★ Extremely Rare and Seemingly Unpublished ★

KYRENAIKA. Kyrene as a member of the Kyrenaica Pentapolis . Circa 450 BC. Drachm (Silver, 16 mm, 3.19 g, 9 h), Asiatic standard. Π-E-N Silphium plant with five flowers and two pairs of leaves, flanked by a smaller silphium plant on either side. Rev. K-Y-P-A Bearded head of Zeus Ammon to right, with ram's horn over his ear; all within dotted square frame within incuse square. Cf. BMC 50 (Teuchira and Barke tetradrachm). SNG Copenhagen -. Extremely rare and apparently unpublished. Light scratches, otherwise, nearly very fine.

From the Battos Collection.

In Kyrenaica the phenomenon of numismatic (and political) alliance between cities is quite evident on the surviving coinage. The alliances between cities are usually mentioned across both sides of the coins. So, what exactly is the "ΠΕΝ" inscription on the obverse of this coin referring to?

The first possibility is that we have the name of the magistrate of the Kyrenian mint, responsible for the issue of this coin. However, this is unlikely, as this coin is dated too early, for the coinage of Kyrenaica, for a magistrate's name to appear on the obverse. The second possibility, is that it presents the denomination: ΠΕΝ = five obols or a pentobol. This is a possible explanation, as this coin weighs 3.19 grams, instead of the usual Attic standard drachms which weigh over 4 grams. However in this case, the standard is probably Asiatic and not Attic, so the possibility that ΠΕΝ being an indication of value unlikely.

The third explanation and in our opinion, more likely explanation is that this inscription is a reference to the five cities of Kyrenaica, the Pentapolis (Greek"Πεντάπολις"), which consisted of Kyrene, Barke, Euesperides, Teuchira and Apollonia. If this theory is correct, this coin stands out from the rest of alliance coinage from Kyrenaica, as it is not struck as a testimony of the Aliance between just two cities, but in as an Aliance issue with all the other cities in the Kyrene Pentapolis.