Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich

Auction 88  –  8 October 2015

Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich, Auction 88

Greek, Roman & Byzantine Coins

Th, 08.10.2015, from 4:30 PM CEST
The auction is closed.

Description

Greek Coins
Kings of Lydia, Croesus
Stater circa 520, EL 13.98 g. Foreparts of bull and lion crouching back to back. Rev. Rectangular incuse punch between two square incuse punches. Head, The Coinage of Lydia and Persia, pl. 1, 6. Traité I, pl. II, 3. ACGC pl. 3, 65 var. = Weidauer pl. 15, 133 var. (inverted foreparts). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 78, 590 (this obverse die).
Of the highest rarity, possibly the finest of very specimens known. An issue
of great importance and fascination, unusually well struck and
complete on a full flan. Extremely fine Privately purchased from Tkalec in 1992.

This issue of Lydo-Milesian electrum staters has been the subject of intensive study and appreciation for more than a century, attracting comments from several generations of scholars. This type stands apart from other uninscribed electrum staters of the 6th Century in that its lion-and-bull design is strongly related to the royal, bi-metallic coinage of the Lydian King Croesus. Since its physical characteristics all suggest it predates the standard Croesid coinage, this type almost universally is considered a prototype issue for Croesus’ bimetallic issues.

Barclay Head, when discussing this type in Historia Numorum, wrote: ”To the early part of the reign of Croesus may probably be attributed the first introduction of a new type for the royal coins... The combination of the Lion and the Bull is remarkable, and suggestive of a more widely extended empire”. Head’s description of this type as a proto-coinage for Croesus’ bimetallic issues has since been echoed by Robinson, Kraay, Weidauer, and Konuk, with the latter suggesting a date of c.560 B.C.

Two distinct variants of the issue are known: one with the bull left and lion right, and the other with the opposite arrangement. Each traditionally has been known by a single, well-published specimen. The first to come to light was the bull left/lion right variant; the original example is in the Munich cabinet and is illustrated in Traite (pl. II, 3) and in Kraay’s Greek Coins (no. 590). The ‘discovery’ specimen of the other variant, the Ashmolean example with lion left/bull right, was published by Robinson in his essay for the ANS centennial publication (pl. XXXIX, 1); it subsequently was pictured by Kraay ACGC (no. 65), Weidauer (pl. 15, 133), and by Konuk in The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Coinage (no. 3.15).

In discussing these lion/bull electrum staters, Robinson suggested they were struck by Croesus ”...before he introduced his new system, though they are often given to one of his predecessors.” Further, he notes that the lion was the royal Lydian badge, but that the significance of the bull (which he terms an ox) is not entirely clear. He suggests: ”Both branches of the Lydian royal house traced their origin to a native solar deity...and the royal badge is also a solar symbol. Then the ox is perhaps a lunar one. Is it too fantastic to carry the symbolism one stage further? Lion = sun = gold: ox = moon = silver. In the issue of gold and silver alloy, lion and ox are shown still joined together, back to back. In the parallel issues of the later coinage in pure gold and silver they are not only separated but opposed.” Robinson’s suggestion is intriguing, and it may, in fact, be the correct reading. However, one might wonder why, if such associations were clear to the Lydians, that under Croesus’ bimetallic system his gold coins did not feature just a lion and the silver just a bull.

Question about this lot?

Bidding

Price realized 85'000 CHF
Starting price 48'000 CHF
Estimate 60'000 CHF
The auction is closed.
Feedback / Support