Nomos 37

PAPHLAGONIA. Sinope. Circa 425-410 BC. Drachm (Silver, 15 mm, 5.99 g), Aeginetic standard. Head of a sea eagle to left; below, dolphin swimming to left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square composed of two raised and two sunken squares; within one of the sunken squares, raised line between two pellets. HGC 7, 388. SNG BM Black Sea 1367 var. SNG von Aulock 6841 var. Struck from the same dies as the coin in the Kagan Collection, Nomos 33, 2024, 1233. A very rare variety with an eagle's head of the finest Classical style, similar to those from Olympia. Toned and with an impressively double-struck obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

Normally coins that are double-struck, especially heavily so, are coins to be avoided! But not this one! The extraordinary way this piece was "misstruck" has basically turned it into an unexpected work-of-art of its own, showing two accolated eagle heads to left. Not only is it both amusing and impressive, it is also struck from a die of the finest style. A curious factor is that the die identical piece from the Kagan Collection, which we sold in Nomos 33, was overstruck, suggesting that the whole issue from these dies was made in some haste, perhaps due to some local financial crisis. Do see the preceding lot for a closely contemporary example.