CARIA. Uncertain mint. Circa 500-400 BC. Triobol (Silver, 14.5 mm, 3.98 g, 6 h). Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue and four wings evenly spaced around. Rev. Harpy right within incuse square. De Luÿnes 2751 = Traité II 1606 and pl. CXLV, 1 = HNO temp. 2552.1. HNO temp. 2552.7 ( this coin ). An extremely rare coin, with types of real iconographic importance. Well-centered and particularly attractive. Reverse very slightly double-struck, otherwise, good very fine.

From a European collection, ex Naumann 59, 5 November 2017, 148.

It would be really interesting if we could identify the mint that produced this coin! The city must have been, obviously, devoted to gorgons, probably in their function as protective deities. We know this because it produced a series of coins all with the common obverse of a facing gorgon's head surrounded by four wings: a triobol (as here), with the reverse of a harpy; an obol with a running gorgon on the reverse (HMO temp. 2758); and a hemiobol with the forepart of a boar on its reverse (HMO temp. 2759). The four-winged head on the obverse has a relation to the multi-winged creatures of the Bible: the Seraphim, with six wings, and the Cherubim, with four (albeit with multiple heads). Interestingly enough, on the reverse of this coin we have a harpy with four wings, two arms and, apparently, no legs!