Nomos 23

ASIA MINOR, Mysia. Kyzikos (?). Earlier 5th century BC. Hemitetartemorion (Silver, 7 mm, 0.14 g). Three crescents, two back to back and a further one slightly below, with two large pellets. Rev. Lion’s head with open jaws to left; behind, line of pellets along the truncation leading to the lion’s mane, giving the impression of a palm tree. Apparently unpublished save for its auction appearance in 2000; but see three other pieces of this type which were sold as lot 190 of Naumann 44 in 2016 and in Savoca 79, 2020, 114 and 115. A truly enigmatic coin, but with intriguing types. Good very fine.

Ex Hauck & Aufhäuser 15, 21 March 2000, 95.

A truly intriguing coin, this piece was first sold as uncertain Asia Minor, but the Naumann example in 2016 and its companions in 2020, along with two others with lion's heads to right that turned up in 2017, were attributed to Kyzikos. While that attribution is accepted here, the types themselves are inconclusive (the one mint that often used a type of two crescents back to back was Tarentum - and this coin certainly does not come from there!). The fabric is reminiscent of that of Kyzikos, but that is certainly not good enough for a firm attribution. The Asia Minor origin is on firmer ground, however, since all the six known examples were on the market in Munich.