Obolos 15

ASIA MINOR. Uncertain. Circa 500-480 BC. Diobol (Silver, 10 mm, 1.13 g), uncertain mint in western Asia Minor. Bird standing to right, turning its head back to left. Rev. Irregular incuse square. Rosen 383 var (denomination). CNG e343, 2015, 157. Extremely rare and in unusually fine condition for the type. Some roughness, otherwise, very fine.

This intriguing coin is rather perplexing! When an example appeared back in 2015 it was ascribed by its erudite cataloguer to Abydos, since the bird on the obverse was identified as an eagle. Needless to say, that cataloguer had never seen an eagle, since it is quite obvious to anyone who has ever seen one that this bird is not one (unless there are special Amish eagles ...). Quite obviously, this is a goose, and is closely related to those on the coinage ascribed to Eion in Macedonia. One would, therefore, quite naturally ascribe this coin to that mint if it weren't for a group of fierce Hellenes who adamantly point out that coins of this specific style and type have never, to their knowledge, been found in Macedonia. In addition, this coin came with coins from northwestern Asia Minor and so it might well have been found there as well.