CYPRUS. Salamis. Pnytagoras (ca. 351-332/1 BC). AV stater (15mm, 8.28 gm, 12h). NGC AU S 5/5 - 4/5. ΠN, draped bust of Aphrodite left, wearing turreted crown, beaded necklace, and triple drop pendant earring, hair falling in wavy strands to front and back / BA, draped bust of Aphrodite left, hair in tight ringlets falling before ear and down back of neck, wearing torque, beaded hoop earring, taenia, and crown decorated with semicircular plates. Gulbenkian 813. BMC 76. Extremely rare. Sharply struck from artistic dies with incredible eye appeal. Note - both BMC and Gulbenkian have the BA side described as the obverse. From a Private Japanese Collection. Ex Heritage Auction 3026 (Long Beach, 25 September 2013), lot 23156; Gorny & Mosch 151 (9 October 2006), lot 210. Pnytagoras attained the throne of Cyprus after the deposition and expulsion his half-uncle Evagoras II, who grew unpopular after refusing to support a revolt against the Persians. Though the revolt failed, Pnytagoras subsequently submitted to the Persian king and ruled with their favor. After Alexander's invasion, Pnytagoras allied himself with the Macedonians and his fleet participated in the important siege of Tyre in 332 BC. Pnytagoras' gold staters feature busts of Cypriote Aphrodite in her various forms, as celebrated by her numerous cult centers on the island. Her turreted crown on the obverse of this coin shows her assimilation to Tyche as protecting civic goddess for the whole of Cyprus.

HID09801242017

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