CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS. Pantikapaion. Circa 470-460 BC. Tetartemorion (Silver, 6 mm, 0.23 g). Ant seen from above. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square, with a pellet in two opposing quarters. Frolova Type XX. HGC 7, 54. MacDonald 6. Very rare. About extremely fine.

It may seem odd that an ant was chosen as a coin type, but since Pantikapaion was the great entrepôt for the gold from the steppes, and the gold dust from the steppes was thought to be discovered in the form of dust in ant hills, an ant - as a kind of gold miner - would be a most suitable type for a coin from Pantikapaion!