Ancient Gold
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Lot 4514 Session 15 (7.30pm Friday) Ancient Gold
Estimate $600
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $500
LESBOS, Mytilene, c.430 B.C., electrum hekte (2.462 grams), Bodenstedt dates 454-428/7 B.C., obv. head of Aktaion with stag's ear and small horn to right, his hair falling on his shoulders in coarse locks, rev. Gorgon head facing within linear square, (cf.S.4246 [£850]; Bodenstedt 54 [same dies as obv. f/ rev. s], [dies illustrated enlarged Pl.22, 1]; SNG Von Aulock 1697 [same reverse die], SNG Lockett 2760, SNG Fitz. 4348). Worn but of the finest early Classical style, good fine and very rare.
Aktaion had inadvertenly seen Artemis bathing, she in her anger changed him into a stag and he was torn to pieces by her own dogs. This myth is popular in Greek vase painting but only found on coins from Kyzikos, Lampsakos and this hekte of Mytilene and in all cases for one issue only. On this piece the transformation from a youth to the stag is illustrated with the hair turning into a mane. Bodenstedt knew of only six examples of this type from these dies. For all dies of this type he recorded 38 pieces.
Estimate / sale price does not include buyer's premium (currently 22% including GST) which is added to hammer price. All bids are executed on the understanding that the Terms & Conditions of sale have been read and accepted. For information on grading and estimates please refer to the Buying at Auction advice.
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Adjacent lots
Lot 4512
MYSIA, Cyzicus, second period, (c.475 B.C.), electrum hecte on Phocaic standard (2.748 grams), obv. winged ...
Estimate $2,500
Lot 4513
LESBOS, Mytilene, c.521-478 B.C., electrum hekte (2.568 grams), Bodenstedt dates 497 B.C., obv. head of ...
Estimate $1,100
Lot 4514 This lot
LESBOS, Mytilene, c.430 B.C., electrum hekte (2.462 grams), Bodenstedt dates 454-428/7 B.C., obv. head of ...
Estimate $600
Lot 4515
LESBOS, Mytilene, c.450-330 B.C., electrum hekte (2.520 grams), Bodenstedt dates 370 B.C., obv. head of ...
Estimate $2,000
Lot 4516
IONIA, Southern Ionia, possibly Miletus, (c.600-550 B.C.), electrum twelth stater (Lydo-Milesian standard), (1.152 grams), obv. ...
Estimate $1,000