CILICIA. Uncertain mint, but perhaps Mallos. Circa 400-350 BC. Obol (Silver, 10.5 mm, 0.98 g, 9 h). Astragalus ( knucklebone used for playing dice ); to left, club with its head downwards; border of dots. Rev. Owl standing facing, with spread wings; border of dots. Apparently unpublished, but for this coin, see Münzen und Medaillen FPL 570, 1993, 162; and for another example of the same type, see CNG MBS 64, 2003, 304. Extremely rare. Bold and attractive with a grey patina. Slightly rough surfaces. About extremely fine.

From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions, ex Münzen und Medailen FPL 570, November/December 1993, 162.

Coins of this type - others are known with stars flanking the knucklebone, or with nothing flanking it - have been ascribed to a number of mints, including Selge and Phaselis - but since these coins do not look like anything else struck by those cities, it seems unlikely that they come from there. They have been confidently ascribed to Mallos because one piece (Meister & Sonntag 3, 2005, 58) seemingly has the legend Μ - Α on the reverse. Though someone has suggested that the legend is actually retrograde and that they might come from Amisos, a mint that struck coins with an equally odd-looking frontal owl (but the style is much more southern Asia Minor than it is northwestern). In any event, the attribution of these astragalus coins to Mallos seems reasonable at the present point.