KYRENAICA. Kyrene. Circa 525-480 BC. Didrachm (Silver, 17 mm, 8.48 g, 6 h), Attic standard. Silphion plant with two pairs of leaves and fruits; in fields to left and right, single fruits. Rev. Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue within pelleted square within incuse square. BMC p. XXV, 17d and pl. IV, 2. BMFA -. SNG Copenhagen -. The New York Sale XXXII (2014), 189 (same dies). Extremely rare. A beautifully toned piece of charming archaic style. Light marks, otherwise, very fine.


The reverse motif of this extremely rare didrachm from Kyrene appears to draw from Athenian prototypes, where the Gorgon first appeared around 515-510 BC on tetradrachms, didrachms, and smaller denominations of the 'Wappenmünzen' series. Adopting from Athens, Kyrene also embraced the Attic weight standard, later supplemented and replaced by the so-called 'Asiatic' standard. This standard likely originated from a one-fifth denomination of the Attic tetradrachm, which then became a light drachm (see lot 165 below), resulting in an 'Asiatic' tetradrachm weighing around 13.2 grams.