in 334: they seemed to have been paid out as a signing bonus and then buried for safe-keeping. Unfortunately, many of these mercenaries never came back; thus, a number of coins from this issue have been found in excellent condition since they never circulated! The chimaera on this coin is a lot less dangerous looking than the tiny lion on the preceding coin: this animal is walking proudly to the left in an almost heraldic way.
68
68. –. Circa 330/20-280 BC. Triobol (Silver, 2.86 g 6). Chimaera, with right forepaw raised, moving to left on ground line; below Chimaera, ΣΙ Rev. Dove flying left. BCD Peloponnesos 284. Nicely toned. Extremely fine. 500 From the BCD collection. The triobols of Sikyon were one of the main fractional silver coinages of the Peloponnesos during the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. They circulated widely and since they could equally be thought of as Attic tetrobols their exchange was easy. Their great popularity meant that they were heavily used - the vast majority of surviving specimens are less than very fine in condition; those in extremely fine, as this one, can be considered rare.
2:1
55