Gemini III, January 9th, 2007



                  Lot # 209 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$750 / Price 
                  Realized: US$1200 
                  PAMPHYLIA. Aspendus. Silver stater 



             



            PAMPHYLIA. Aspendus. Ca. 370–330 BC. Silver stater (11.08 gm). Two 
            wrestlers engaged, between them FN (latter retrograde), MENETÕÓ 
            EËÕØA in exergue / EÓTFEÄIIÕÓ, slinger slinging right, triskeles 
            before, all in square dotted border. SNG von Aulock 4568 (same 
            dies). Museo di Izmir I, pl. x, 193–195 (same dies). Some areas of 
            flat striking. Mint state. 

            The inscription on the obverse apparently means “Menetus inflicted 
            pain,” a locution perhaps equivalent to MENETÕÓ ENIKHÓE, “Menetus 
            was victorious,” see G.F. Hill, NC 1920, pp. 115–116. Hill preferred 
            an alternate interpretation, that both words are personal names 
            identifying the two wrestlers depicted on the coin. It is known that 
            games were instituted at Aspendus in 402 BC, and that they 
            represented a revival of an earlier festival. The coin type may thus 
            portray a sculpture erected on that occasion, honoring “some 
            original heroic founders. 




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  ... Lot 209 sold for high bid of $1200 [ $1380, or approx 1066.74 EUR, 703.8 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 


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