Islands off Attica, Aegina. Silver Stater (12.06 g), ca. 350-338 BC. Land tortoise with segmented shell. Reverse: A-I, Large square incuse with skew pattern, dolphin in one segment. Cf. Milbank pl. III, 3 (drachm). An extremely rare variety, and worthy of a first class collection. A fantastic land tortoise, boldly struck on a huge flan, and nicely toned. NGC grade XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Light marks. Estimated Value $5,000 - UP
Another impressive Aegina stater to add to the others in this sale, this particular variety is extremely rare. During the second half of the third century, Aegina began adding the city ethnic to her coins, and also sometimes subsidiary symbols. Here we see the abbreviated ethnic AI and a dolphin control. The dolphin control is common, but the ethnic abbreviated AI is actually extremely rare. Of the nearly 100 examples with the dolphin control currently appearing on CoinArchives, there are only two with the ethnic abbrevaied AI. All of the others have either AIΓI, AIΓ, or a magistrates name (NI) within the sunken quarters of the skew pattern on the reverse.
Ex CNG Auction 41,19 March 1997, lot 480 Ex The Century Collection.