Gemini III, January 9th, 2007



                  Lot # 214 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$3000 / Price 
                  Realized: US$3750 
                  CILICIA. Holmi. Silver stater 



             



            CILICIA. Holmi. Fourth century BC. Silver stater (10.22 gm). 
            Helmeted Athena standing left, holding aphlaston-bearing Nike in 
            right hand and resting left on grounded shield, inverted spear in 
            background, dolphin leaping left in left field / OËMI/TIK—ON, 
            laureate Apollo standing left, half-draped, holding phiale in right 
            hand and laurel staff in left; countermark in right field: bull 
            right, shield in profile above, in square punch. Traite II, 1449, 
            pl. cxxxix, 14. Cf. SNG Levante 32 (control letter A on reverse, 
            with same countermark in same position). Cf. SNG Paris 120 (DI on 
            obverse). Small test cut at 2:00 on obverse. Of remarkably beautiful 
            style. About extremely fine. 

            Ex NFA VIII, 6 June 1980, lot 320, brought $19,500. 

            Holmi was a minor mint located on the coast of Cilicia south of the 
            later site of Seleucia. The types of its staters so closely parallel 
            those of Side as to suggest a monetary convention between the two 
            cities. Stylistically, however, this stater is vastly superior to 
            its Pamphylian counterparts, especially in Athena’s lovely drapery 
            and the perfect tiny facial features of both gods. The dolphin 
            symbol on the obverse occupies the same position as the pomegranate 
            on related Sidetan staters, whence it is presumed that the dolphin 
            may have been the civic badge of Holmi. The aphlaston is described 
            as a branch in Traite and not noted in the other references cited 
            above. While Nike was more commonly portrayed holding a wreath, the 
            wreath was replaced by an aphlaston at some seafaring cities, most 
            notably Aradus. 




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  ... Lot 214 sold for high bid of $3750 [ $4312.5, or approx 3333.5625 EUR, 2199.375 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 


Re-used by permission of Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com) and
                         Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)