LYCIA. Bubon (?). 2nd-1st century BC. AE (Bronze, 20 mm, 7.76 g, 12 h). BOY Laureate head of Zeus to right. Rev. Veiled head of Demeter to right. Lindgren III 1638 (as uncertain). Very rare. Somewhat smoothed, otherwise, very fine.


The attribution of this issue to Bubon has been questioned, with some suggesting to read the legend as a Seleukid date 472 = 161/2 AD (see the note in Grün 64 (2014), 1186). Stylistically, such a date seems far too late, in particular for a coin that would thus not carry any ethnic. On the other hand, the appearance of the letters BOY on what must be the obverse of the coin is quite puzzling and the attribution to Bubon thus only tentative.