Nomos 20

CILICIA OR CYPRUS. Uncertain. Circa 450-425 BC. Stater (Silver, 22 mm, 10.79 g, 6 h). (Traces of letters?) Ram walking to the left; [to left, F]. Rev. Dolphin swimming to left; above, crescent; below, rosette of a larger central pellet, within a circular incuse, surrounded by six smaller pellets; all within a square dotted border lining the inner edge of a shallow incuse square. Traité 1.2, 992, pl. 28,14(same dies). H. Troxell & N.Waggoner, The Robert F. Kelley Bequest, ANSMN 23 (1978), 42 (ANS) & pl 5.C (Oxford), (both struck from the same dies). Six, Zur Münzkunde Pisidiens und angrezender Länder, pl. III, 7. A very intriguing, even mysterious, coin with a particularly unusual and decorative reverse. Bright, clear and very rare, the fourth example known. Obverse struck somewhat off-center, otherwise, about extremely fine.

As T&W demonstrated in their publication of 1978, this coin is part of a series, linked by this obverse die, that includes the more common issues with reverses of a club and branch and those a branch with berries.