Heritage Auctions

Weekly Auction 232431  –  1 August 2024

Heritage Auctions, Weekly Auction 232431

World and Ancient Coins

Part 1: Th, 01.08.2024, from 2:00 AM CEST
Part 2: Fr, 02.08.2024, from 2:00 AM CEST
The auction is closed.
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Description

IONIA. Phocaea. Ca. 477-388 BC. EL sixth-stater or hecte (10mm, 2.54 gm). NGC XF 5/5 - 4/5. Head of young female left, wearing double taenia, hair confined by sphendone; inverted seal left below / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt 90. Situated on the western coast of modern-day Turkey, Phocaea was an ancient Ionian city celebrated for its maritime prowess and commercial acumen. This mercantile dynamism was reflected in the city's distinct contribution to the history of coinage. Phocaea was among the earliest cities to produce electrum coinage, a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver that was a precursor to the later, more standardized coinage in pure gold and silver. This Phocaean electrum coinage, minted around the sixth through fourth centuries BC, was characterized by a range of richly symbolic designs, including mystical creatures, prominent deities, and civic emblems, all indicative of their vibrant cultural life and marked by exceptional detail and high relief owing to the skill of Ionian die engravers. Phocaean coinage holds notable significance for its inclusion of the seal, a marine creature emblematic of the city's affiliation with the sea and its maritime economy. HID09801242017 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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Price realized 850 USD
Starting price 1 USD
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